by Han Deas, July 2004

The soundtrack to “Star Trek: The Next Generation” plays on the stereo of his 1997 mulberry purple Pontiac Grand Prix coupe. A license plate featuring the Challenger space shuttle hangs below his trunk, which carries a folded life-size cardboard cutout of a Star Wars character.

“Never mind Queen Amidala,” he says, “I have nowhere else to put her.”

CIRCA training coordinator Jim Albury, 36, graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in astronomy. He sports a tie to work. He designs his own Web page. He builds fine-scale models of space shuttles and rockets. He wears glasses.

He also leg presses the weight of 15 kindergarten students (450 pounds) and is the winner of 2003’s Gainesville Bodybuilding Competition.

At 5 feet 10 inches, Albury, who also answers to “Skippy” because of his fondness of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, is not the most intimidating character in a royal blue Oxford shirt.

“It’s still weird when people introduce me as ‘Mr. Gainesville,’” Albury says. “People see me in my work clothes and think, ‘Yeah, right.’”

Cracks in the rubber mats covering Gainesville Gym’s floor reveal splintered plywood. Roughly one out of every four ceiling fans spin, providing the only air circulating the establishment. The equipment varies in age, ranging from hi-tech stationary bikes to rusty free weights. Bordering the entire gym atop baby-blue walls are 16-by-24 inch black-and-white photographs of gargantuan men showing off their physique. Members of the gym roar as they imitate the bodybuilders pictured above, scowling as they push their muscles.

In walks Skip “The Abdominator” Albury.

Wearing a collared, white button-down shirt (unbuttoned with the sleeves cut off), Albury reveals a six-pack stomach, biceps the size of bowling balls and a chest capable of bench pressing UF linebacker Channing Crowder.

As he finishes a set of decline bench press, three men gather under the photo of Albury flexing his abdominals.

“Hey Skip,” one of the men yells over to Albury, “I hear they’re looking for a new Hulk for the sequel.”

Albury looks at himself, laughs, shrugs his shoulders and says, “Well maybe a mediocre Hulk.”

While others disregard all who cross their paths, Albury smiles and sparks conversations with everyone around, shaking hands and calling each person by name.

“He’s focused and goal oriented,” says UF graduate Shane Rogers, 24, “but at the same time very laid back and approachable. If you’re friends with Skip, he’s always there to offer good advice.”

Outside of the gym, Albury is often spotted talking to others around UF’s campus.

“We’ll be walking outside and he’ll just start talking to anyone,” says Jon Fishman, who has worked with Albury for four years. “He’s outgoing and likes meeting people.”

As a training coordinator for UF’s Center for Instructional and Research Computing Activities, Albury manages and coordinates the UF Computing Help Desk’s technical support to the graduate school in the execution of the Electronic Thesis and Dissertation initiative, while also organizing technical workshops on the production of theses and dissertations.

Basically, students come to Albury in order to graduate.

“Jim cares about people,” Fishman says. “He’ll put out a lot of his own time to get us and his clients through, more than I would.”

The year is 2067.

PodarCo, under the guidance of CEO Skippy Tubenburble Podar IV, begins its quest for global domination. With hard work, firm leadership, and “an endless supply of chocolate chip cookies,” nothing will stop PodarCo from becoming a governing presence, not even the Diamond Age of Enlightenment.

This tale is one feature on Albury’s Web site, http://www.skippypodar.net.

“I’ve had a Web site since there was a Web,” Albury says. “I have tons of space on it, so I’m going to be able to develop it, clogging the internet with even more junk.”

In addition to tales of Skippy Podar’s intergalactic adventures, the site shows off Albury’s love for science-fiction and astronomy, chronicles his quest to become Mr. Gainesville and gives advice to other bodybuilders.

Albury wasn’t always big.

“When I was around 16 years old,” Albury says, “I was very skinny and it used to bother me.”

With the encouragement of friends and family, Albury bought a beginner’s weight set from Sears. He soon noticed a change in physique.

At Miami-Dade Community College, Albury took a weight-training course, learning the basics of lifting and how muscles grow.

“My friends and relatives noticed that I was starting to change, and they would say, ‘Jim you’re gettin’ bigger,’” Albury says. “So I signed up a second time and then a third time.”

When Albury was 26, his friend Phil Yeager announced his plans to compete in the Gainesville Bodybuilding Championship. Albury noted his friend’s training and progression.

“He was the usual beer-drinkin’, sitting in front of the TV kind of guy,” Albury says. “He started dieting in July, and by November he was all cut up. I thought, ‘If he can do it, I can do it.’”

The next year, another friend (Francis Ebel) went through the same routine. “I thought it was amazing that you could have that much control over your body,” Albury says. “I said, ‘you know, I should do that.’”

Orchestral music from Walt Disney World’s “100 Years of Magic” blasts from the Lincoln Middle School auditorium speakers. The roughly 300 people staring up at him are blocked from view by a combination of bright lights, sweat in his eyes and not wearing glasses. Glistening in Dream Tan, a coloring agent with gold sparkles, Albury stands alone in nothing but navy blue posing trunks.

In 60 seconds, it would be over.

Albury nails the poses he practiced 10 times a day for three weeks. After 20 years of weightlifting and four competitions, on November 22, 2003, Albury is named Mr. Gainesville.

“If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything,” Albury says. “My goal is to be the best looking 80-year-old on the senior-citizen cruise in 2047.”

Jim Albury-
skippypodar@skippypodar.net

Jon Fishman-
jfish938@yahoo.com

Shane Rogers-
shanetheryan@yahoo.com

Han Deas (author)
Han0026@aol.com

Last updated: October 24th, 2004