She came, she posed, she conquered.

Laurie Dickson added three new titles to her fitness competition career last weekend, including top overall female at the first-ever FitSciences Fitness Championships in Altanta, Georgia.

The 42-year-old said winning was that much sweeter because she did so in the Open division, and not the Masters she usually competes in.

“The physiques were stellar,” she said, noting there were 11 women in the figure category.

“When they announced the first-place winner, I was really excited. When they announced that the overall was No. 10, I had to look down and see that I was No. 10.”

In addition to the aggregate victory, she also won the open medium-height fitness model category and figure fixture.

The victories came with a $2,000 prize purse, double what is generally available in the industry.

Dickson had won world championships in two other federations in the last year: the World Bodybuilding & Fitness Federation (WBFF) and the World Natural Sports Organization’s FAME worlds.

Dickson entered this most recent competition — which featured about 100 male and female athletes — with more muscle than in the past.

“My muscles were fuller, and my glycogen level was higher — meaning, I depleted my water but I kept my calories at the same amount throughout the whole thing. I really believe that helped me,” she said.

“I know that training heavier and eating more this time really helped me. To even place in an Open division at 42 is a really good feeling.”

She said the crop of 20-somethings who were competing against her showered Dickson with congratulations afterwards.

“They said ‘You’re an inspiration, and you deserve it.’ They were just really good. They said I was a mentor. That’s what this is about,” she said.

Dickson was also able to expand her professional networking. One of the judges is a fitness manager, and approached Dickson about representing her. He would fill a role similar to a talent agent, finding modeling work for her.

Dickson is the first FitSciences champion, and she wouldn’t hesitate to associate with the federation again.

“I totally believe that I’ll be back to this competition; not just because I won, but because of the way they treat athletes,” she said, noting the organizers themselves are athletes.

“I want to support what they believe in, and it’s about the aspect of the whole lifestyle. ‘Healthier lifestyle for a lifetime.’ That was their motto.”

She said there was an amazing array of organic, high-protein, ‘clean’ food available.

“Athletes have never been treated (so well),” she said.

“After the show, they splurged and gave us cheese cake and chocolate cake (although) I didn’t get into it because I can’t really eat that stuff.”

The competitions took place all day Saturday. On Sunday, she spent 10 hours at a calendar shoot with fitness photographer Robert Reiff.

There wasn’t time for any sightseeing before she boarded a plane back home and to her regular life.

“It takes a lot of much-needed sleep,” she said, of the transition back to normalcy. “There’s water-loading, and the whole building up towards (competition) with a strict diet.

“Then of course you get that transition from flying on competition day because you’re posing and flexing the whole time. It’s challenging on your body, so when I get back I take approximately a week off of the gym, doing nothing except training my clients (at New Pro-Fitness gym).”

A veteran motocross, Dickson said winning in the fitness game gives a different sense of accomplishment.

“This is a subjective sport,” she said. “With this one, I do all my own training, my diet: everything I do. I answer to myself, and it’s a very, very personal win because I know what I go through to compete. It’s extremely challenging but so rewarding.

“As I’ve said in previous interviews, this isn’t just my win: it’s my kid’s win as well. With some of my winnings, I’m going to treat them (Mitchell, who’s nine, and six-year-old Dayna) to a celebration time,” she said.

Whatever that entails, rest assured that it won’t involve dietary splurging for mom. She’s no fan of the acid reflux and bloating that tends to follow.

“I already had my cheat meal — a hamburger and sweet potato fries — and I’ll tell you, my body just rejected it,” she said. “It just did not like what I put into it because I eat very clean. For me, that’s just my lifestyle. I stay pretty lean all year round, so I might indulge in something like lasagna but I come back and eat fairly strictly.”

Sticking with it makes sense considering Dickson is weighing the idea of attending two of three events in the fall.

She might attend Joe Weider’s Olympia competition or the WBFF’s world championships in September, and follow that with an Ultimate Fitness Events competition in November.