MIA

I know I've been MIA for a while.  Things have been crazy busy with Kyle and I-and everything we do doesn't seem interesting enough to post on the blog.  I promise to post on Wednesday night after I'm done packing for my trip to NC, just so you can see how crazy I am, and how much crap I pack for a week long trip.  I always bring way too much, and now that airlines charge for baggage, and it depends on the weight, so I'm going to have to try to dial back my crazy.

Oh, after almost 3 weeks of no running (letting my shin splints heal), I plan on going out tomorrow night for 2  miles.  I wanted to go out this weekend, but it snowed on Saturday.  Thanks to global warming, it's going to be 60 out today, so hopefully everything will be melted and gone by tomorrow.

I better get out there running this week, because, wait for it....wait for it...

I signed up for a half-marathon training program and training begins on February 22nd!!!  You have to be able to run at least 5 miles at the start, so I'm assuming the first scheduled run is 5 miles.  Awesome.  I'll try my best not to ramp up my mileage too quickly and injure myself again.  I'm super excited about this-2 coach led runs a week, speed work, hill training, and information clinics on nutrition and preventing injuries.  And to top it off, maybe I'll make new friends.  I'm nervous that I'll show up to the kick off party and display my awkward personality, and the next 12 weeks will be spent with everyone running to stay away from me.  How about them speed workouts?

Yesterday, my girlfriend Cara hosted a Pampered Chef party, and I had a great time.  We listened to Marla talk about all the great products and made some sort of egg furtada firtatta (don't you love spell check), and $70.00 later, I bought a bunch of crap I don't really need. 

The one thing I did need:

I tend to leave ingredients out of receipes (onions, garlic, peppers, ect) because I can't be bothered with standing at my kitchen counter, and chopping veggies.  I can't wait to get this.

This hand-dandy, torture-looking device is called a meat chopper.  I make a lot of meals with ground turkey, and most times, it's still frozen.  This is used to chop up, and seperate the meat as it's cooking.  So now I don't have to stand at the stove top, chopping away with 2 spatulas.

Kyle and I love to make turkey burgers at home, and the grill pan is ALWAYS disgusting afterwards.  I always let it soak, but never manage to get the food and grease off without scraping off the finish at the same time.  This grill pan gadget was only $3.50, and I'm really hoping it does it's job well.

This is the 1-2-3 Dip Set.  It comes with Parmesian-Garlic and Spinach and Smokey Red Pepper Oil Dipping Seasoning, and I'm honestly not sure what to do with it.  I know you can make dips with it, but the only reason I bought it is because the host said she uses the Parmesian-Garlic to flavor popcorn.  That, and it comes with a set of wooden spoons.

Yeah, my life is boring.  I'm so excited that I bought crap for the kitchen.  I never really cooked before I joined Weight Watchers, so I think it will all be helpful while making dinners.  Can't wait to use it all!

Only 10lbs Left!!!

I stepped on the scale this morning for my weekly weigh in, and this number was staring back at me:

130.0!!!!!

This is a huge deal for me for a few reasons:

1. I have officially lost all the weight (and then some) that I gained over the holiday.

2. This is the first time I've lost weight 2 weeks in a row since the beginning of December.

3. I didn't run at all this week.  And I still lost.

4. I'm only 10lbs from goal!!!!

Being 10lbs from goal is a huge deal for me.  This journey seemed impossible when I was 62lbs heavier.  I never thought I'd be here.

I'm kind of scared/nervous about getting to goal.  I've never been this thin and happy with my body.  And I've worked hard to get here.  I've tracked about a bazillion points, run over 300 miles, and changed my eating habits.  Maintenance scares me.  I've always been able to lose weight-keeping it off has been the hard part.  I don't want to go back to where I was before.  And from what I've heard, maintaining can be harder than losing.  Obviously, I'm going to keep up the running.  As for weight watchers, I'm not going to cancel my membership the minute I get to 120.  I'm going to keep tracking, since that seems to be what works for me.  I just get an additional 6 points a day.  I can do this!

The next few weekends are going to be super busy.  Kyle and I are going out to dinner tomorrow night with his work friends, and my sister's 31st birthday party is on Sunday.  Next weekend, I have a used bookstore/dinner date with my girlfriend Cara, and then she's having a Pampered Chef pary on Sunday.  I'm really hoping to stay on plan and keep this weight-loss streak going. 

I also promise to try to take photos of all the exciting happenings going on in my life.

Ha!  We'll see about that one.

Have a great weekend everyone!!!

My Bags Are Packed, I'm Ready to Go...

Well, my bags aren't packed right this minute.  Also, I don't have a suitcase.  I guess I should work on that one.

On January 26th, I'm flying out of Philly to go visit my bestest friend Amanda in Charlotte, North Carolina.  Her beautiful daughter, Juliet, is turning 1 on January 31st, so I was invited down for the b-day party, and a long overdue girls week with her.  Here's a pic of the 3 of us:

My half-marathon training plan starts on January 25th, and I've been so good.  I haven't run since last Thursday, even though I really, really, REALLY want to.  I can't wait to go down there and run in the beautiful weather.  Or what I thought would be beautiful weather.  I just checked the temps there now, and this is what I saw:

Damn it!  It's cold down there too.  I always assumed once you were officially in the South, (crossed the Mason Dixon Line) it was warm, not matter what time of year it was.  Who knew that the whole United States experiences winter?  I didn't.  My bad.

I have to stop worring about the actual flying.  I'm not scared the plane is going to crash, but I'm nervous about getting probed before I get on the plane.  What if I accidently yell the word "BOMB" while waiting to get through security?!?  It might just slip out!!!

Just My Luck.

Of course, because I registered for the Bucks County Half Marathon on January 1st, I am now officially injured.  (No, I didn't go to the doctor's office.  I like to use WebMD, self-diagnose, and then I always end up worrying about cancer.)

My shins have been killing me off and on, and this weekend, it was a constant pain while running.  To the point where I had to make a call to Kyle to come pick me up over a mile from home.  I was crying. 

So, what the hell am I going to do with all my free time?  I plan on using the present my sister got me for Christmas:

I'm sure using this will be a completely ridiculous endeavor for me, so I'll make sure to take pictures of me looking like a dumbass. 

This "injury" has really opened my eyes.  As a runner, I knew that cross training and core work was important, but I never made the time to do it.  Since I won't be running for a couple weeks, time won't can't be an excuse for me.  I love to run, and I want to do it for years and years.  I need to start taking care of my body better.

That, and NEVER run on a treadmill again.  I firmly believe that this is where all the pain came from.  I'm going to cancel my gym membership.  I think I'll be the only one walking in to do that in the month of January.  I'm going to tell them that my resolution is to let myself go.  We'll see how they respond to that.

Dear Shin Splints,

               Dear Shin Splints,
                    
                    You are mother-effers and not wanted here.  Please leave immediately.

                Sincerely,
               Kristin

I've been running for about 6 months now, and just recently started getting shin splints.  I have no idea why.  I tried changing to new shoes, and it didn't help.  And they were painful.  They always started about a mile in, and if I rested for a few minutes, they wouldn't come back.  Those mother-effers are painful.

Finally, I gave up on the thought "Maybe if I stretch more....", and went to my local Fleet Feet Running store.  The last thing I wanted to hear from them was that I was wearing the wrong shoes, since I only had about 30 miles on them.  And those suckers weren't cheap.  But they are pretty.

I figured they would probably sell me compression socks, and I'd end up looking like your grandmom.

I legit google imaged "Old lady in compression socks", and this was pretty much the only picture I could find.  So just imagine your granny, with her varicose veins, struggling to get her super tight compression socks on.  Ok, moving on.

Instead, the girl sold me inserts from SuperFeet for my shoes.  Something about better cushioning, better arch support, changing the way you foot hits the pavement, blah, blah, blah.  I saw the color and immediately tuned everything out.  They match my running clothes perfectly!

Aren't they pretty?

The best part-they have a 60 day money back guarantee.  Which I actually don't understand because she cut them to fit in my shoes.  But whatevs, doesn't really matter, because.....


THEY WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've gone out for two 4 mile runs with them, and haven't had any problems!  So it's either the inserts, or the fact that I realized the first 1/4 mile of my runs is up a steep hill.  Hey, I never said I was the brightest bulb in the box. 

If you are suffering from the mother effing shin splints, don't think you have to live with the pain.  There are solutions, whether it be inserts, compression socks, new shoes, or changing your route.  Running should be hard, but not painful.

I love my inserts so much, that I'm going to take them out for a ride (Hey-O!!!  That was a really sad joke.) tonight.  In 29 degree weather.  With the wind blowing. 

It's mother-effing cold out.

Typical New Year's Post

Kyle and I spent a low key New Year's Eve at home.  I had a 4 mile run scheduled for New Year's Day, so not a lot of drinking went down at our casa.  We were actually in bed and asleep by 11 pm.  We are such boring people.

Anywho, I have never really made resolutions for the new year.  This year, I made a few.  Nothing huge, just a few things I want to work on.  And I'm sure that they're so typical, they probably appear on all those "Top 20 Resolutions Made Every Year List".  Hey, I never said I creative enough to think up something completely different.  If you're still reading this very boring post, here they are:

1. Run 1000+ miles for the year.  Last month, I came in at 75 miles, and that was just with training for a 10K.  I start half-marathon training at the end of this month, and want to start marathon training in August for the New Orleans Marathon, which is sometime during March of 2013.  If I average about 100 miles a month, I should have no problems hitting my goal.

2. Reach my weight goal of 120.  I'm at 132ish right now, so I only have about 12 more to go.  I'm not really giving myself a time limit on this, but it would be nice to be there by my 30th birthday, which is March 27th. 

3. Start cross/strength training.  I run, a lot, and I've read so many times that it's very important for runners to cross train and/or strength train to prevent injuries.  I have yet to do this.  I need to schedule days, and stick with it.  I have the 30 Day Shred DVD and my sister got me a core ball that includes a workout.  I will be doing both of these.  As for cross training, I don't really have a lot of options.  I don't belong to a gym, don't have access to a pool for swimming or a bike to get out and ride.  Maybe once it starts to warm up, I will purchase a bike.  We'll see.

4. Become a better person.  (How original, right?)  I'm not saying I'm a bad person.  I know I'm loving and caring.  I do get frustrated with other people very easily, and sometimes snap at them.  I always regret it, and immediately apologize, but I need to learn to take a breath and think before I say something.

Those are the only things I can think of.  Like I said, I've never made resolutions before, so I'm new at all this.  If any of my internet friends have any advice, it would be greatly appreciated!

Happy New Year, and good luck sticking with your resolutions!!!

Christmas Eve Night

Kyle and I started this awesome tradition of opening presents on Christmas Eve.  I usually can't wait until Christmas morning.  Here's all my loot:

The Lion King on Blue Ray.  I'm trying to collect all the Disney movies.  And WTF is up with my smile?  I look like Heath Ledger as the Joker.  (Please disreguard the huge mess in the background.  I told you I was all stressed out with 938759085473 things to do before Christmas.  You can see cleaning did not top that list.)

The Best of Bruce Springsteen CD.  There's that damn glare again.  I have no one to blame except the flash on my camera.  And I seriously look psychotic in the picture.

My new foam roller to use when my muscles are sore from running.  Please take notice of my double chin and what appears to be sideburns.  Kyle chooses to be with that?

I am super excited for a bucket of gummy bears.  It's been less then a week since I opened them.  I may have or may not have eaten them all already.  (Emphasis on the may have.)

New makeup from Urban Decay.  The only present I actually knew I was getting.

The Sandlot on Blu-Ray.  If you have never seen this movie, you need to drop everything your holding (yes, even if it is a small child) and watch this movie.  It never gets old.

An awesome crock pot.  Like how the box is holding up my head?  I was going to fill this bad boy up on Monday night with turkey chili ingredients and let it cook all day, but then my anxiety got the better of me.  What if that shit burns the house down?  I'm making the chili tomorrow when we're both home so I can prevent any fire from starting.

I know you don't really want to see all the pics of Kyle's gifts (lets be honest, this blog is all about me), but I had to show you these photos:

Do you notice a pattern through all these pictures?  Sawyer had to be in every photo.  And no, I don't beat my dog.  He just looks sad.  All the time.  Do you like his severe underbite?  My vet told me they could break his jaw so it heals correctly.  I told him no.  Obviously, that would cost a lot.  And Sawyer looks so much cuter when his top lip gets stuck on his bottom teeth.

After all that, I still had to buy myself my own present:

I'm going to eat every single one of them tomorrow before my run.  Maybe they'll make me super speedy?  More than likely, that would just make me vomit.  So I probably won't.

I will be back this weekend to post the train wreck (in a good way) that is the present my sister got me.  I'll give you a hint.  I think she's trying to make me believe that I'm fat.