JIM DEVINE

With less than a year of experience competing in national fitness and figure contests, Chrissy Burton took a national title for an overall competition on the West Coast.

The 38-year-old Windham personal trainer is now considering a run to qualify as a professional competitor in the field with early success in shows she’s entered so far.

Burton won the overall figure competition at the Emerald Cup in Seattle, Wash., where 138 women from across the country met.

“When I got it I was stunned,” Burton said, recalling her thoughts when she was called out as the winner.

“I had been off season for eight months and there really are some beautiful, beautiful women at these shows. Winning it is big.”

Fitness and figure competitions are similar to female body-building but without an emphasis on muscle size while focusing on maintaining a feminine frame, Burton said.

As a registered nurse, Burton has worked in fitness as a trainer for 18 years, but just took to figure competitions last year under the direction of trainer Kim Oddo last year.

“I had no interest in competing initially, but he got me ready for my first show and we took it from there,” Burton said.

Sweeping every category in her first show in California last May, Burton continued to have a successful first year.

Burton said she hopes to qualify as a professional figure competitor by the end of this year’s season, with four qualifying competitions scheduled between May and July.

Even with her fitness experience, the training for figure competition has been life-altering, Burton said. Between 4 a.m. and 7 p.m. each day, she fits in five hours of her own training between work sessions with her clients.

Having opened a personal training gym in Windham with business partner Melissa Marquis, Burton said she tries to give close attention to clients through one-on-one appointments and training sessions with small groups.

“Chrissy was actually my trainer and that’s how we met,” Marquis said. “She certainly changed my life around and many others.”

“If I could bottle what I feel every day and give it to other people I would,” she said. “I love being a nurse but I also love training people and getting them healthier."

Burton said she’ll continue to push clients to better health while pushing herself for more national titles.

“I’m just a local New Hampshire girl,” she said. “I want it so I’ll work for it.”