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Showing posts from October, 2008

Plan B

It's been 2 days of nothing... well, really more like 10 or so if you add in the taper, then the swim, then rest.... I am ALREADY bored. My name is Krista & I am addicted to exercise. There you have it. I admit it. It's a problem. It's sometimes healthy, sometimes over the top. It's there and I just can't seem to get rid of it. There are worse things I could obsess over, right? I am still indifferent about the whole ordeal. Disappointment is probably top of the list. Not in myself, just in general. I know there is absolutely NOTHING I could have done about my situation. That does stop the "what-ifs" though. I look at those race results and see where I could have been. That's probably the hardest, most frustrating part. My good friend Sara, my medical (NP) expert sent me a very sweet (along with so many other people!!) email that really helped me feel better.. This girl has been around through all of my drama. From IT band injury and surgery to my

The non race report

My first official DNF . I pulled out of one other race last year. It was in Vegas. They cancelled the swim, had us jump on our bikes and GO. My hip/IT had been bugging me and I rode HARD - with no warm up or stretching it was really tight. Since the race was already a sham, I decided not to do the run and risk injury. I never showed up on the results, so there wasn't an actual DNF . Yesterday, it was a real true DNF . I'm still not sure how I feel about it. Frustrated, yes. Sad, yes. I'm not mad or disappointed in myself though. I know my body, and as much as I like to pretend things aren't bad or I'm fine - the reality is that I was not fine. I spent 7 days resting. Loading on vitamins and green tea and supplements . I slept 10+hrs a night and did basically nothing. Momo had me convinced (kinda) that I was just over-analyzing and being like her! I convinced myself that the pain in my back was a knot from laying around so much, not my lungs. Deni

Soma pre-race jitters

In about 12 hours my alarm will go off and I will be crawling out of bed, mixing my spark and trying to stay calm. I'm all packed. EVERYTHING. Aquafor, sunglasses (including my Daniella-bella look alikes that will hopefully make me run fast), shoes, chip, hat, sunscreen, gel, nutter-butters, frozen gatorade, post race pringles and peanut M&Ms (nice recovery, eh?), mini-me wetsuit.... I pretty much have it all. And then some. 2 pairs of goggles, 2 caps... Oh - and I did the funniest (or weirdest) thing a minute ago. I hate goggles fogging up, so I bought a new pair. Then I got sick and haven't used them yet. And I certainly didn't want to chance it and get in Tempe Town Lake today... So, I put my cap on, then my new goggles - filled my bathroom sink with water and stuck my head in it. Shane wasn't watching. I'm sure I would have been laughing under water and choked. Thankfully, I do have a spare pair that I will have in some one's hand just in case

Ta-Dah....

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Seriously - what is an ADD girl like me gonna do after this Sunday when the remodel is done, my race is over and it's dark in the morning..... My poor husband :-) And here we go: Before - view from our bedroom. The huge double sink vanity with all the wasted space, as well as the mid 80s retro mirrors and lights.... Sideways view of inside the shower. This was a huge bathtub, but no jets.... Oh - and the cracked fiberglass (or whatever it was)... That is what happens when you take 2 LaPans (present one excluded) a case a beer and no plumbing experience. That was day one in the new house... Another view of the shower door..... My old sink and tiny closet... And the New Improved!! I absolutely LOVE it!!! We still have 2 sinks, and plenty of room - and NO more 80s stuff!! Some of the cool details - The brushed nickel Rosettes (?spelling) on the corner pieces of the mirror frame. Those were NOT easy to find in Plain brushed nickel... The dual lights - we actually had a hard

yes, i live in the desert

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Thank you all for your comments/suggestions. I've been od'ing on Zinc, soup, tea, sleep, vitamin C and water..... I feel about the same today, maybe a little better. I sure do tend to post a lot more when leading up to a race. Prolly cause I'm all up in my head and all. Well, today I read the BEST POST EVER . I am such a self doubter. But, She is an experienced athlete, a pro in fact and a coach. If she says it, well, it must be true, right? So, when it's 90degs and I'm on my second loop of the run - this is what I will be thinking, believing and LIVING. And, if not - I have recruited several friends to yell and scream very mean things to me to light my butt on fire! "If you did it in training – if you got close – you can do it in racing with a proper taper and rest." in case you didn't follow the link - that is from the fabulous blog of Elizabeth Fedofsky, a.k.a. "Elf" Unfortunately the race is here, in my home of the desert. Where, while o

Fighting it off!!!

Ok - I need everyone's help, advice, suggestions.... I thought I was in the clear... I thought getting sick 6 weeks ago was almost perfect timing so I couldn't get sick for the actual race. Then damn it all to hell on Saturday I started feeling like crap. I do think a LOT of it has to do with all of the wind and crap in the air.. It's been relentless lately. My lungs are weak, so any change something can get in there and jack them all up, well... it seems to happen. I used to be able to just drink OJ, overhydrate, Emergency/Airborne and sleep and with in a few days I would be good to go.... So, Saturday I just felt a little tired. Then Sunday I woke up a little achy, mostly in the neck (back & sides). My throat seems fine, not too stuffy. I drank a ton of fluids yesterday and bought some Cold-Eeze and went to bed at 9pm. I actually woke up feeling MUCH better. I had a 35min low HR run on my schedule so I took the dogs out. Kept my HR around 140-145, didn't se

My 'On Switch'

Wow, what a week! My taper officially started on Monday of this week, and for the first time EVER on a taper, I have had one of my best training weeks to date. I don't feel sore and tired and sluggish. In fact, I feel just the opposite. Loose, and STRONG and fast and energetic. Mark Allen's training plan taper mixes things up the last 2 weeks. Instead of doing 2 workouts a day, with only one rest day - you have 2 days with all three sports done. And 2 weeks out is all about speed and tempo. Between those tripple set days are rest days. Wednesday was my first. I started with a speed bike, followed by a speed run, followed by a swim....more on the 3rd in a minute.... Maybe it's because I trained for Ironman 2 years in a row? I forgot what this not so tired, fired up feeling was like? I don't know, this time it feels SO great! Like, so great that where at the beginning of this training I decided it was "all about the bike" and I completely ignored th

Inspiration

We all need a little bit of inspiration and help out there some days right? Well, here's some for you. You all remember my dear friend Tonsa , right? The one who was diagnosed with breast cancer less than 2 years ago while training for the Ragnar Relay? Well, not only has she been "cancer free" for several months, she has also since celebrated her 50th birthday, ran and placed in her age group in several local races and is currently training to Boston qualify at the Tucson Marathon. And you know it, I will be there to cheer here in! However, probably one of her most proud moments happened last Sunday at the Komen Race for the Cure. I'll let you read what she sent out! Dearest Friends ……………………………………………. Howdy and Happy Monday --- here is the Race Report ………………….. Over 34,000 people stepped to the start line on Sunday morning ------ they only gave out three medals to the top three survivor finishers and WE won one of them!!!! Running for all that each of you have me

Bike to Run...

Remember this? Well, seems things are looking up for the other discipline. The one where I've just been "wingin" it. I've avg'd about 15miles per week over the last 12 weeks. Babyin' the IT band like crazy. Epiphany. RICE works people!!! Oh, and less is more... who would have thought? Not me that's for sure! I try not to talk about running as much as the cycling cause it's easier for me to put my money where my mouth is when I can actually control my body. I can ride hard if I push it. Running, that all depends on my body. And the stupid weather, I suppose. ON the run, I tend to ugh, give up in races. Get tired, walk. Let people pass me cause "they're just faster!" Well, since I haven't been running all that much, I decided I could at least push the runs that I have been doing. So, on my long runs for the past month I've been negative splitting the last part. Letting my HR go into zone 3. I think it's helping.

All about the SHOES

Well, I'm pretty sure that title grabbed a few of my fellow shoe whores :-) Unfortunately, this isn't a post about some really cool new shoes , or boots I purchased, or received... or even HAVE for that matter. Boo hoo. I would love me some new shoes though. Something about fall and cute new pumps that go perfect with Jeans. You know, for all those time I shower, and actually blow dry my hair.... and try to remember how to put make on and all. Whatever, you get the point. No cute new shoes. Blah. Bet Shane read the title and thought I ordered myself something online... again :-) Anyway, this post is about RUNNING shoes. Boring, I know.. but, probably one of the single most important things to being a successful, injury free runner (you know, cause I'm all of that and all - ha!).... I've been thru it all. Several running assessments, orthotics, Adidas, Nike, Saucony, Brooks... you name it, I've probably tried it (remember, shoes we are talking about here people). In

Wind wind GO AWAY

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And DON'T come back every single day... PLEASE! Jeez. It's not like it's April in AZ. And, isn't hurricane season about over? Apparently, not. I mean - really.... Can you imagine what Momo, all 90lbs of her and Malibu Barbie, and myself (eh..not quite as light as momo - but mini-me's lightness making up for that difference) out there on our long rides holding on for dear life with those cross winds? I'm sure we look pretty funny. But, funny it is not when you are on your bike for 4-5hours with 25mph crosswinds going down 9mile hill. Let's just say our rides have been eh, sub par. I'm trying to keep a good attitude about it though. What doesn't kill ya makes ya stronger, no? Sure hope so! Although, I swear a couple of those gusts WERE going to kill us! We actually modified our route Saturday because we were going DOWN HILL at some points only 14mph - usually we are going about 22-23 at that point. The wind was just too strong. But, enough about the