Getting my run on!

Finally getting to put some miles behind me!  The knee is holding in there but just doesn't feel great.  Yesterday I set out for a 13 mile run, I completed 11.  I could feel my knee tightening up somewhere around mile 5, I knew I wasn't going to make the 13.  I told my self that I will stop on an odd number... 7, 9, 11 or 13.  After hitting each milestone I would reassess my knee. At the 7 mile marker the knee felt off but not really hurting, so I pushed on to mile 9.  I could feel that when I started to slack on my stride it ached a little.  As I was finishing up mile 10, the aching seemed to be a little more sporadic.  I knew fo-sho somewhere between mile 10 and 11, that 11 was going to be my magic number!  I am very pleased with 11 miles.  It is a little depressing when I look at my original training program... Yesterday was supposed to be my first 18 mile training run!  I will just have to keep on doing what I can and try not to push myself past the breaking point again!  

On a positive note!!  I love, love, love the road bike.  I can definitely see a triathlon in the near future!  I am also done with school until January 18th!  By the start of next semester I will officially be a "MARATHONER".  Thursday morning we are taking off to drive up to Washington to see my folks!  YEAH!!!  A plus to this- My little brother Danny is coming with!!!!  The holiday spirit is slowly creeping up on me and I am feeling great.  Next week while Timmy is at school, I will be baking!  So if anyone has any great recipes that they wouldn't mind sharing with me, that would be greatly appreciated!!  

Happy Holidays!!!

-Kristal

I'm back... kinda sorta!

It was a rainy mess out there today!  Reminded me of home, OH how I miss Washington.  But who really wants to go running in that crap?  NOT ME... so I kept pushing the run off until the rain finally subsided and I had no excuse.  Unfortunately, it was until 4:30 or so, which didn't give me much daylight.  I set out for 9 miles... at mile 5 my knee started to ache.  I decided to call it quits and head home.  I only finished 6 miles and at a relatively slow pace.  My knee feels a little off now.  I have a 10 mile bike ride planned for tomorrow, we will see how that goes, I might need a day off.  I am being very cautious with the old knee, better to be safe than sorry. The plus side to my run- A beautiful scene! The sunset was amazing today, I pulled out my my iphone to snap a picture but definitely didn't give it justice. 

Happy Running!

**-KRISTAL-**

Merry Christmas to Kristal

WHAT???  Is that a road bike I see... Why, yes it is!  Timmy got it for me for Christmas, I think he wants a wife that will be able to walk in 20 years!  The knees need a sport with a little less impact.  Triathlon... here I come!

I am finally coming off "resting".... I ran 3 miles yesterday and it kicked my butt.  It felt really good though. I have a short bike ride planned for today and 9 mile run planned for tomorrow. Now I have to play catch up without getting hurt again!

Happy Holidays
-Kristal

A sad sad day...

For the first time ever... I called it quits mid run!  I can't believe it.  My knee wasn't hurting bad but it still just didn't feel right.  So before I let it start hurting real bad, I turned around and jogged back to the house.  This week was planned for a 5 + 8 + 5 + 16 = 34.  Doesn't look like I am gonna make my 153 miles in December... I already cut 20 last week and today I cut another 3 (I only made it 2 miles today). I just have to keep my goal in mind--- Finish (without walking). I HAVE to be injury free to be successful. After I got back to the house, the 2 mile jog stiffened up my knee, so the resting continues!  BOOOO!!  I will keep you posted but I think I might have to cut my 8 miles tomorrow... :( 

-Kristal

Slacking vs. Resting

I am resting I swear...  My knee is definitely bum!  It is soooooo hard for me to "rest", I just feel like I am slacking, being lazy! My only goal for this whole process is to be able, come Marathon day, run 26.2 miles without stopping.  This goal can not be reached if I am injured.  I must rest and recover from this little mishap so I can finish strong!  The words from my wise and very old brother... "Good thing this thing [injury] happened now and not a week before the race."  I would have rather it not happed at all but he is right!  So, for now, I rest... I went for a walk today with the dogs and the knee tweaked a little bit.  I was going to try a short run this weekend but after the walk I am nixing that idea.  I am now shooting for Monday, 5 miles... Don't know if my knee will be ready but I am optimistic. 

Tim and I attempted to take some photos today for Christmas cards.  We didn't use either of these photos but I thought they were cute! We ended up using a photo of just us two and left the animals out!

The Zoo...

The pups and me!

The exciting news on the home-front... Kristal might be getting a road bike for X-Mas!  Cross your fingers!  They are pricey but will be way less of an impact on my body so I can do this physical working out stuff forever!!  :)  

-Kristal

OH NOOOOOO, not the knee....

I definitely have myself an overuse knee injury. After doing some reading on the World Wide Web, I have come to the conclusion that I might have patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) or "runners knee".  But who really knows... I guess the doctors, if I would just go, but they are sooooo overrated! The internet has confirmed what I learned in my Human Pathophysiology class- RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression & Elevation). 

So I had a short run today, 5 miles.  I completed all 5 miles but it felt like my patella was gonna pop out of my knee and tumble down the road or something... I just tried to focus on my pace the whole time to take my mind off the pain.  I was successful in the fact that I kept an awesome pace but that was about it. 

Mile 1- 7:42

Mile 2- 7:41

Mile 3- 7:43

Mile 4- 7:43

Mile 5- 7:44

Tomorrow I am supposed to run 8 miles but I think I might need a day off... I know right!  AHHH! Well I guess I will just see how the old knee is doing tomorrow and make my decision then. My total miles logged for November is a whopping 115 miles! December only brings on more miles! Stay tuned!

Happy Holidays! - Kristal

The Long Weekend

My aunt came down to AZ to visit for Thanksgiving!  We had a lot of fun quilting but the runs weren't so much fun...  The 16 miles of torture on Saturday might have set me back a bit, I will explain.  The first 8 miles were great, I felt good and was keeping the pace I wanted.  The first 8 miles were all between 7:53-7:59... then I hit the infamous wall. That darn wall got me last week so I tried to fight it off with some sports drink and a marathon bar. Well, at about mile 11-12 that bar and drink came back up! Somewhere shortly after mile 8 I began chafing in my armpits of all places!  By mile 14 the muscle cramps took over and my legs kept giving out on me.  I should have stopped but my stubborn self wouldn't let myself "quit"... The awkward pounding and improper running stride has now injured my left knee...  After the run I could barely walk with that leg, on Sunday it felt a little better and today even better but I can still feel the pain deep in my knee.  I was suppose to run today but I am shuffling around my runs this week to give it an extra days rest, I really hope that I didn't just hurt-hurt myself. Only time will tell.

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

The Run...

:) Kristal**

A solid seven.

Today was a solid seven mile run.  I started out just a little bit fast but it just felt so good to finally run without being sick.  I still had some flem creep up and out of me, however it was much more tolerable than the previous week. I also waited to run until it warmed up in the afternoon hours.   

Mile 1- 7:21
Mile 2- 7:31
Mile 3- 7:43
Mile 4- 7:43
Mile 5- 7:46
Mile 6- 7:41
Mile 7- 7:47

Total 7 Miles- 53:36 (7:39 Average Pace)

Yesterday I ran 4 miles but was still super boogie girl.  It was an unpleasant run to say the least, not to mention that my time totally sucked for only being 4 miles (30:51-7:42 pace).  I really pride myself in pushing forward.  I listen to my body but never let the mind fool it.  I made it through this cold without missing a run! Whoop Whoop!  Run on my friends, run on!

-Kristal

A long 14 Miles

Although I am still battling my cold I set out for my long run today.  It was 14 miles but felt like a million.  I started off a little bit slow but I figured it was best and I might be able to keep pace.  Well, for the first 8 miles I was hanging just above and below an 8 min pace...  Then it hit me like a ton of bricks!  I think that it is time to start implementing some sort of nutrition while running on my long days. I quickly went down hill.  A lot of my run didn't have a sidewalk or bike lane which caused me to have to run "off-road" dodging small shrubs and what not.  I didn't plan my route that well because as I was approaching home, I looked down at the Garmin and I still had 3 miles to go.  This is where I made my next mistake, I went totally off course and ran down into a riverbed. Just to get out of this mess I had to run back up this really steep slope, then hop a barb wire fence onto a golf course and cross some railroad tracks. I made it home... almost defeated by the run.  It wasn't pretty... 

11/20- 14 miles- 1:56:10 (8:17 pace)

My 14 mile loop!

-KRISTAL_

The sniffles got me down...

It's "winter" here now... which means it is in the 70's and low 80's!!  I never knew how it was possible for people to get sick in Arizona but somehow I managed to get a cold.  A COLD! Yeah right you say... I know, I know but it's true.  I am super bummed.  I was so unmotivated this morning.  I tried to use every excuse in the book to skip my run but I convinced myself that I better suck it up.  I have a 14 mile run on Saturday, hopefully I feel a little bit better.  

My run went a little something like this: I stepped outside and felt the fresh air hit my lungs. Although one might count this as a blessing, for me today, it was disaster!  It made my mucus come out of hiding... where are all these boogies coming from??  As the snot drained from my sinuses, the wind flung it across my face but I kept pushing forward.  I constantly had to blow snot rockets to clear my airway.  Mucus would gather in the back of my throat causing me to choke on it.  I must have emptied a liter or two of wet sloppy buggers.  

My 4 miles today: 29:52 (7:28 pace)

At this point, I would like to just crawl back into bed and hide.  But life isn't that simple... I have so much to do and so little time to do it in.  So goodbye for now...  I will catch you on the flip side!  

-Kristal OUT

Run or Run

Week 8: 10 miles down... 18 to go!  Monday I ran 4 miles.  My legs were still feeling the half on Saturday but I managed to finish.  Other than getting a cramp in my side it was a decent run.  (4 miles in 29:58-7:29 pace)  Today I ran 6 miles.  I felt my legs were still tired but not sore anymore.  I headed out for my 6 miles and finished all 6 at a decent rate.  (6 miles in 46:35-7:46 pace)  My pace got slower and slower but the average pace was OK.  Other than hitting one stoplight, it was go-go-go!

(Click Pictures to Enlarge Stats!)

I have 4 miles on Thursday and 14 miles on Saturday.  As I was writing up my blog, I managed to scarf down some peaches,  cottage cheese and two pieces of toast!  Shower time!  

*_KRISTAL_*

1/2 Marathon Results!

So I didn't do as well as I thought I was going to do but I still did great!  I think that results become "final" at 5pm tonight but they are already posted, so I am sharing!  My chip time was 1:42:45 (7:50 pace) which is a personal record for me!  Whoop Whoop!  I was 31st to finish overall, the 6th female and 1st in my age/sex group.  This means that Jessica is the winner of my mug!  She was only 1:58 off my actual time, good job JessY.

Tim came with so I could have some pictures to post.  After the fact, I realized I looked like I am dead or dieing in all the finishing pictures.... not pretty!  But it's a race... if you look pretty at the finish you weren't trying hard enough!!!!  :)  

This is me looking pretty at the START!

Now a much more ugly FINISH!

My second toe nail was rubbing on my middle toe.  

Made a little boo-boo!

Free massage? Yes please!

This race made me realize just how much hard work I still have ahead of me!  I have to be able to finish 26.2 miles... double what I did today, YIKES!  I know I can and I will.  It's not going to be easy but I am committed and  I am loving every minute of this experience!  Join me if you dare!

I forgot to turn my Garmin off at the end so the last  0.1 miles was faster than 56 seconds!

**~KRISTAL~**

My Prize/Giveaway!

Tomorrow I run the Shun The Sun 1/2 Marathon!  

Which means that all time guesses to win the mug need to be in before I start tomorrow!

Check out the prizes tab if you have no idea what I am talking about!

Wish me luck!  :)

I will post results tomorrow or Sunday!  

**~Kristal~**

The Bad Run Day...

This run was a struggle from the get-go, I finished all 6 miles but it wasn't pretty.

The Bad:

1. Brrrr.... It was really cold out there!  I am used to running in weather a little bit warmer than 40 degrees!  
2. My legs are still a little tight from the DoubleHeader on Sunday. 
3. Both knees ached like a bus ran them over in the middle of the night. (I am sure it was the cold!)
4. I had boogies running down my face faster than my feet were on the pavement.
5. I couldn't keep a consistent pace if my life had depended on it. 
6. I ran with a CamelBak for the first time, it was heavy and awkward. (Hope I can get used to it for my longer runs!)
7. I am stressed to the max right now, which meant I had 6 miles to do nothing but think... (Not Good!)

The Good:

1. I finished!

I am allowed to have a bad run day every once in a while right?  Mark it down, the bad run bug bit me and it's officially a bad run day for Kristal!  (SAD FACE HERE)  Well I won't let this get me down, tomorrow I have an easy 4 miles then the big 1/2 on Saturday!  

Yesterday 11/9: 4 Miles: 29:42 (7:25 pace)

Today 11/10: 6 Miles: 47:23 (7:54 pace)

**~KRISTAL~**

10K + 2MILES + 5K = FUN

Jessica and I did the Phoenix 10K!  Whoop! Whoop!  I also ran the 5K race... and 2 miles in-between!  The whole reason for running the 10K, 5K and 2 miles was to get in the whole 11 miles for my "long" run of the week.  It was horrible stopping and starting again.  I finished the 10K and kept running to complete 2 more miles.  Actually, I ran until the Garmin said 8 miles then lined up to start the 5K but had to wait 7 minutes to start.  My legs got tight and it pretty much killed me to do the last 3 miles of the day.  Even though my legs were dead, I had a smile on my face when I finished because Jessica was waiting for me!!!  YEAH!!!  

Other than running, Jessica and I did a lot of baking!  I am not sure how many different things exactly we made but it was a lot!  Thanks Jessica for an awesome weekend!!  You are the best!

My official time for the Phoenix 10K- 46:57 (7:34 pace).  I placed 182 overall out of 1,562 racers and 6th in my age/gender group.  My official time for the Phoenix 5K- 24:04 (7:45 pace).  I placed 134 overall out of 667 racers and 5th in my age/gender group.  The official double-header (10K + 5K) results aren't posted so I don't know where I stand for that grouping yet. (Will let you know as soon as they post them.)

***Don't forget to guess my 1/2 Marathon time for next weekend!***

-Kristal

Nobody said it would be easy!

Slowly but surely I am making progress on my times.  My first pre-training run was 3 miles at a 9:00 pace!  Four weeks later, my first official training run was 3 miles at a 8:05 pace...  I am now, five and half weeks into official training, I am running 4 miles at a 7:24 pace!  Whoop Whoop!  It has been nine and a half weeks of running, running and more running.  I am starting to increase my miles and getting a bit quicker on my feet.  My hard work is working!  This Saturday I have the 10K + 5K + ANOTHER 2 MILES....  It will be nice to mingle with the other runners in the area and maybe get a few tips.  Wish me Luck. 

-Kristal-

Kristal-ology

Bloggy friend posted this survey this morning so I'm stealing it!

Let others know a little lot more about yourself, repost this as your name followed by “ology.”

Q. What is your salad dressing of choice?
A. Ranch. (Specifically ranch from Texas Road House, it's amazing!)

Q. What is your favorite fast food restaurant?
A. Subway.

Q. What is your favorite sit-down restaurant?
A. Olive Garden.

Q. On average, what size tip do you leave at a restaurant?
A. 18-20% (But I have left "Towle-Bucks" before!).

Q. What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick off of?
A. Grilled cheese/String Cheese.

Q. What marathon would you run if you could run ANY one you wanted?
A. Anyone that I get to travel for!

Q. What are your pizza toppings of choice? 
A. Cheese, olives & mushrooms... sometimes I mix it up and add pineapple! 

Q. What do you like to put on your toast?
A. Butter! I like scrabbled eggs with cheese with each bite of toast!

Q. What is your favorite type of gum?
A. Anything sugar free.

TECHNOLOGY

Q. Number of contacts in your cell phone?
A: 45.

Q. Number of contacts in your email address book?
A. 50? maybe...

Q. What is your wallpaper on your computer?
A. My Jeep!

Q. How many televisions are in your house?
A. 2.

BIOLOGY

Q. Are you right-handed or left-handed?
A. Right.

Q. What’s your best feature?
A. It's a package deal baby!

Q. Have you ever had anything removed from your body?
A. My nose, but they put it back!

Q. Which of your five senses do you think is keenest?
A. Smell.

Q. When was the last time you had a cavity?
A. 10-15 years ago...

Q. What is the heaviest item you lifted last?
A. I don't know but I am pretty buff.

Q. Have you ever been knocked unconscious?
A. Yep.

BULL[CRAP]OLOGY

Q. If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die?
A. Yes and No.

Q. Is love for real?
A. Love is what you make it.

Q. If you could change your name, what would you change it to?
A. Changed my last name already, pain in the butt!

Q. What color do you think looks best on you?
A. Dark Green.

Q. Have you ever swallowed a non-food item by mistake?
A. Yes.

Q. Have you ever saved someone’s life?
A. Yes.

Q. Has someone ever saved yours?
A. Yes.

DAREOLOGY

Q. Would you walk naked for a half mile down a public street for $100,000?
A. No. 

Q. Would you allow one of your little fingers to be cut off for $200,000
A. Probably, do they have prosthetic fingers? 

Q. Would you never blog again for $50,000?
A. For sure.

Q. Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000?
A. Yes.

Q. Would you give up watching television for a year for $25,000?
A. Yes.

DUMBOLOGY

Q: What is in your left pocket
A. Nothing.

Q: Is Napoleon Dynamite actually a good movie?
A: Hilarious! 

Q: Do you have hardwood or carpet in your house?
A: Travertine...

Q: Do you sit or stand in the shower?
A: Stand. (But sit to shave!)

Q: Could you live with roommates?
A: My husband, 2 dogs, and a cat is enough for me.

Q: How many pairs of flip flops do you own?
A: 3.

Q: Where were you born?
A: Tacoma, WA

Q: What do you want to be when you grow up?
A: A nurse.

Q: Who is number 1 on your top 8
A: Myself.

LASTOLOGY

Q: Friend you talked to?
A: Don't have friends that call, just family these days.

Q: Last person you called?
A: Mom.

Q: Person you hugged?
A: Timmy. (Husband)

Q: Person you kissed?
A: Timmy. (Husband)

Q: Number?
A: Anything Odd but not a 5... :) 

Q: Color?
A: Blue.

Q: Season?
A: Fall.

CURRENTOLOGY

Q: Missing someone?
A: Myself.

Q: Mood?
A: Blah.

Q: Listening to?
A: Country music.

Q: Watching?
A. My life go by...

Q: Worrying about?
A: Dad. 

RANDOMOLOGY

Q: First place you went this morning?
A: The bathroom.

Q: What can you not wait to do?
A: Run the Arizona Rock'n'Roll Marathon.

Q: What’s the last movie you saw?
A: The Town... I think...

Q: Do you smile often?
A: I used to.

Q: Are you a friendly person?
A: Yes.

Q: Now that the survey's done what are you going to do?
A: More homework.

Let others know a little more about yourself, repost this as your name followed by “ology.”

5... It's a love hate thing...

Some would say I have a little OCD...  (OK, maybe I do when it comes to cleaning but not when it comes to my love-hate relationship with even numbers and 5's)  I have a really good excuse for the number thing!  Here is another story from my later childhood/teen years.  The days of living on the "big block" couldn't last forever.  We moved to a bigger better house when I was in 6th-7th grade (about 10 blocks away-2 big blocks over).  This new house however came with a ghost.  This ghost would change the time on my alarm clock if I set it to an even number or a 5 (I tested this many times).  Creepy right?  No way, I embraced this oddity.  To this day, I HAVE to set my alarm clock with a time ending in 1, 3, 7, or 9...  This number thing has sorta manifested into my daily living.  For example I request odd number hotel rooms (on an odd floor and odd number)...  But this 5 mile run is messing me up!  I love running 5 miles but deep in my bones I know I should hate it, the ghost wouldn't approve of this...  I rocked out another 5 miles this morning faster than ever!  My ankle is bothering me a little but other than that I feel super strong!  Motivated!  

Super excited for the weekend races!  I just realized that no matter what I am going to get 2 new PR's...  It will be my first time racing an official 10K and 5K... So no matter how fast or how slow I run, I am still a winner!

Now is as good of time as any for a little give-a-way!  So Check out my prizes tab to see how to get something really cool....

Love It!

**~KRISTAL~**

No more 3's...

Well my 3 mile days are over for now... won't see them until I start to taper!  My "short" run days have changed to 4 miles, in four weeks they will change again to 5 miles!  It still amazes me how amazing I am doing!  I look forward to running, hitting the road and completing my miles for the day!  This week I have a total of 24 miles planned.  

4 + 5 + 4 + 11 = 24

Todays run was fun!  Armed with my pepper spray, I hit the road running (didn't need it, didn't even see a dog). I ran my favorite route, the "big block"!  Reminds me of when I was a little kid...  For those of you who don't know my childhood stories, we had the little block and the big block.  Staying on the little block meant that you couldn't cross ANY street (alleys were ok), but the big block meant you couldn't cross  roads with two lanes of traffic.  I had some pretty awesome parents!  

My splits for the morning were: 7:45, 7:46, 7:39, 7:33  (Total- 30:45, Average-7:41)

**~KRISTAL~**

It's Official...

OK folks, it's official... I just signed up for the Phoenix 10k Doubleheader (10K+5K "back-to-back") and the Shun the Sun 1/2 Marathon. Whoop Whoop!  

I hope Jessica makes it down to join me for the Phoenix 10K!  It kinda sucks that I have to keep running even after I finish the race but the race day motivation will easy my pain... Plus it gives me something to do while Tim is out at the sand dunes with the boys!

I have been eyeballing the Shun the Sun event for some time now and finally just went for it!  I am following this first-time/non-runners guide to running a marathon and it has one long run a week.  So I have a 12 mile run in week 7 and jump to a 14 mile in week 8... no 13...  So now I will be adding a mile to week 7 and running the half marathon...  :)   I hope that it doesn't mess me up too bad!  

The best and most reassuring thing that comes from doing organized races is safety.  The last few times I hit the road running, I have been getting a little too close for comfort with dogs!  I now have a pepper spray can that I will be running with.  I just don't know what else to do because now that the weather is nicer people are leaving their dogs out. (Nicer meaning the dog isn't going to die if they just leave it outside)  Also a big safety issue for me is running alone in a city with extremely high crime (scary).  I am in fairly good health so I don't think that I would need medical attention on a run, unless I got hit by a car or something, but it's always nice to have help just in case!  I hope everyone has a Happy Halloween!  Stay out of trouble... and be safe! 

**~KRISTAL~**

 

The Big Ten!

What? Did I just run 10 miles? Sure did! 

It felt awesome to hit the road and finally complete a double digit run!!!   Mark it down, I am officially something like a bad ass!  I love the feeling after defeating a milestone, I am on top of the world right now.  I could probably go back out an run another 10... OK, so maybe not 10 but you know what I mean.  I left the house a little later than I wanted to (7:30am), it was 73 degrees when I finished (felt way warmer).  Mile 9 totally sucked and I finished a little weaker than I was shooting for but there is always redemption next week! 

Next Saturday I have plans for 11 miles!  I might to the Phoenix 10K doubleheader... It would be the 10K and the 5K race back to back... then I would just run an additional 2 miles...  (Hope Jess comes down, it would make it super fun!) 

It was a big week, not only did I do my first double digit run but I also pushed into the 20+ miles a week!  Its amazing how far a little determination will get you.  For any of you out there thinking of taking on this challenge, I know you can do it!  Nobody said it would be easy... but the hard work is the fun part! 

Hard Work + Motivation = More Hard Work

**Seems like the harder I push myself the more I want to!**

(Or a "positive feedback loop" for all you smart people out there!)

**~KRISTAL~**

My Ankle...

I was super worried yesterday because my ankle was hurting just pressing in the clutch driving to school.  I woke up today feeling good so I headed out on my 3 mile run.  I made it!  My ankle felt good at the start but every time I rounded a corner I felt a sharper pain.  Other than cornering, it felt pretty strong.  As I was finishing, my ankle started to feel a little week with a dull pain.  No run tomorrow, I hope a little more rest will do me good for my 10 miler on Saturday!

3 Mile Splits- 7:35, 7:29, 7:29  (Total- 22:34)

Super excited for Saturday!

*~KRISTAL~*

Break It Down

Oh WOW!  That all I have to say about that!  

I am gonna have to break down this run with some bullet points... 

THE FUNNY

• People having nativity scenes in their yards year round... but that isn't really the funny part!  The witches, ghosts, goblins, pumpkins, spider webs and all the other scary Halloween decorations chill'in with baby Jesus is the funny part!  And it seemed that the more elaborate the nativity scene the more the Halloween decor was too!  Maybe its just me but just something about it was hilarious! Passes at least 3 of these bazaar set ups.

• People can't have just one chihuahua....  If there was one chihuahua in the yard, there was at least 4-5 more of those yippy little sh*ts around somewhere.  I must have passed 10-15 houses with multiple chihuahuas in them. 

THE SCARY

• Dogs... BIG DOGS, not chihuahuas...  People can we please not have your pits chasing and barking at me while I am trying to squeeze in a couple miles??   Two pits gave me a good scare today.  I probably ran into about 20 or so dogs that weren't on a chain/leash or in a fenced in yard...  They were just running around the streets!  The little ones aren't so bad but the big ones are scary!  See that heart rate jump just before mile 3?  Yeah that was the pits!

THE UGLY TRUTH

• I live in a nice little neighborhood.  The houses and yards are well kept, people drive nice cars, we even have little community parks with green grass and little playgrounds for the kiddos.  But within 2 miles or so of our perfect little neighborhoods, people are living in some of the worst conditions!  Houses held together with plywood and metal scraps... broke down cars... mangy mistreated animals... children that should be in school walk'in the streets... It's just a darn shame!  I feel super selfish right about now, I need to find a way to help!  Any ideas??

THE BAD PART OF THE RUN

• I twisted my ankle!  BOOOOO and not like a scary ghost BOO but a this might really suck BOO!  It doesn't seem to be that bad but bad enough to make me finish my run and come straight back to the house and ice it....  I don't have to run tomorrow so I hope that a day rest will be enough!!!!!

THE GOOD PART OF THE RUN

• Did I total just smash this run? Yes, yes I did!  I ran 5 miles in 39:02.  Oh yes, that is correct, a 7:48 mile pace!  Aside from my ankle stiffening up on me at the end, it felt good, and I kept pace pretty good!  

I have a short 3 mile run on Thursday and the BIG 10 mile run on Saturday!  I am excited! 

*~KRISTAL~*

I rock my own socks off!

At this point in my training I thought that I would be struggling both physically and mentally. Surprisingly neither have been an issue, yet!  On Sunday it felt like I was starting to get shin splints but I squashed it with some anti-inflammatory meds and stretches.  I am certain it was because the uneven surfaces on my lake run Saturday.  Everything I read emphasizes that running long distances is a mental game, it's all in your head, and after running 8 miles of hills I am convinced it's true!  When it comes down to it, I know I can!

What a scary week!!
So what does Halloween have in store for this running maniac???...  I have two major hurdles to overcome!  This week I will running my first 10 mile training run and I will be breaking 20 miles for my weekly total!  This week will be like going trick-or-treating, it's in the bag, guaranteed.  More miles behind me!

*-KRISTAL-*

Camping, Running, Good Times!

I wish I could stay at the lake forever!  I finally got the view I had been hoping for BUT all good things come at a price.  The price for my beautiful desert lake view-- 8 MILES OF HILLS!! Ouch! Yikes!  Not only did I have a hilly terrain to conquer, I also left the campsite without my water and sun glasses!  I was wishing I had water from about mile one... at mile 5 I spotted a water fountain outside a restroom area, finally a little water!  I planned the remainder of my route around restrooms in the park that I would be able to get some water from.  I found myself squinting a lot but managed just fine without the sunglasses.  My legs felt like a bowl of Jello, I would have to say it was a pretty good run, it was a success!   

(8 Miles, 8:10 Pace, 1:05:24 Total Time)

A view from the top!

Me and my boys! (Tyson, Kristal, Tim and Jack)

When I am not running I live in Crocs!  

I am sporting khaki shorts, mid calf white socks and Camo Mammoth Crocs!

You Know You Love It....

*-KRISTAL-*

The Ultimate Fairgoer!

Go big or go home!  There is nothing quite like ruining a run day by going to the fair!  It all started at the house when I was getting ready... I ate a caramel apple!  YUM!  I arrived at the fair grounds hungry for the good greasy food that was sure to be at any decent fair.  I started out with a burger topped with cheese, pickles, lettuce and tomatoes (No Sauce! Yuck!) and of course a basket of fries.  YUM!  It was dripping with grease and I ate up every little bite!  We walked around aimlessly for a little while (Played the AZ Lotto, hope'n to win the mega million!) and worked up an appetite for sweet corn.  Who goes to the fair and doesn't eat sweet corn?   YUM!  Then we rocked out to Blake Shelton!  Awesome!  Once again I was ready for another snack... I headed straight for the funnel cake stands, I opted for the classic funnel cake with powder sugar topping!  YUM YUM YUM!!!  We road the Ferris wheel and I was ready for more!  CHEESE FRIES!  A huge block of cheese fries!  YUM!  I don't think I need to eat for at least a week... I had a blast, every bite was worth it!

In the sheep barn!

Play'n the Lotto, wish us luck!

Blake Shelton concert! 

Death by cheese fries!

It was a good day!  I ran an amazing run in the AM and ate like a queen in the PM!  Now I am going to have to work extra hard on Saturday to make up for my night out!  Although it felt like I walked at least 10 miles last night, I still feel a little guilty!  Time to get back to work!!

*-KRISTAL-*

What The 62 Degrees Is Going On Here???

The Run
I can't believe it myself, must be a dream!  I got up this morning and put on my usual shorts and tank-top.  I was prepared to sweat my little patooty off.  To my surprise I was cold... I know but it's true... only 62 degrees!  The sky was a dark blueish black, I thought for a minute that I might get dumped on but I was successful in dodging the rain.  Not only was the morning cloudy with a cool breeze but I also ended up running faster than I normally do!  Kristal is on a ROLL.  She is a running machine and is super stoked right now!  Life is good!  I ran 3 miles in 22:19, 7:26 pace!  Oh how I am gonna miss my 3 mile runs...

Arizona State Fair
Because I did so well this morning, I think I will reward myself with a trip to the state fair.  I will eat lots of junk food and rock out to Blake Shelton!  OK, you got me, I was already going to go but now I won't feel so bad for spoiling myself!!!  (Jess I know how much you like pictures so I will report the fair and post pictures for you!)

Camping This Weekend
This Saturday I have a 8 mile run planned but I will be on some campground here in AZ.  No worries, my Garmin will work at the lake!  Talk about a way better view than the ghetto streets of Avondale!  My run report will have to wait until Sunday.  (Jess I know how much you like pictures so maybe I will have Tim ride his bike next to me and snap a few shots of me running for you!)

*-KRISTAL-*

Mr. Cloud; How I longed to see you in the sky!

Can you say clouds?  YES! YES! YES!  Finally getting a break from the warm/hot running temps and that blistering sun!  A girl could get used to this!  Whoop Whoop!

It was 66 degrees when I started my run this morning and only 67 when I finished.  It was beautiful from start to finish.  Above is the starting picture from the house and below is the ending picture.

Today was a medium length run day, only 5 miles.  It was a good run from the get go!  Some days you just want to run, today was that day... I soaked up the motivation and hit the road.  I completed the 5 miles in 40:01, averaging an 8:00 mile pace!  Here are the results from this mornings run:

It even looks like I am starting to get some muscles....

Thursday is a short recovery run day of 3 miles.  Saturday will finish up the week with a long run of 8 miles!  Sometimes I think to myself that I should run more... I should be putting more miles down!  I am following a beginners/first time marathon running guide and it stresses increasing your miles slowly.  Increasing miles to quickly or not taking days off can lead to injury and that is just no good!  Miles will come with time... by week 10- 34 miles a week and week 12- 36 miles!  

I HEART RUNNING!

-Kristal

3 miles of bliss!

I was feeling a little unmotivated this morning. So tired, so so tired!  Even after I got out of bed I was thinking to myself... "It's only 3 miles, how is missing 3 miles gonna matter much?"'  Needless to say, I put on my running shoes and sluggishly headed out the front door.  As I was doing a little pre-run stretching I realized this run could go one of two ways...  I could let my unmotivated spirit take over and just complete the run OR I could fight myself and get motivated for an awesome run.  I chose to fight, get motivated and have an amazing run!!  Not only did I have a good run but it was my fastest 3 mile run since I began this journey.  I am crossing boundaries that seemed impossible at first and I am so excited that I have the strength to accomplish my goals. Another 3 blissful miles in the books, 16 more for the week! 

3 Miles

Total Run Time: 23:10

Mile Splits: 1st-7:53, 2nd-7:41, 3rd-7:35

Too Late... Too HOT!

I hit the road running at 9:30am... big mistake!  The sun was high in the sky and there was no shade in sight.  I told myself to start off slower because I knew I would never make it if I started out fast. I wanted to average between 8:15-8:20.  I ended up averaging 8:26 for the 7 miles, I'll take it!  Although it felt as if death was upon me at about mile 4, I kept going... and at mile 5 I ran out of water!  It was about 84 degrees during the run, I would have bet it was in the 90's!!!  When I got home, I chugged a whole bottle of ice cold water! SOOOOO GOOOD!

Now its time to eat a bowl of MultiGrain Cheerios!  Good workout, good start to the weekend and an awesome end to Week 3 of training! Only 13 more weeks to go!! 

Kristal OUT!

Pace Yourself...

Well today I had a short run, only 3 miles, so I thought it would be a good day to concentrate on my pace!  I am quite pleased with the results.  My first mile was 8:00, second mile was 7:59 and I finished my third mile at 7:53.  I haven't really set a goal for my pace during the Marathon, I hope I have a better idea once I get to running my 16 and 18 mile days in weeks 9-12.  Just as long as I don't walk, just keep running, I think I will be happy!  Tomorrow I rest and Saturday I finish the week with a 7 mile run!  WHOOP WHOOP!

Words of Wisdom!

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit" - Aristotle

Today was a 4 mile run, felt good! I finally set up my Garmin so that next time I run, I will have split times for each mile! I am working on my pacing (I really suck at it!).  Not so important for short runs but for long runs... I might die!

My route this morning. Not too bad but wish I had something more beautiful to look, there are power lines in that big empty section and its just brown and desert-ish. I have to find a good place for Saturdays ("long" run days), so I can really put some miles behind me!!!!