Wednesday, February 1, 2012

January!

Is January really over??? This just means that I am one month closer to my sunny summer days! Heck, I would settle for a sunny spring day at this point. I am just looking for low 60's but wouldn't mind a  warmer day mixed in there! I am told that here in Wisconsin the "winter" kinda lingers on through MARCH???? NOOOOO!!!! I checked the weather in all my favorite southern cities and I am so jealous as I am still hovering around freezing. This year has been "sooo mild" say the experts but if it's worse next year the world might be short one Timothy... Why did I listen! I am so sick of walking into a smelly gym to run! I am sick of it! Running in one place is silly! I want to explore the outdoors and maybe get into some trail races. Sometimes I think about running outside in the cold. Then I think of me slipping and falling... I would be stranded out in the cold... freezing... left to die. It needs to be at least in the 50's before I try to make it in the real world. 

So how did January turn out? Not too shabby! It was a good start, I completed a fair amount of workouts and I am still going strong. No real issues with the knee and I am no where close to burnt out! Whoop Whoop!!!! This is what my month looked like...


Hope that February is much more full and I remain injury free! I am going to keep tracking my improvement over the next month and by my birthday, I want to be signed up for the WisconsinRev3 this summer. I am excited just thinking about it!!!! Olympic/Standard or Half Iron??? That is the question!! 

Off to swim... This is going to be a good month, I can feel it! 

Happy Swim-Bike-Running! 
Kristal

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Two Issues Tuesday!

First is the cold!!! Me + Cold = Not Motivated!  I grew up in Washington state... Yet I still prefer hot weather over cold any day of the week. When Timmy and I moved here (Wisconsin) towards the end of the summer, it was great! Heat wave hot! And now... not so hot! I step outside and instantly just want to turn around and crawl back under some covers on the sofa. I would rather stay inside and read about working out than go out in the cold. A good workout for me is getting all hot and sweaty! This means I can only workout indoors until it is at least 70 degrees out... ok maybe I could do 60-65! Somehow I have still managed to stay somewhat on track with my workouts.

Secondly, the real problem with working out is that I eat, eat and eat some more! I am definitely counter productive here! I eat like three times what I normally eat when I have a good workout. I need to find some filling yet healthy snacks! This is why sometimes athletes can gain weight instead of loosing it! I don't want to be that girl. Maybe with my workout plan I need to have meal plan too.

Well other than me eating an excessive amount of food and it being horribly cold out, life is good!  I rocked out a couple awesome swim workouts last week and a kick-ass bike ride yesterday. Tim helped me move my indoor bike trainer back upstairs. I got to watch TV and bike!  Other than me regretting eating a mini bag of popcorn before the bike ride, it was a successful ride. Although I have been putting in a good amount of effort, I need to step it up! If I know my brother Andy, he is going to be able to kick my butt at all three sports because he is the 110% effort guy! I am hoping to get in a run and a swim today... wish me luck!

-Kristal

Monday, January 16, 2012

Team-Up

I have a few races in mind... the only problem is that I need to be sure I can physically do them before I spend the money signing up for them. I know I will be good to go, maybe just a few more weeks of training before I make it official.

The good news... I am teaming up! I have someone to keep me on track, my big brother Andy is training with me via long distance. We will be trading workouts! Mixin' it up with swimming, running and biking!

Today I ran another 5K and tomorrow we start our training with a 2400 yrd swim workout that I suggested. Followed by a run orchestrated by Andy on Wednesday. I am super pumped! I hope I can hang, he is pretty hard core.

I am adding 500 yrds to my swim workout tomorrow afternoon, so it should be tough! I am also going to squeak in a short bike ride in the morning before class just to get on the bike. I have been seriously neglecting it!

I will let you know how it goes!

Happy Swimming!
-Kristal

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Slow and steady wins the race...

I may be slower and I may not be putting the oodles of miles behind me like I used to BUT I am still going out there and getting in done!

It's amazing to me that so many Americans do nothing... nothing active that is.  Yet I am kicking myself right now because I can only run 3 miles at a time, the majority of people can't even WALK 3 miles without taking a break. So I guess I am doing alright.

Last go round I got myself hurt because I thought I was Superwoman! (Although I am as close as you can get to being Superwoman without actually being her) I know now that I am prone to injury and fatigue just like my fellow homo-sapien friends.

My motto for 2012 is "slow and steady wins the race... or at least finishes them"!!!!

2012 Races
I know I need to just bite the bullet and sign up... so please give me that push!
#1- Wisconsin 1/2 Marathon (May 5th)
#2- REV3 Olympic Triathlon (Aug 12)
#3- Twin Cites Marathon (Oct 7)

Concerns, comments, input, feedback, anything... let me hear it all!


Thursday, January 5, 2012

Off To A Really Good Start!

Ran 3.44 miles yesterday and swam 1800 yrds today.

Run Workout
The dreaded treadmill... I feel like it's cheating! 
It seems so much easier than running outside.

Swim Workout
3x100
8x75
8x50
8x25
3x100

I am exhausted but it feels awesome! I am so excited to finally get back in the pool. I have no idea how I made it through high school. Working out twice a day seems crazy to me right about now! Running another marathon seems silly too but I know I will get back to that level. I didn't make a new years resolution but I have some goals I would like achieve. First is to run 1,000 miles this year, complete a 1/2 marathon, a full marathon and do my first triathlon! Seems like a lot but I have a whole year!!! 

Slow and steady!

:) Kristal