Lazy Days!

These days I have turned into a lazy bum. I have become the girl who just reads about running. I find myself making excuses not to work out. At first it was the move and starting school. But now its has turned into it's too cold, I need a gym membership, I don't have time, I will start again next week... and so on! The truth of the matter is that I need to suck it up and make time. Enough with the excuses!

Today is a new day!

You have to start somewhere. With my injury track record, slow and steady is going to be the key to my success. I ran 2 miles this afternoon. It was 45 and sunny so I seized the day and hit the road. I know it was short but it was sweet! I hope I can find the motivation and stick with it.

Happy Holidays!

Kristal

A quick jog in the mountains!

What a beautiful run! I made my way back to Washington on Wednesday, despite it being cold and rainy, I am glad to be home. Yesterday it rained and rained and rained, so I opted out of of my run. Today I woke up to cloudy skies and thought another day out. However, to my surprise the clouds broke up and I saw blue... I quickly grabbed my running shoes and headed out! I totally under estimated the hilly terrain. I planned to run an easy 3 miles, 4 if I was feeling froggy. I headed down the hill into Roslyn, I turned around after a mile and started running uphill... I made it 2 miles! It was short but refreshing. 

A view from the top!

I hope to have more beautiful adventures in the next 2 weeks. Maybe I will be able to put a good chunk of miles behind me on my vacation! 

-Happy Running

Kristal

A little bit is better than nothing!

I attempted to run this morning... I made it 4.25 miles. I had to stop just after 2 miles because I was certain that I was going to barf, surprisingly I didn't! It seems like these days I get a little run in when I can but haven't been sticking to the schedule. I think part of my problem this morning was not fueling beforehand. I got up, dressed, drank a glass of OJ, got Tyson and took off running. (p.s. It was the OJ that was coming up during the run!) I was up and running by 7am and didn't even use an alarm! Perhaps I still haven't recovered from the weekend. I know that I can't keep using the blood giving as an excuse but I have plenty of others... On a more positive note, Tyson has became the perfect running buddy. OK, maybe not perfect but he does good. I feel so bad leaving Jack behind but every time I bring him he ends up not running and I either drag him or carry him.

I got a new running outfit from my momma and daddy today!!  I love getting that kind of mail, makes my day! It is super cute. It is a black and white Adidas top and bottom. I think I might break them in tomorrow... (maybe).

Also I would just like to point out that my cousin Jamie and I made the best Easter eggs EVER this year! We would have won some sort of contest if we entered them, I am sure of it! We had a blast this weekend. We sat at the pool (had a little encounter with a thinks she is all that and a bag of chips mexican chick...), saw Mumford & Sons in concert (bitchin'), shot guns in the desert (found a wild cactus!), made super cool Easter eggs (pictured below!), went to an Easter brunch with some local friends (played board games and hung out), hiked hole in the rock (Jamie found a huge snake) and got a tan in the mean time!! WHOOP WHOOP

Are these not the coolest Easter eggs you have ever seen???  

Well the school semester is almost over... and summer is here! I am so ready for this break from school! OH SHNAPS.... I have to finish Jessica's quilt! :) Hope you have a good week! I will be out camping at the lake this weekend, hopefully I can get a good run in!

-Happy Running

PAT'S RUN RECAP!

What an emotional run! From the playing of the national anthem to the 42 yard line finish. I loved being around so many military supporters. I am glad I got the chance to run this at least once before I left AZ.

THE RACE (GOOD, BAD, UGLY, & THE SO-SO)

THE GOOD: My exit plan to beat traffic and jet home (I had plans to go to the zoo later)! It worked perfectly and I was outta there quick! Actually I finished the race before some people even started... 

THE BAD: It was already hot by 7am... What the heck! To top it off, I was wearing the "HONOR 42" black t-shirt. I was dripping with sweat by the time I finished. Some of the streets got super narrow for the amount of people passing through, it kinda sucked! 

THE UGLY: I was about to go all "RED-HEAD" on the people that started in the fast waves but couldn't even run a mile.  They set up the waves by expected finish time... I was in wave 4 out of 28 (I was supposed to be in 3 but it was too packed).  As people were dropping out they were just walking in the middle of the road, all in my way! 

THE SO-SO: I guess my time was good considering the crowds and my lack of good runs in the past couple of weeks but I still wish it was a little bit faster. My official time for the 4.2 mile run was 31:47.

Total Finishers: 22,440

My Overall Place: 1,191

Total Female Finishers: 11,528

My Female Place: 154

I finished, raced back back to the house and got ready for the Phoenix ZOO!!  By the time we got to the zoo it was really hot, I put on sunblock 3 times yesterday (only got a little sunburned). 

GIVEAWAY

Want the inside scoop of awesome blog giveaways??? Ok, I will tell you! So here is the deal... check out 5 Miles Past Empty's blog (HERE) for a chance to win a free Allied Medal Display! They are bomb! If you don't know what they are you can check them out on Facebook (HERE) or their website (HERE). 

Now I better get back to quilting... I have been slacking and Jessica graduates in like 2 1/2 weeks!! YIKES I better kick it up a gear!

Happy Running!!

   -Kristal

The Oyster Race Recap!

Saturday April 9th, the Phoenix Oyster Urban Adventure! The Oyster race was 20-30 miles of running and biking with a twist! It was more or less a scavenger hunt, you are given clues to find your next destination! It was super fun minus the rain... and a few other things... (Interested in doing an Osyter Race? Check it out HERE! They have a bunch of other locations!)

Really Phoenix.... REALLY! I live in the "Valley Of The Sun", the place you can almost always count on a nice sunny day! Oh but not yesterday! The day went a little something like this...

3:30am: Wake-up because the rain is soooo loud...

5:30am: Wake-up to get ready for the race. (Still raining!)

6:00am: Friends arrive at the house, we pack up, load up, and head downtown. (Still raining!)

6:45am: Arrive downtown to set up our transition area. (Still raining!)

6:45-8:00am: Wait in the pouring rain for the race to start! 

8:00am: The race begins, I am separated from my group on a bus. 

8:15-9:00am: Meet back up with my team and run around crazy trying to find two sculptures, we had no idea where they were! (Still raining!)

9:00-10:45am: Ride our bikes 14 miles to the Phoenix Zoo and back. While at the zoo we had to find animals and do a math problem. (Still raining) This leg of the trip was a fiasco to say the least. We were all soaking wet and miserable already. To make things worse, one of our bikes broke and Tim had to take it back to the transition ares to fix it. On our way back from the zoo, some gangster in a Hyundai reaches under his seat and threatens to shoot us because we were riding our bikes in the road. (I was scared for my life... in the rain!)

10:45-11:15am: We had a two part challenge. First we had to run to the Civic Space Park and do the slip and slide challenge in the rain... as if we weren't wet enough! Next we had to run and find the farmers market to collect vegetables that spelled out CHIPOLTE. 

11:15-12:00pm: Challenge 4 was to find a local news paper with the Oyster add in it to find our next destination which was The Duce. Only a few hang ups on this one... First was a flat tire! When we did finally find the local paper, someone had ripped all the Oyster adds out of them and hid the rest in another bin.... RUDE! After we figured out it was The Duce, we headed that way. Once there Amber and I had to identify 10 of the 15 movie clips playing while Neil did a boxing challenge and Tim made fun of him.  The only good thing was that it had finally stopped raining! 

12:00-12:45pm: Another two-part challenge. Using dead presidents birthdays we had to found out our next two locations. On foot we had to trek a few city bocks to find a bowling alley were we had to bowl a strike. Then we ran to the next location (Golds Gym) where I had to "spin" while my teammates identified 10 song clips playing. 

12:45-1:10pm: Finally we got our last Challenge of the day. Using the clues from all the challenge cards we found we had to make our way to Coach & Willies Bar on bike to play beer pong. (I made it on my second throw!) Finally we were done and we headed to the finish line!

I am not sure exactly what time we finished but it was close to that.... We ate our free Chipolte burrito and headed home. We were all cold, wet and tired! 

It was a good race minus the rain, gangsters, broken bikes, and flat tires! Will I do an adventure race again?? Absolutely!!! 

Happy Running!!

   -Kristal

Smile... LIFE IS GRAND!

Big changes are in my future... as some of you already know; I didn't get accepted into ASU's nursing program. I thought I would be more upset by this than I am. It sucks to "fail" at anything but life goes on! I might not have gotten into the program at ASU but I certainly have not counted myself out. ASU’s program is really tough to get into; a lot of smart young people get turned down every semester. So what now? Tim and I are planning on moving up “north” and I will find a new school. A new adventure is on the rise! I am excited!

On an even brighter note, I finally had a run I can smile about! This morning I knocked out a 6 mile run. It wasn’t super speedy but it was good. I started struggling between mile 3-4 but I forged on! I ran the whole 6 miles, no stopping, it was amazing! It was the first time since I gave blood that I really felt like I was being productive with my run! I am looking forward to a strong April running month!   

4.2.11 Run Route and Stats

Total Miles- 6:13

Total Time- 51:17

Average Mile- 8:22

Mile1- 8:27

Mile 2- 8:14

Mile 3- 8:16

Mile 4- 8:14

Mile 5- 8:18

Mile 6- 8:22

Cool Down- 0.13 (10:42 pace)

My run was followed by an amazing recovery drink! It's bomb diggity bomb!

Now for some serious quilting so Jessica has a graduation gift to open! I am so jealous proud of Jessica for finishing school and becoming a real adult! Maybe I will be a real adult someday too, with a degree and everything!!!   

Happy Running

   -Kristal 

Four Mile Fun Run

Today I decided to hit the road early for my run. I brought the dogs along! It was awesome! We ran kinda slow and made frequent stops to hydrate but it was a super fun run! We chased birds and huge rabbits! We barked at the other dogs locked up behind fences and old ladies walking by! Our adventure this morning was the change of pace I have been looking for. I had fun running for the first time in awhile!

(This picture was taking a couple months ago but it is just too cute not to share!)

Tyson loves BIRDS! 

Happy Running!!
   -Kristal

Remember that one time...

WHEN I COULD RUN!!!!!

My mojo is still missing and it sucks! I totally can't even run 5 miles without feeling like I am gonna pass out! Yesterday's horrific run was pathetic at best. I made it 2.5 miles and had to stop for a second. I was seeing stars and could see the color draining from me. As I felt a numbing sensation melt over my face and down my neck, I looked down at my arms and literally saw them turning white. I was thinking of calling Tim to come and pick me up but the feeling passed and I took off running again. I wanted to quit the run many times after that but I settled for slowing down. I set out for 5 miles and that is what I did!!!! I will take slow at this point, as long as I am finishing. I am confident that with time I will build back up my endurance and be a rockstar runner again!

Yesterday Run
Total Miles: 5
Average Pace: 8:47
Fastest Mile: 8:15
Slowest Mile: 9:07
Cool Down: 2 minutes... 0.17/11:22

Mark another 5 miles down for my quest for 1,000 miles this year!

Happy Running!!
   - Kristal

Headaches SUCK!

I would really like for these frequent headaches I have been dealing with to go away!!! Running with a headache was a horrible idea... With every step I took came an intense throbbing sensation. At one point I thought my eyes were gonna pop out! I finished my run but it wasn't pretty and I felt like pooo. 

I am still struggling with short runs. My legs are heavy and I just can't seem to move them. Biking seems to be a little bit easier but I haven't done any super long rides in awhile. I made a super awesome running plan to follow to build my miles back up. I will just stick with it and I am sure I will improve!

The idea of a gym membership is still hanging over my head. I really want to start swimming but the pool on base isn't open and won't open until the summer time. I really wanted a gym with an outdoor lap pool. I found a really nice facility but I just am not down with paying someone to workout! I already pay enough to run/compete in races! I could always hit up the YMCA, they are considerably less expensive but no outdoor pool. Oh what to do! 

Well this post is lame... I will work harder to write up something you guys actually want to read. I only wrote this one because Jessica was asking what was up with this whole blog thing!!  :) Good things to come!

-Kristal

I think my mojo is in a bag somewhere....

KRISTAL LOST HER MOJO!... and it was in the form of whole blood!

I donated blood on Tuesday. I just can't seem to move my legs! They felt like a ton of bricks today. It was awful. My run on Wednesday was horrible too, I only made it 3.85 miles and had to take a break because I got dizzy. At least today I made it 5 miles, actually I ran 4.5 and jogged the last 0.5 of the run.

Although our blood volume is back to normal within 48 hrs, our balance of nutrients within our blood is jacked up for bit longer! So I guess that donating blood reduces performance for three to four weeks because it takes that long for the blood hemoglobin levels to return to normal. (Hemoglobin is the metalloprotein that carries oxygen for our red blood cells) What was I thinking?! But if it helps save a life, than I will take the hit on my workouts for the next couple of weeks with a smile!

When was the last time you donated????

Happy Runnung ~ Kristal

It's been awhile!

My last post was 2 weeks ago, crazy I tell ya! A lot has been going on lately...

First was my Birthday on March 7th... Turning 27 was totally awesome! I got a new pair of shoes, a new running outfit and an indoor bike training from Timmy. To top off my big day, I ran 4 miles and I didn't even fall over! It was a good day.

(My new trainer... WAIT A MINUTE! Why is Tim's bike on it... I thought it was for me!)

(New kicks and running outfit!)

My Birthday was soon overshadowed by 3 exams on March 10th. I totally rocked out my first one but finished at par with the last two. This semester is rather boring and is proving to be hard to stay focused. All the classes I am taking this semester are for my minor... Can I please just start my nursing clinical's? I should be finding out if I got into the program here at ASU by the end of the month. Wish me Luck!

The madness continues with a trip to Vegas. It was nice to meet up with friends and family. For the first time in Vegas we saw a show, V- The Ultimate Variety Show. It was sooooo much fun. It had everything from juggling to magic, with a lot of comedy in between! 

(1/2 the gang at Margaritaville!)

At last... spring break! I am in need of some resting but haven't really gotten any yet. I need to finish up my essays for school and have been doing a lot of spring cleaning. Plus today I decided to run 1,000 miles this year... (Check out my new tab!) I don't really know what I am thinking but just go with it! 

Happy St. Patrick's Day! 

Happy Running!

   ~Kristal

A rough week...

Week Recap (February 27th - March 5th) *** Notice the week isn't over yet!***

Sunday- Crash on Bike Ride!
Monday- Trip Over Dog During a Run!
Tuesday- Afraid to go Outside!
Wednesday- Successful 4 Mile Run!
Thursday- Crash on Bike Ride!
Friday- Thinking of repeating Tuesday....
Saturday- Thinking of repeating Tuesday.... 

My Birthday is on Monday the 7th... Maybe someone (I don't want to mention names but it was probably Jessica, everything is her fault!) thought I should finish up year 26 with a bang! Literally all banged up... is this what people mean by that? I have been rather lucky thus far. I've only gotten minor injuries from these tiny yet irritating disasters. However, I am afraid to get in a pool to start my swim training. The only misfortune I can think of is drowning..... NOT GOOD! But as you can see my left knee is healing up nicely with just a tint of blue under the skin and a small scab. Surprisingly that little scab is super sensitive though! I am sure I will attempt a workout tomorrow... I will do so with extreme caution! 

Wish me luck on my endeavors... I need all the help I can get! Anyone want to COME along and witness my clumsiness???? 

With my head always full of ingenious ideas, I think I love this one the most! I want a workout suit made of bubble wrap, made specially for me! I don't think that would be a bad investment right about now.

:) Happy Running, Swimming & Biking!  :)

                   ~Kristal~

TWO for TWO...

As if crashing on my bike next to a busy road wasn't enough! 

Today I set out on an easy 4 mile run... I figured it would be great to bring Tyson (My dog!) with because it was gonna be short and slow! Well, he got spooked by some enormous 5th grader and ran under my feet. I tumbled into the road! I have lovely road rash on my right shoulder... my right hip... my right butt cheek... and both hands! Not to mention a double bruised pride! This time in front of a bunch of kids! I defiantly didn't look cool...

I am afraid to workout outside now. What will be next? My knee from yesterday has now turned a lovely back'n'blue color. I guess it just isn't my month! I don't even want to drive to school tomorrow. With an ATV crash a couple weeks ago and my bike and running crash this week I think I have had enough beatings for this year! I hope so anyways!

Maybe I need to name my running shoes too!

February Recap!
ATV Dunes Adventure- 1 / Kristal- 0
30 Mile Bike Ride -1 / Kristal- 0
3.5 Mile Run-1 / Kristal- 0

No worries... I will get 'em next month!

-Kristal 

And down she goes!

Saturday was icky out but Sunday afternoon the weather cleared up! Tim and I grabbed our bikes and headed north to get on a bike trail. It was our first adventure to the urban bike trail and it was AWESOME! The trail had bi-passes that went under every road. (No stopping for traffic!) We followed the trail along the canal for about 15 miles and then turned around to head back to the truck. For a grand total of 30 miles!

Oh but that isn't the whole story... I crashed about 25 miles into our ride! Well, I really just fell over at a slow rate of speed. It's actually hard to explain but I will do my best! We were riding along the trail and missed the bi-pass under the road. We headed up this hill to cross at the road. I was following behind Tim, a little too close! He stopped at the street... However I didn't see him stop because I was looking down to un-clip a foot. When I looked up, there he was! I swerved sharply to the same side I had just un-clipped. I had no room to put my foot down so I let go of my handle bar and braced myself for the fall. It was like super slow motion but I survived.

The inside of my knee, totally weird placement considering I fell on my side, got a little raspberry on it.  My wrist took most of the impact so it is a little stiff but otherwise I am GOOD TO GO! I think my pride was hurt the most... not only was Tim laughing at me but so were the people driving by! (Thankfully Tim didn't think of pulling out his iPhone for a photo shoot like 5 Miles Past Empty's friends!)

I crashed a few times as a kid on my bike and once on my mountain bike as an "adult", but this was my first crash with my new fancy road bike! I am still breaking it in... Well maybe it is safe to say it is nice and broken in now! 

I think it is time for a NAME!!!!!! 

Got any good ideas? Help a sister out!

Kristal

Starting Over!

It is tough work starting over again! After my JELLO legs on Tuesday, I though the week would be a bust. Oh boy was I wrong... Tim and I rocked out 20 miles on the bike yesterday and I ran 6 miles today!! YEAH BABY! I feel so refreshed after a decent run. I kinda fell off of P90X, except for Ab Ripper X but it's ok because the biking and running is kicking my butt!

The splits for my 6 mile run today were:

Mile 1- 7:58

Mile 2- 7:58

Mile 3- 7:59

Mile 4- 7:56

Mile 5- 8:01

Mile 6- 7:53

Average- 7:58

Total Time- 47:46

This weekend is calling for RAIN... I know right! My outdoor running and biking might be on hold until the weather breaks. I can always catch up on school work and P90X... or I can sit around and be lazy all weekend. I could always work on Jessica's quilt. Decisions! Decisions! It might be rainy this weekend but next weekend it should be sunny with a high in the 70's up to 80 degrees! That's the Arizona spring weather we love so much. I might try and talk Tim into a camping adventure.

Happy Running!

~ Kristal

JELLO!

My legs feel like JELLO...

No plyometrics today! After Tim and I biked 10 miles, I was DUN! D-U-N! We didn't go far but we stayed in a hard gear and went a little faster than normal. My legs are so dead from this bike-run-bike-run-bike-run schedule I have been doing. My calves feel like they got ran over by a bus or something! 

For dinner tonight I had left-over spaghetti! I loaded it up with some Tillamook Colby Jack Cheese and added a side of Texas Toast garlic bread! I run, bike and workout so I can eat this! YUM YUM YUM! I think it's just about time for some Girl Scout cookies (Thin Mints)!!!

Happy Running-

     Silly Kristal

Last Week Recap!

After coming back from the Dunes camping trip last weekend, I was a little stiff... I was lazy at the beginning of the week but bounced back strong! I only managed to squeeze in three P90X workouts but did a little running and biking! In miles, I biked a 14, 20, & 15 on three separate days, then ran a 5 & 3 in-between my bike days! With 57 miles of biking and running behind me, I call it a successful week!

Now for the bummer news... Tim and I finally made it up to Luke AFB and got our military ID cards but only to find out that the pool is closed! OH NOOOOO! How am I supposed to start training for a triathlon without a pool? I might have to do the unthinkable... Get a gym membership! I know, what a waste, paying someone to workout everyday. I already pay too much to participate in the actually events, and now they are about to get me for training too! Oh WOW! Life goes on!

Today, if I can get off my lazy butt, I plan on going for a run and doing P90X (Back/Chest + Ab Ripper). The rain has finally gone away and has only left behind some scattered clouds. I better get as much workin' out done before the rain comes again this weekend. Two weekends in a row of rain! I thought we lived in Arizona.... weird!

Happy Running!
   Kristal

PAT'S RUN

I finally signed up for PAT'S RUN! It's funny how some things are just meant to be, I was meant to run this race! No... really... I was, just listen! This is a fundraiser race in memory of Pat Tillman. The Pat Tillman Foundation gives back to military families and veterans. Pat had a passion for his family, football and his country. He was a star football player at ASU (Whoop Whoop). He went on to play in the NFL for the AZ Cardinals. Pat gave up his professional football career to join military as an Army Ranger. While deployed to Afghanistan, Pat Tillman was killed by friendly fire during a fire-fight. He died serving the country he loved so much. It is an awesome fundraiser for an awesome cause and I am proud to be a US Army Veteran myself. 

Why should I run this race?.. Because we are sooooo much alike its crazy!

Pat went to ASU (I sooo go to ASU.)

Pat joined the ARMY (Me too...)

Pat was stationed at Ft. Lewis, WA (I grew up just around the corner!)

Pat loved his country (Proud to me an American myself.)

Pat served in Afghanistan (OEF and OIF for me!)

Pat is a Silver Star recipient (OK, you got me, I only got a Bronze Star but still... bad-ass!)

Pat was an athlete (I like to believe I am!)

Pat was 27 years old when he passed away (I will turn 27 just before the race.)

Pat was pretty much awesome (OMG... ME TOO!)

So why am I telling you all this? I am telling you this in hopes that you will make a donation!!!!  That's right folks, remember your donation is going to veterans and their families. You can visit my PAT'S RUN donation page (HERE) and make a donation today! No pressure though.... :) 

Thanks,

   Kristal

Giveaways... Giveaways!

If you haven't checked out RACING WITH BABES blog (HERE) yet, you should! She is giving away some awesome stuff in honor of her 600th post! Check out all that good stuff!!!!!!

I am Boring is also hosting an awesome giveaway on his blog (HERE)! You can get a  whole 50 bucks to spend online at CSN! Pretty much awesomeness! I want an egg poacher!

Happy Giveawaying!!

Kristal

I feel alive again!!!

After taking it easy on my knee for the last month, I finally went on a RUN again!!  I feel so happy inside, like really really happy! AND.... wait for it... wait for it... my knee feels awesome! The time off was much needed but I am glad to be back! I forgot how much I enjoy running. It's sooo boring, I love it! It was slow but it felt great to run again. I ran a whopping 5 miles @ 8:21 pace. I lost some speed in my time off but I will bounce back. So, I have mostly been biking, running is so much harder! I didn't really appreciate my new fancy bike until just now. My pace this afternoon wasn't fast but it wasn't slow either... but compared to biking I felt like I wasn't even moving. This whole triathlon transitioning is going to be tough! Any advise from some veteran triathletes? 

Recovery Drink ** Shower ** Apple Crisp + Ice Cream ** Bedtime!

P.S. Check out, I am boring's blog (HERE) for a chance to win $50 gift certificate!

It's good to be back! Happy Running- Kristal

Oh so easily distracted....

I skipped the whole weekend of working out!  But it was well worth it, plus I feel like I still got a workout playing around this weekend.  So what did I do?  I went to the Imperial Sand Dunes!!!  Timmy and I took the quads out and road our little hearts out.  And then... I made the mistake of saying "Lets go out for one more ride before we head home...." YUP! The truck was all packed up and then I said the famous last words before the CRASH!  YUP! YUP! YUP! Never fails! It sucked and now my neck hurts.  I took yesterday off because I was still cleaning the sand out of all our camping gear and clothes, not to mention I can't really move my head.  It's nothing too bad, it's just a little stiff.

(Tim and I look like "bad-asses")

(Couldn't resist....)

(Miles and miles of awesome riding!)

(Beautiful...)

I should have taken some pictures of the bigger dunes but my nice camera didn't fit in the camelpak we brought. (Didn't want to get it all sandy) So I just grabbed the little crappy one to snap a few shots! Well, after the 2 exams last week and another 1 earlier today, I think it's time to kick my butt back in gear. Ab Ripper X here I come! Oh and I want to punch those tiny girls that post on Facebook that they fit into 0's, 3's or even 5's.... It's really not fair that I have child bearing hips because I will never fit into something smaller than a 7! Not to mention that I workout... most defiantly work harder than 95% of those bimbos! OK, I am done. Have a nice day!

-Kristal

P90X is kick'in my butt!

It feels soooooo good to sweat! I am working hard but loving every second! P90X is the bestest workout EVER! If any of you are looking for a home workout program, this is it!

This stupid cold won't go away... I still have a little bit of a runny nose and a cough from hell. The sides of my nose are all dry and crusty from blowing it... OH WOW, looks very attractive! 

So last night I had a bunch of homework/studying to do so I skipped my workout---- WHAT? I know, I know, I felt so guilty in the morning I did the workout I skipped and when I get back from school today I will do todays workout!  Plyometrics this morning (the one I should have done yesterday), Shoulders and Arms followed by Ab Ripper X this afternoon! Sounds like fun! 

Well it was nice chatting with you but I better get back to studying... I have an Exam today and another Exam tomorrow.... YIKES!

-Kristal

Sick? I don't have time to be sick!

I finished week one.... and won a fabulous cold! I have a cough, sore throat, headache, the sneezes and a runny nose! At least I don't have what Amanda had... I still have some energy. Today, I managed to muscle through an 18 mile bike ride with Timmy and did P90X (Kempo). It has been a long week!  I have been sore most of the time but the knee has done surprisingly well. The last two day have been pain free, it still feels "off" but no sharp pains! Tomorrow is all about the Super Bowl and resting of course!  I will be cheering on the Packers, as should you be! I might be loosing my voice... that might be an issue tomorrow. I baked some cookies to bring to the party. I had one, ok two, and they are delicious! YUM!

Have fun and be safe tomorrow!

-Kristal

Knock on wood....

So yesterday Timmy and I biked just under 11 miles and then I did Yoga X. For the first time in months, my knee didn't hurt! My knee still felt weak and a little "off" but I didn't get the sharp pains like I usually do! I am soooo excited! I hope that this last forever and ever. Today I have Legs and Back + Ab Ripper X. Tim wanted to do a "long" bike ride on Saturday (So he can drink lots of guilt free beer on Sunday!). 

Speaking of Sunday... GO PACK! 

I am looking forward to my day of rest the Super Bowl this Sunday. Tim and I are meeting up with some Packer fans to watch the game!  I am bringing a yummy bean dip and maybe a yummy dessert too. This is gonna be fun, can't wait! 

Day 2

Well yesterday was Day 2... but I was too exhausted to write a post. The plan was to do P90X (Plyometrics) and then go for a run. Plyometrics is jump training and is what P90X refers to as the “Mother” of all workouts. I was a little worried about how the knee would hold up but I think it did ok. For most of the exercises there was modified ways to perform them with a little less impact. The knee was a little tweaky so I decided not to push it and skipped the run. I KNOW! I haven’t ran in forever! I justified my skip because today I am going hiking… I know it isn’t running but supposedly the only way injuries get better is if you rest them. Plyometrics, a run followed by a hike might be over doing it just a little bit. I really need to get that ID card so I can SWIM. Swimming would be great for the knee!

Today I am going on a hike with my 2 puppies! I will be meeting up with a friend and her 2 dogs! Hopefully we can manage the 4 little terrors! After the hike, maybe before the hike, I will do my P90X for today. The plan is Shoulders and Arms + Ab Ripper X! I am still sore from Monday... I will push through it though! Pain is weakness leaving the body!

I know its nothing like the midwest... but Arizona is literally freezing out this morning! A whopping 31 degrees and WINDY! I think it's a good morning for some oatmeal! Yum Yum Yum!

-Kristal

And so it began...

I started off my glorious day cleaning! My house is top to bottom clean, clean, clean! I love a clean house, but who doesn't?! Today was the day... I started P90X/Tri-Training! I am going having to change up my training schedule a little bit, just until I get access to a pool. Tim and I need to make a trip up to Luke Air Force Base to get an ID so I can use the gym on base. I am too cheap to pay for a gym membership! Luke is about 10 miles from the house so it will make a good run or bike to the pool! 

So when Tim got home from school, we took off for our 12 mile bike ride! It was so windy! Like crazy windy! Tim and I pushed on! Unfortunately my knee started aching around mile 4, by mile 8 it was hurting but we were on our way home! The only thing was... home was 4 miles away! Our total mileage shows we are pretty hardcore for just starting out.  I think we push each other to keep going. On Friday, we biked just under 8 miles too! It is nice to have a workout buddy!

So then I moved on to... P90X baby!  Chest and Back + Ab Ripper X. It was hard and I am weak! I pushed through it the best I could. I will improve with time and a little hard work. Chest and Back had a lot of push-ups and pull-ups.  It also used a little bit of weights.  Ab Ripper X.... well I did the best I could with that but I was a little tired by the time I got to it.  

Today was successful.  I am proud of myself!  Now time for dinner, a movie and bed!  See you tomorrow!

-Kristal

Monday, Monday, Monday!

Let the training begin!  My MRI shows that I have no tears… The knee still hurts but at least I don’t need surgery! I am taking this as my green light to start up again.  The DOC put me on an arthritis medication called Diclofenac and it might be doing something for inflammation but sucks as a pain reliever. Extra Strength Tylenol works better than this stuff.  What do you take for extremely achy/sore knees?

It all begins Monday!  Yesterday I got a cute Nike 2-piece swim suit… so I can get my tan on while getting fit! I don’t look so cute in it yet but I am gonna look smokin’ in a few months so it was worth the investment! Tim might be getting a road bike (cross your fingers), so I might have company on my bike rides.  I am super excited for tri-training, I know I am going to love mixing it up! I really enjoy my long solo runs but it will be refreshing to have company every now and again. I am hoping to get Tim into Dulathons (He isn't big on swimming). 

Here is my training schedule for the next 13 weeks… This is a very tentative plan!  We will see how much my body can actually handle.  I still need to work out the specifics of each weeks swim/bike/run workouts.

So what races are in store for me?  Unofficially the Tempe International Triathlon on May 15th, 2011. It has an Olympic/International Distance and a Novice/Sprint Distance. I am also looking at Pat's Run on April  16th, 2011. We will see how training goes for the next couple of weeks then register if my knee is still holding up!  I am super excited!  Whoop Whoop!

It's almost swim suit season!  Lets get crackin'!

Kristal

Who Me? Yay You! Couldn't Be... Than Who!

Well Amanda from 5 Miles Past Empty thinks I’ve got a super stylish Blog! No I am not blushing... the sun is bringing out my freckles!  I have never won anything on a blog before!  I feel all so special!!!

Thanks again Amanda!! I am more than honored!! I need the love to get more followers! Followers are a magical entity that motivate me to keep going strong! So if you haven't checked out Amanda's blog do so, she is awesome (Click Here).

Here are the rules.
1.  Thank and link back to the person who awarded you this award.
2.  Share 7 things about yourself.
3.  Award 7 other bloggers.   Sorry, gone with 6….
4.  Contact these bloggers and let them know about the award

So Here is goes…

Thing 1

I ran my first Marathon last weekend (Rock'n'Roll Arizona Marathon)!  It is an accomplishment that I am so000 proud of.  It feels great to officially be in the "club"... the Marathoners Club.  I was having knee problems (possibly a torn meniscus) so I ran it under trained and in pain... but I finished.  It felt awesome to cross the finish line but I couldn't walk for the next two days. I think I am going to focus on 1/2 Marathons and Sprint Triathlons for awhile. 

Thing 2

I am an Army Veteran!  I served 5 years active duty and deployed twice. I deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, running kept me from going insane over there.  I ran my first 10 Miler and 1/2 Marathon while deployed.  

Thing 3

I am a nursing student... hopefully.  I will find out for sure if I got a spot doing my clinical requirements here at ASU in a few months.  Cross your fingers! 

Thing 4

I secretly want to be a cop... and not the  skanky type that comes out in October!  A real life police woman that gets to carry a gun and catch bad guys.  I want to taser someone make the world a better, a safer place, I want to make a difference! 

Thing 5

I got a sick road bike for Christmas!  Timmy got it for me, and my brother Andy got me areo-bars for it! I love love love it!  It is the most awesome bike ever.  I still need to name it but I want to get a few more miles on it first.  I need to FEEL the name, get a connection before I name it.  I might spin off of Amanda's idea to have followers name it (with my final approval of course)!

Thing 6

I love quilting!  Looking at the finished product makes me feel accomplished.  Some people watch TV or take naps in their free time, not me, I quilt!  I have something to show for my wasted time!  Then... I give them away which gives me the warm fuzzy feeling that comes with making someones day, week, month, year, lifetime... 

Thing 7 

I miss Washington but would settle for anywhere in the PNW!  I miss the green landscape.  I miss snow capped mountains. I miss clean rivers and lakes. I miss my family and friends.  But mostly I miss the girl I was when I left... It's crazy how long I have been gone. 


And the Award goes to...


1.) Our Love On The Run: I absolutely love reading their blog.  They inspire me to just have fun with my blog, my running and my love... Hopefully I can get Timmy to start running so we can blog our adventures too!


2.) I am Boring: Now this is one funny dude! He makes blogging fun!  He also has inspired me to rock out the Rock'n'Roll series too.  Maybe next year! 


3.) Grand Adventures of Michaela: She motivates me to finish school and become a nurse!  Plus she is just and awesome woman! 


4.) Keep on Keeping on: Now thats a title to keep you running! She is such a sweetheart and is super positive and motivating! 


5.) The Running Diva: She an Army wife and a rockstar!  We have the same camera but she takes way better pictures than me! Thanks for all you do for our country! 


6.) Silly Girl Running: Because we are both silly and who doesn't love silly people!  :) 

I can move my legs again!

So, I was a little sore the past few days... I couldn't really move my legs Monday or Tuesday but Wednesday was promising!  And today--- like brand new legs (minus the new knees)! I have the itch to start working out hard again but I know I shouldn't so I will resist the temptation.  I am still waiting on the doctors word to see whats up with my knee. I am hoping for good news so I can start training for a triathlon!  

So other than Swimming, Biking and Running in my set of training I am also going to complete P90X... For those of you who don't know what it is, its a hardcore full body workout to strengthen your whole body!  I feel as if I strengthen my whole body I will be less prone to injury!  Fingers crossed! I hope to be getting the green light soon!

Happy Training!

-Kristal

Rock'nRoll Marathon- 0, Kristal Reszler- 1

Race Report!

Injured and ill prepared, Kristal still finished the P.F. Chnag's Rock'n'Roll Arizona FULL MARATHON! 

Pre-Race Photo OP

Beautiful Arizona sunrise to start the race!

Kristal is ready, ready to run! Bring It!

I am officially a "marathoner", Whoop, Whoop!! I knew there was no way I would be holding the pace I was running before the knee injury but I was gonna go out guns smokin'... I decided 8:30-ish would be a good starting point.  I totally lost that pace and by the time I was finishing up, crawling was looking like an option! Here is how it all went down....

Splits/Graph (click to enlarge)

Race Photos By Tim!

Mile 5, still looking fresh! 21 miles to go...

Me holding up the 1-1, represent! (Mile 11)

Trying to smile... A quick stop in mile 19 to put one the knee brace!

Coming into the Finish! Hurting Bad!!

Smile for the Finish!

My BLING!

Ice and ready to GO HOME!

If... I don't fall over!

So what are my excuses for running slow why was this Marathon challenging?

• Mile 7 was slow due to a emergency pit stop (Power Poo).  
• Mile 16 was me hitting the "WALL"... Note that 16 miles was my longest training run due to the knee injury! So I just told myself, hold 9:30-ish for as long as you can, keep on keeping on!
• Mile 19 was a pit stop to put on my knee brace. At this point I thought my knee was going to fall off.
• Mile 21 and on was me hanging on wishing I hadn't been injured and been able to train more!
• Mile 25 I really felt like walking, crawling, anything but "running", well actually it was more like a jog but still sucked!

Overall it was a success because I finished.  So, will I do another one? Right now... NO WAY! Maybe you should ask me again in a few months.  I have an MRI/x-ray on Tuesday.  I think I am going to focus on a Triathlon! And I really love 1/2 Marathons, maybe I will just stick to those for awhile.

P.S. I love my husband, thanks for the support!

-Kristal OUT

What the torn meniscus is going on here...

I went to see my PA today. Drum roll please! The bad news is that she thinks I have a torn meniscus! Oh wow! Really? An x-ray and MRI is to be scheduled for confirmation.  So here is the plan-- well not really a plan but the scoop/the down low... I have been "resting" my knee so much lately that I haven't been putting in the miles. I have gone on a few bike rides here and there but definitely not sticking to any training plan WHAT-SO-EVER. The big race is Sunday... I have decided to change my goal from completing it without walking to just completing it!  The doc gave me a knee brace and told me to listen to my body during the race. She didn't say I couldn't do the race, she didn't even say that I had to walk! The only thing she said could possibly happen by running on this is the torn cartilage, depending on how it is torn, could flip/flop and catch on the surrounding ligaments. So bring on the miles and pain meds! Marathon, here I come! It might not be fast but I WILL FINISH! I am gonna go out strong and hold it for as long as I can... slow down if I need to and walk if I must! One way or another I am crossing that finish line!  :)  

Yours Truly- Silly Kristal 

It's been too long...

So here is my story.  I ran 11 miles on 12/18 and a 4 miler on 12/20.  Then I headed out on a ROAD TRIP north!  I went home to Washington for my Christmas vacation.  Surprisingly it wasn't that fun to drive 25 hrs, it's just too far/long.  I also found out that sitting in a vehicle hurts my knee... OH NO, not good!  So I decided to give it a little rest, plus I didn't feel like running in the snow!  This Arizona runner brought shorts and t-shirts north to run in, Silly-Silly-Kristal.  So after taking almost 2 weeks off... yesterday, I hit the road for a "long" run.  (Sad Face Here)  I only made it 3 1/2 miles before I called it quits.  The knee just doesn't want to work right.  And for the bomb shell news----- I called the doctor as soon as I got back from walking home, I was about 2 miles from the house when I stopped running.  The P.F. Changs Rock'n'Roll Marathon is the 16th and I will be seeing the doc the 11th.  Looks like I might be walking my first Marathon.  On a more positive note, next time I do a marathon, it will for sure be another PR!!  I guess this is just the way life goes sometimes but I will keep pushing on and someday I will RUN a marathon.  Today I am going to take my new fancy road bike out for a long spin to boost my spirits, as long as my knee holds out, I will be going strong.  The bike is way less impact so I hope to get some good miles in! 

I hope that you all had a wonderful holiday season and I hope the new year brings great things for everyone!  

-Kristal