Slacker Half Marathon 2014 Race Recap ~ Our First Run-Cation!

There's nothing like running 13.1 miles to celebrate 13 years of being married to this incredible man God brought into my life many years ago!

Now that our kiddos have gotten a bit older, they're starting to enjoy summer trips to see Grandparents in the summer, while Mommy and Daddy enjoy some alone time.  As hard as it is to be away from them, it's always a great reminder that we are husband and wife first, and daddy and mommy second.  My mother-in-law came and picked up the kiddos on that Wednesday and then Thursday Josh and I headed to the mountains.  Last year we went to Dillon, CO to stay the night before I ran the Slacker Half Marathon and it was just beautiful, but we didn't really have the time to enjoy the area, so we were excited to have a little extra time this trip!

We took our time traveling to Dillon and once again we were just blown away by the view.  Friday morning we enjoyed not being wakened by an alarm or little people and then went for a 2 mile run just to get rid of some pre-race jitters and to adjust to the elevation (or try to anyway).  The run along the Dillon lake was absolutely gorgeous!  After we ran 2 miles we walked and chatted for 2 more miles.  I remember telling Joshua how had we not started this journey of becoming more active, we wouldn't have even taken the time to enjoy such a beautiful run/walk.

 Is this view not just breathtaking?  God is SO good!!!

This wonderful man has always supported my journey to getting healthier, 

but absolutely nothing compares to being on this journey together!

This little morning run was a perfect reminder of why I enjoy this sport so much!

Dinner at the Dam Brewery.  Oh, he always makes me laugh!

Great food, a lovely glass of wine and the best company :)

Saturday morning finally came and it was time to head to Georgetown to be bused to the Loveland Ski area.  The temperature at the starting line was about 38 degrees and I was SO cold.  I had such a hard time taking off my sweatshirt, but I knew it was going to warm up quickly and I wasn't about to make the same mistake I did last year by dressing too warm.  To be honest though, I even had tears it was so cold.  But leave it to my husband to help me relax and get excited to run!

When we said 'I do' 13 years ago, I never would have dreamed about this very moment!  This was one of the most incredible times in our marriage.  Love him so much!!!

I felt so much better about this race than I did a year ago.  It's fun when you know what to expect and know the course.  For some reason though, I REALLY struggled through miles 5-7.  I started to have stomach cramps really bad, which I'm sure was due to the elevation and not eating and drinking enough before we got started.  I really didn't want to walk or stop at ALL through the entire race, but the cramping got so bad that I had no choice but to walk for just a bit and catch my breath.  Once I did, the rest of the race was enjoyable!  I have to say that the encouragement from the other Team Beef members and runners was awesome at this race too!

This picture was around mile 10!  I can't believe I actually had a smile.

I'm so incredible proud of Joshua for completing his first half marathon race!  He wanted to finish in under two hours, but believe it or not... he finished in TWO HOURS AND ONE MINUTE!  He's still a bit bitter about the fact that the bottleneck of runners at the starting line and a potty break prevented him from meeting his goal.  I'm still so incredibly proud of him!!!

I struggled again right before the finish line, but there my hubby was to help me finish as he ran with me the last little bit (even after he had already finished his half marathon)!  I finished in 2:20 which was 7 minutes faster than what I ran it a year ago, so I was happy!  It was such an incredible reminder of this journey we're on together.

We celebrated finishing and then headed back to Dillon to relax and enjoy our last evening away.  I still struggle with getting headaches when I run 10 miles or more from getting dehydrated, so I was prepared for one to come and ready for a nap.  One of these days, I'll get it figured out :)

After a nap and dinner we went to the Dillon Ampitheatre and enjoyed some live bluegrass music, a beautiful sunset and a gorgeous view of the mountains and lake.  I've never felt so refreshed and connected to my dear husband than I did after this trip.

I hope that we can plan another Run-cation together (I would even love for this to be an annual event for us).  It was definitely one of the best trips we've had together!  Fellow married couples ~ I challenge you to think outside the box on your next getaway.  Although, we've really enjoyed other trips, planning and preparing for this one was incredibly special and certainly some memories I will cherish!  

After such a special getaway, we were certainly ready to get the kiddos home!  

We all made some pretty special memories and we're so grateful for the time our kiddos get to have with their grandparents!!!

Blessings,

Krystal

I FINALLY Started 'Fueling'

As I've shared before, my husband and I are in the midst of yet another DIY house project.  When we bought our house about 8 1/2 years ago we didn't finish the basement and also settled on some of the quality on flooring, doors, trim etc.  Don't get me wrong, it worked out great but over the last few years we've been remodeling and finishing the house the way we want it.

Our latest project has been the basement.  We're finishing our large entertainment area, as well as, my craft room.  There's a lot of things I can't help with but UNFORTUNATELY I can help with painting.

My dear husband had me on a ladder AND painting this weekend.  Two things that I strongly dislike, but if it gives him more time to do the tough stuff, then I guess I'll get after it!  We'll call this task a success as I didn't fall off the ladder and neither did the paint!

It can be such a challenge to balance our time on the weekend.  We try to keep working on these projects, but the time with our kids is so precious too.  I love how Joshua randomly took a few minutes to teach the kids how to build paper airplanes (or jets as Jayce calls them).

I also had a 9 mile run on the agenda for the weekend too (while also trying to fight a cold).  I almost slept in and scratched the run, but I remembered how I posted on my Facebook page that I had this run on the agenda.  It's amazing what a little accountability will do.  I knew that due to all the work around the house on Saturday and fighting off a cold that having the energy was going to be a challenge.

I finally decided to try some 'fuel' during my run.  I've read so many things about gels, honey, beans, etc. that runners/athletes use to fuel their bodies while doing a long run or intense workout.  I have such an incredibly sensitive stomach that I've always been afraid to try anything.  Simple math of a long run (empty stomach and burning 1,000-1,800 calories) has made me realize that I've been depleting my body too far on long runs (between 8-13 miles).  A good friend of ours gave me some Clif Shot Bloks to try.  He also has a sensitive stomach and said that these don't bother him at all.  

The flavor I tried was strawberry.  They don't taste bad at all and have the texture of gummy bears. They're also in easy 'bloks,' making them easy to grab and eat while running.  I ate one before I started and another one every 35 minutes, so I only ended up using 3 out of the 6 bloks, which is 100 calories.  It was hard for me to gauge if they gave me any more energy as I was already feeling a bit sluggish due to fighting off a cold.  What I did notice though was I didn't have any side cramps like I normally do on long runs, and I also didn't get a headache at all today after my long run.  A lot of times, I'll get a minor headache after a long run due to depleting my body so much, but the bloks combined with good water intake today, I was able to avoid the headache.  I'll definitely be ordering some more!

As I shared on my blogs Facebook page this morning, my run wasn't fast, it wasn't pretty, but it did get finished!  I didn't realize until later today, that I haven't run this far since my last half marathon last October.  It feels good to get back to this level and I will continue to work on my pace!  It was also a great way to start my Sunday before heading to church :)

There's nothing like competing with yourself to go a little further or a little faster than before, but please try to fight the urge and try not compare yourself to other runners/athletes.  It can deplete your joy so quickly.  I have learned over the last couple of years though, that the running community is a very encouraging and supportive community!!!  Have a great week!

Blessings,

Krystal

Another Half Marathon!

Back in June I ran the Slackers Half Marathon race, which was such an incredible experience.  I also learned so much from that race.  One of the difficult lessons I learned was that I must be careful when choosing a race to run.  I have to be cautious for both my spiritual and physical health.  As I've wrote about in the past, I got a migraine two days before my first half marathon race due to stressing over the race and allowing my fitness to become an idol.  What was a way to relieve stress became my stress.

Like many runners, I am much more committed and dedicated on a daily and weekly basis if I have a goal to works towards, which is one of the many reasons that races are so valuable.  A dear friend and fellow running pal came across US Road Running, which is a site dedicated to virtual races.  The way that it works, is you register for a race (which they have all sorts of different themed, monthly, team races, etc.) online.  The fee is really reasonable, simply to cover the administrative costs and costs of the medals.  With some of the races they mail you your medal right away and you can have it ready for race day and others you log back in after your race, record your time and then they mail you your medal with your name and time on the back of the medal.  You can then run your race at any location (indoors or outdoors) at any time (within the guidelines of the chosen race).

I absolutely loved this idea for so many reasons.  Living in rural America it can be a challenge to travel to the larger races, therefore a virtual race is less expensive, easier on my family and a lot less stressful for this runner and yet, still gave me a great goal to work towards.  A group of us then picked a date, picked our distances, set our goals and got registered!  I registered for the Movie Madness Half Marathon, which is a virtual half marathon that you can complete anytime during 2013.  I was so excited to receive my medal in the mail and then I sat it on the shelf to wait for 'race day', which I happen to receive the same day as a new pair of running shoes.  Oh happy day!!!

I didn't feel near the anxiety in the days leading up to the race that I did for my last half marathon.  I'm not sure if it was the fact that I had already proved to myself that I could actually run the distance, the fact that I was able to sleep in my own bed the night before or the fact that I had an amazing group to run with and support each other.  God truly has blessed me with an incredible group of supportive and encouraging people along this journey and the fact that we never get tired of talking about 'running' with each other is a bonus.

Race day finally arrived!  I usually run really early in the morning, so waiting to run at 8:00 am was a bit of a challenge, but it was just too cold for us to start any easier!  We went a little early so that the kids and I could create a finish line.

Then it was time for a quick picture before we got started!

We had such a sweet supporter who set up a water station for us and the greatest little guy rooting for us as we went by!  And just look at the fall colors we enjoyed on this run!

My very sweet husband traveled around the various locations taking pictures, while also being there to love and support me on this race.  He blessed me so much by making me feel like this race was just as important as a race that had 10,000 people running!  I just love him so much!

I made a 4 mile loop around our small town several times and then finished the last 1.1 miles on some side streets! At mile 8 my dear husband had a water bottle ready for me.  He also drove around to various spots so that him and the kids could encourage me and make sure I was doing okay.

Because of this being a virtual race, my precious girl was able to join me for part of my half marathon.  

Her original plan was to run the last mile with me, but after about 1/2 a mile her little tummy was hurting, so she headed back towards Daddy and celebrated coming across the finish line as well, while I finished out the final portion of my run!

I made it and my little dude had my medal at the finish line.  There's nothing sweeter than the loving support of my dear family at a finish line, even if it's a finish line that only a few have crossed and one we drew out with sidewalk chalk.  I'll take it!!!

 

I finished this half marathon in 2:20:21 (average pace of 10:42), which was about 7 minutes faster than my first half marathon race.  My goal was to keep my average pace under 11:00 minute miles, so I was excited!  

I love this little guy, he cheered for mommy and was the first one to say 'good job mommy' after crossing the finish line.  Those words my friends, make every single strike to the pavement worth it!

It brought me to tears when this sweet girl came running up to me to join me for part of my race.  She's definitely starting to enjoy this support.  Although I would love for her to enjoy running the same as I have come to do, my real hope is that she see's how running has changed her mommy's health, life and the way God has used it to draw me closer to Him!

God used this race to teach me once again!  A lesson in contentment!  I don't need a big racing event with a lot of people, a fancy venue, multiple water stations or an overnight stay somewhere to enjoy a great run (although those races are fun too).  All I need is God's strength, great friends, an incredible family and an open heart to enjoy the view of where I'm at right now!  Well... and a good pair of running shoes.  I can't wait to do another virtual race.  Now to put another race on the calendar!

Blessings,

Krystal

Race Day~Slacker Half Marathon

The day finally came!  I've ran several other races before, but nothing compared to how I felt this morning. I was so excited to get to run in the mountains and of course a little nervous. I kept checking the weather to decide what to wear (which turned out to be my biggest struggle of the day) and trying to decide if I was going to carry my own water or if I was going to stop at the water stations. 

I also spent a lot of time in prayer for strength and endurance and for God's grace to fully enjoy the experience and His creation!  The texts and messages of encouragement were also a tremendous blessing. One dear friend (who doesn't really enjoy running) went for a run earlier this morning out of support and spent the time in prayer. Nothing touches this runner (wow I just called myself a runner) more than a run and prayer. This very kind and encouraging moment brought me to tears! A true example of a divine friendship that I will always cherish!  Throughout this journey I've been reminded to look for opportunities to be that same encouragement to others. I definitely became emotional as I prepared to run 13.1 miles! 

It was then time to head to the starting line at the Loveland ski area. Josh was going to drop me off and then head to a spot with the kiddos to cheer me on.  We got there and it was still pretty chilly!

My little dude helped me warm up!

A few more pictures and then it was time for them to head to their next destination!

The view as we waited to start was breathtaking!  The beautiful mountains, a gorgeous sunrise and almost 2,000 individuals getting ready to run. 

I (as well as a lot of other runners) were a little frustrated about the race starting about 15 minutes late, but it was a pretty minor issue in the grand scheme of things. The first 1/4 of a mile was really rough. It was on gravel (causing a lot of dust), had a steep downhill portion, and a few small creeks to jump over.  Definitely not something you can train for in Northeast Colorado. Once we got through that, it was an absolutely gorgeous path.  I always hate the first mile of ANY run. It usually takes my body that long to get into a rhythm and get my breathing under control. This run was definitely not an exception. 

After about 4.5 miles we started to run out of shade and the temperature began to climb and I began to get hot and started to regret not wearing my tank as planned. It was so cold at the beginning and I had no idea the temperature would increase 30 degrees from the beginning to the ending of the race!  It was a hard lesson to learn!  Follow your instinct and original plan for gear and DO NOT change your plan on race day!  I can't tell you how many times I read that on fellow running bogs and yet, I still did it!

I was so glad to see Josh and the kids at mile 6. It was perfect timing for some familiar faces and some encouragement. 

It was then time to keep pushing forward and finish this run despite the issue of overheating. My original plan was to stop at every other water stop, but due to the heat, I ended up having to stop at every one of them, which was every two miles. This was frustrating me a little bit, but I had to remind myself that I suffered a migraine a few days prior, had to run in elevation, as well as, struggle through the heat.  I then finally hit my sweet spot of every run, the last two miles. For some reason that's when I quit struggling mentally and just enjoy the finish. 

We were able to see the Georgetown Loop as we approached the later part of the half marathon. It was just beautiful!

And finally I hit the 13 mile mark and had the .1 to finish. It was then when I saw my very precious family. I was so excited to see them. And beside them I recognized a very special family. A dear friend and her family surprised me and were there to support while I finished. I then started to cry and had a hard time finishing. I was physically spent, excited to cross the finish line and so incredibly touched by ALL the support and encouragement I had received from friends and family up to this point. 

And here I am crossing the finish line. I can't even put into words the realm of emotions I experienced at this time!  I finished in 2:27:19, which was 6 minutes faster than I had run it on my training run.  It wasn't quite as fast as I had hoped, but the ultimate goal was to finish!  Running a half marathon is a big deal, but let me tell you, if I can do it anyone can!

It was then time to celebrate and love on my precious family!  They have loved and supported me from the very beginning!  I love these two so very much and hope I encourage them as much as they have encouraged me. It's amazing what our kids can teach us!

And then it was time to enjoy lunch with a special family!  These are the best cheerleaders a person could ask for (my poor little girl wasn't feeling well)!

I was so incredibly touched by the support, love and prayers from this family. From the bottom of my heart, thank you!  It was definitely a surprise I will never forget!

This was such an incredible experience and I can't wait to register for another race, as well as, support others who are also on this incredible journey!  

This year long journey has taught me to seek God first, set goals, develop a plan and enjoy every step (and stumble) of the journey!

Blessings,

Krystal

God's Perfect Timing!

Earlier this year I made the decision to pick and enter a half marathon race.  At the time the farthest I had run was nine miles.  I was certainly nervous about setting such a large goal but was excited too as I had never set a goal that would require such discipline and commitment.  I entered to run the Slacker Half Marathon!  The race started at the Loveland Ski Area (10,630 feet elevation) and finish in Georgetown (8,400 feet elevation).  We decided we would leave around noon on Friday and head up to Dillon so that we could enjoy the evening as a family, have a nice meal and just enjoy the mountain view.  Two days prior to leaving for the race I ended up with a stress induced migraine.  As we were headed up to the mountains I still wasn't feeling great.  I was really worried about my body being fully recovered from the migraine and just simply getting anxious about my first half marathon race.

I was reminded during this experience to immediately seek prayer from a few dear friends.  Through several texts with these special ladies, I was reminded that God would give me peace, healing and endurance to get through this challenge.  They also reminded me that I have trained and prepared for this and to relax and give Him the glory!  I was FINALLY able to calm down and just enjoy the experience.  

We made it to Georgetown so that I could pick up my bib and have that ready for the big day. After we got back into the vehicle, I took a picture of my bib to begin sharing the journey of my first half marathon race.

It wasn't until I went to post the picture to my page that it finally hit me!  116, that number sounded familiar.  It finally hit me, Dunamis 116 is the team name of our original running team inspired by the verse Romans 1:16. "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile."  This was clearly not just a coincidence but a part of God's perfect timing and plan to work out every detail!  I was so excited to share this on my page and with the girls who were with me on this journey from the very beginning!  This gave me encouragement and immediately reduced my anxiety. I praise God for this special moment and it's definitely one I will never forget. 

We then headed to Dillon so that we could check into our hotel room and then have a nice meal. We found a wonderful pub to eat at. Look at these sweet faces!

Jayce definitely takes after his daddy, always goofy for a picture!

We then headed to the Dillon lake to let the kids play at the playground by the lake and enjoy the gorgeous view. God's creation is absolutely amazing!!!

The kids had so much fun!

It was then time to call it an evening, get the kiddos ready for bed and hopefully get a good nights rest!  It was so fun making this a special little mini family vacation!  These three have supported and encouraged me so much over this last year. They've even been there through the tears, sweat and pain along the way too. I love them each so very much!  

Stay tuned for how the big day went!  God continues to use this journey to teach me and draw me closer to Him, and for that I am incredibly grateful!

Blessings,

Krystal

My Own Birth Story

As a Mom who's given birth to two beautiful blessings I can recall how EVERYONE shared with me about their birth stories when they saw I was expecting.  Everything from the joys, the pain, the details of the absolute miracle it is that God orchestrates with each and every birth.  I always loved hearing about the experiences others had, both through birth and adoptions and experienced so much joy listening to others.  I too have enjoyed sharing about the birth story of my precious babies.  But as I'm sure others have experienced, as an expecting mom I was ready to experience my own birth story.  One that is special to just my husband and I.  One that I would someday share with my child.  It's quite amazing to go through such an amazing experience and I praise God for every day I went past my due dates, every painful contraction, every sleepless night, the first cries I heard of these precious babies and the overwhelming love you experience as parents.

Here's a picture of Miss Kylee and I right after she was born.

Here's a picture of Mr. Jayce with Daddy soon after he was born.

As I prepare for my very first half marathon, I find myself relating it to birth stories (although NOTHING compares to that experience).  I enjoy reading and hearing about the experiences others have had both training and racing for a half marathon.  I appreciate their wisdom, their joys, their struggles and the common bond runners have!  BUT... I'm getting to where I'm ready for my own half marathon story, my own training struggles, my own race experience, my own rush of emotions when I cross the finish line.  I'm ready for it ALL!  

I've registered for the Slacker Half Marathon in Georgetown, CO on June 22, 2013 which is just 11 weeks away!  I'm excited, nervous and blessed to know that my amazing husband and sweet kids will be there to cheer me on!

Blessings,

Krystal

 

Scheduling Your Workouts

Now that I'm officially training for my first half marathon I've had to become more diligent about my workouts, while still carefully balancing all of the other areas of my life.  Over the past several months I didn't have a specific training plan.  I would simply run or cross train 3-4 days a week and try to increase my distance each week.

My first obstacle was to identify which training plan I would follow.  There are so many incredible plans and resources out there.  Through reading several different blogs, I came across Another Mother Runner, which has a great blog and a couple books.  I recently read 'Train Like a Mother' which is a great book of resources, encouragement and an occasionally funny story about a mom on the run.  There's something about relating to other moms on this same journey that is so encouraging and motivating to know that this IS possible.  As I read the book, I came across their half marathon training plan and it seems like a reasonable plan to follow and the fact that it was created by a couple moms, helps reassure me that I should be able to follow it while balancing all of the other areas of my life.   

Although this new passion of mine is important, it's definitely not more important than my relationship with God, my husband and my precious children.  Therefore, as I develop my training schedule, I have to keep in mind that it needs to have the ability to be flexible.

Over the weekend I input every single workout between now and my half marathon on June 22, 2013 into my digital calendar.  My hope is that this will help keep me on schedule and also help rearrange my schedule when necessary.

I've adjusted my schedule to include a long run on Saturdays, but there are some Saturday's that this won't work due to other family obligations.  For example, next Saturday my dear husband and his buddies are going to the mountains to snowmobile and therefore I'll need to be at home with our babies.  By having everything on my digital calendar it makes it so easy to click and drag workouts around to adjust for our schedule.  There's definitely a level of accountability to yourself (and your family) by putting your workouts on a calendar!  

A little pre-planning and support from your loved one's will go a long ways!  I would love to hear how you balance your daily obligations!

Blessings,

Krystal