Photography from the Fall/Winter 2010

Some images I captured this Fall into early winter...

Jack Frost nipping at my....heels...

As November sets into its second week, I officially have 3 "runs" under my belt. Last Thursday, my sports therapist had me run for the first time since the triathlon, August 1st. It felt great! My hip didn't bother me at all and I was beaming from ear to ear when I left.

With a page full of homework I was ready to take on my running routine coupled with interval biking, swimming, hip & core strengthening exercises and my mainstay 3 days of personal training a week. Now the issue is getting all of this in my schedule! My therapist wants 3 days of run/walk intervals, 1 day of barefoot running in sets of 100 yard sprints, 5 days of interval biking and/or swimming and to continue my commitment of personal training. In a perfect world I wouldn't need to sleep.

I am working at getting all of this in my already busy work schedule while I prepare for the holidays and the end of my first semester back in school.

This morning I enjoyed my first set of sprints barefoot...hmmm, my calves are curiously on fire now! I really enjoyed it, although it is going to take some getting used to.

Oh and one more thing...my trainer is having a competition between all his clients...the client that best reaches their goals and attends the most training sessions by the end of the year wins free training for January & February! It's totally on, watch out! :)

Here's to a happy hip and a great November!

Amazing Autumn

Howdy!

I am participating in a 21 day challenge with Gretchen Bleiler (super awesome snowboarder) in which I use NO STYROFOAM, NO PLASTIC BAGS & NO PLASTIC WATER BOTTLES for you guessed it, 21 days! So far I am staying strong, I lugged around my reusable water bottle & coffee cup in my purse all weekend so I would stay hydrated and be able to partake in some warm apple cider at the top of the chairlift. To my dismay there was indeed no warm apple cider at the top of the chairlift! My husband thinks I am crazy seeing as how I opted for a water bottle full of beer instead of a plastic cup :)


I will keep you posted on the challenge!

In other news...


It's October, my favorite time of year, apple cider, pumpkins, crisp fall days, hoodies....There is only one thing missing this fall...Fall Runs.

I miss running immensely and I can't believe it has been almost 3 months since I have run. I am trying to get out and walk or lite hike but I try not to put myself in the position where I will want to run since I will most likely has no self-restraint and end up making my injury worse. So far so good though!

As far as the hip goes, I had no pain for about 2 weeks up until this weekend. Squatting equals misery for me. Back to rehab on Thursday I go.

I am working out in the gym on the bike and swimming laps in the pool. Hopefully this will give me more strength in these areas come triathlon season. I am staying on top of my training (upper body & core) three times a week and try to get 2-3 days of cardio in as well. Try being the operative word.

I think I may walk a 5k or two and see how it feels to at least get back in the swing of things so when I get the green light I won't feel like a giant slacker.

In other news, I spent the weekend in Seven Springs with my most awesome husband for our 3rd wedding anniversary. We had a blast! I am instantly relaxed when we head up there, it's amazing. It is most definitely "our spot". YAY FALL!!!





Happy Tuesday!

A little hip swivel...

So in the midst of working with my sports therapist I am trying to stay on track with an exercise regime. I'm only allowed to do certain exercises so I am working with my trainer 3x a week on upper body and core only, walking 2x a week, swimming once a week, working with my therapist once a week and doing his prescribed exercises 2-3x/week.

I am out of space in my schedule it seems between all of this, regular life (work, teaching, hubby, puppy) and school. I went back to school this Fall! Very exciting stuff and a lot of work, but I'm thrilled to be doing it. I am working towards a degree in Sports Nutrition. (many, many years down the road :)

It's about 9:15pm on a Wednesday, I am finishing up my school work after a long day of work and exercise and I preparing for another long day tomorrow including therapy, work, lessons and school work. I know it will all be worth it when I have that piece of paper in my hand and my hip no longer hurts. I am much more mindful of my movements and what hurts and what doesn't. I realized that the simple act of pushing off and swiveling around in my office chair was killing my hip every day so I have revamped my swivel style and it's made a world of difference!

I feel as though I am not getting in as hard of exercise as I once was training for triathlons and marathons so I have been paying close attention to my diet. Counting every calorie, carb cycling and cutting back on alcohol (minus Oktoberfest).

So onwards I continue! See you the next time I have a chance to breath, or write :)

Injured Reserve

So after tons of pain in my hip I finally went to the Othro Dr. followed by a trip to UPMC Sports Medicine in the South Side. Basically I have one leg longer than the other, a labral tear in my hip and lots of no-fun stuff going on. They are putting me in a sports rehab program from 4-6 weeks before they do an Arthogram and inevitably have me make on how to proceed. For now, no running, lunging, squatting, heavy weight or anything that hurts.

If I follow the instructions given to me and don't accidentally tweak it doing something stupid like getting out of bed, then I should be able to run pain free in about 6 weeks. I'm allowed to run in the pool so that is my plan. They will evaluate me closer to the end to see if I can get back to hard training. According to my rehab guy (official title) if all goes well I should be able to start training for a 5k. No more though.

This mean a few things:
1. I am bummed about missing the Great Race 10k, Indianapolis Adventure Race and the Spirit of Pittsburgh Half Marathon in November.

2. It has forced me to slow down, enjoy walks, yoga and other exercise that normally doesn't fit into my rigorous "training" schedule (I am a glutton for punishment).

3. I have to be very careful about what I put in my mouth. Without the extra calories I burn through running I am going to have to really buckle down on the nutrition end.


I am taking it slow with my hip and nursing it back to health to avoid surgery. I hope to be better than before and running 5K's this Fall. Here's to a better time and a happy hip in the Half Marathon next May...

Eco Tips for Idiots...

So I was just reading an article on the top ten ways a college student can be environmentally friendly while on campus. I agreed with many but then there was this one....They encourage you to stay connected online, which I don't think is all that hard of a fete this days. Then expanded to include that you can read most newspapers and magazines online nowadays. All this I agree with and then I read "with Facebook and Skype there's hardly any reason to write a letter anymore" Now call me silly, but I don't think it's the masses of letters being written home from college students that are ruining our environment.

In other news, I found this FitDesk bike/laptop holder that I must have! It's perfect for the girl who wants to be active and the boy who wants to stay home and enjoy the internet and video games. :)

Another triathlon under my belt...

So I'm about 36 hours out from my 2nd Triathlon. It was great...well...it didn't go so great, but the sense of accomplishment is great!


At the start I was concerned with the paddle portion since I was in a boat I had never been in, a shorter paddle and a completed different paddling position due to the size of the boats. They tell you to never do anything new the day of a race...no new foods, no new clothes, and definitely no new gear! I broke this rule not only did I wear a new shirt, but I had a completely untested kayak, an a new elevated bike seat.




As I set in the water waiting for the start I was feeling scared..then it was go time! Before I knew it I was hit in the head with a paddle, being shoved to the back of the pack. I paddled hard to get anywhere for the first 5 minutes. Finally I get into some open water and kept pushing hard. As I round the turn around I see another paddler who flipped their boat on the turn. I just keep telling myself to keep my core strong and stay stable. I finally get to the end of the paddle and go to run up to transition but my ankle is throbbing because of the shape of the boat and the way I had to position my legs & feet. Out of transition and to the mounting line I hop on my bike feeling pretty good about the 20k to come.



Through the North Shore and then up the ramp to the HOV Lane, I remember this feeling. Burning legs and sweat dripping down my forehead I forge up the 6% grade dodging rumble strips & broken glass. Less than 2 miles to the Perrysville turn around I try to shift from 1st to 2nd gear and my bike is being stubborn. After several attempts, the chain finally pops. Thanks to my wonderful husband I know how to get it back on! After I get through this obstacle and head into the turn around I realize I have 2 flat tires! FANTASTIC! Not! Grabbing a Gatorade at the bottle exchange I head to the lovely bike maintenance station to get some air & a new tube. Standing there for what seemed like eternity I get back on my bike and head back up the ramp. No where else to put it my Gatorade finds a home in my sports bra for about 7 miles.



Sailing down the hill trying to pedal hard my ankle is still throbbing and it feels like I have no power behind it. I realize my rear tire is flat again. Thanks for cleaning the glass off the HOV lane PennDot.

As I come into the dismount I see my amazing husband, my trainer Josh and his gf. It's a welcome sight after a grueling 20k.



Out of transition and into the run, or should I say stumble. My ankle hates me officially at this point. I jog for the first mile and then have to stop and walk for a bit. Making a friend along the trail we run together for a while and then I'm back to walking, then running, then walking, then running...Frustrating! I just want to run already! Finally coming near the end I see my supporters and hop along busting for the finish line. I finished! 2 flats, popped bike chain, busted ankle and all, I made it! I was thrilled to finish my 2nd triathlon.




As I got home I started thinking about my effort and I'm really happy that I've finished but I'm also feeling a little defeated. I wish I could have performed better. A million thoughts go through my head about why, what, how, when, where...but I have to tell myself I did a great job and I should be really proud of what I did!

So I am! I am proud of my accomplishment and I 'm thrilled to have the opportunity to compete in these races. I am looking forward to more great races in the future and hopefully they will be with a 40 lb slimmer Krystyn who is enjoying her goal weight and all the advantages it brings to my races.

So you're here again already?!

It's already the week of the Pittsburgh Triathlon & Adventure Race and feel unsure, sore and scared. I thought I got all the jitters out of my system last year!

I really wish I would have trained harder, longer and more often. I am still going to strive for my 2:15:00 time but who knows what may happen out there. Currently the forecast is for 80 and sunny. I am trying to eat healthy, stay active and keep pushing myself. Yesterday at the gym I biked 13.94 miles-58 minutes and ran 5k-43 minutes. I know I will be exhausted from the bike because that first part absolutely killed me last year. I just hope that I can stay mentally focused and push through the run. I would LOVE to break 40 minutes but I don't see that happening realistically at the end of that bike. I need to stay focused, I need to stay positive, I need to stay motivated and stop comparing myself to others. I try to tell myself that I am still carrying 50 lbs or more than some of these people and I'm still pushing myself. It's hard to keep the negative thoughts from creeping in though.

I know a couple things....I am strong, I am determined and I have the want to make it to the end, no matter how long it takes me. As long as I can remember that this race is for me and no-one else I will be fine.

Till next time....

It's still raining...

The first week of recovery after the Marathon went by and the first three days of it were slow going. I continued to try and keep up my protein & carb consumption to help fuel my muscles recovery. As the weekend came so did Mothers Day and a never ending barrage of sweets! I can only handle so much so on Monday I went back to restricting my sugar to less than 30 g a day, Tuesday less than 20 grams a day...

Unfortunately I was up all night Tuesday into Wednesday with horrific stomach pain. I took it easy Wednesday, only managing to stomach about 500 or 600 calories and now that Thursday has come I am feeling as though my tummy is on the mend....fingers crossed.

Beyond the stomach issues, I am feeling great being "off the stuff". Sugar is evil. I am convinced. I know when I consume large amounts of sugar I feel like crap after the 'sugar bliss' wears off and while the first few days of detoxing myself suck, the end result is a much happier, much healthier, fat-burning Krystyn.

In other health craze related news, I have registered for the Pittsburgh Triathlon Adventure Race again this year! Its on August 1st...2 mile Kayak, 20k Bike, 5k Run. I really need to work on my biking because the first half of it is essentially uphill and last year it absolutely killed me. My legs were burned out for the run big time because I didn't prepare enough for the bike. I spent most of my time training on flat trails, this year I am going to try and crush the hills with my training.

Last year I finished 3rd in Athenas but wasn't happy with my overall performance because of the bike. The kayak took me 33:26, the bike 1:06:00 and the run 47:11 with transition 1 2:27 and transition 2 at 1:27. The bike was a horrible pace of 11:30 and the run was even worse at a pace of 14:45. Overall Time 2:30:30

My goals for this year are:

Kayak 30:00
T1 2:00
Bike Under 1 hour
T2 1:15
Run Under 40 minutes

Goal for Overall Time-- Under 2:15:00

In order to do this I need to get back in the boat and try and improve my time a little bit while also working on my upper body strength and core by doing lots of pushups & planks outside of my training. I plan on spending a lot of time on the bike up and down hills, all sorts of different terrain. By continuing to work on squats and lunges I should be able to help with the stability of my hips for the bike and the run. As for my runs, they just need to get better. I spent so much time working on endurance that now I need to work on pumping up my speed as well as Brick workouts (bike then run) to get my legs used to that feeling.

I have so many goals for myself but I need to remember to take everything one day at a time. Be proud of each little accomplishment and keep pushing myself.

In addition to all of this I feel as though last year Sara was really held back in the bike since we planned to start and finish together. I would really like to be better for her. If there is one thing I don't like it's feeling like I am holding someone else back or hindering their progress. I know that she would really like to medal this year for her age group and I don't want to be the reason she doesn't.

As for today I will stay the course with my low sugar intake and work on a training plan for the upcoming weeks.

My First Half Marathon: A race against time, weather and a ravioli bomber?

Well it's official! I have completed my very first half marathon!

I started the day off by waking at 1:30 in the morning ready to go run and quickly realizing I didn't have to be up for another 4 hours. I willed myself back to sleep and slept with one eye open fearing I wouldn't wake up to my alarm and would miss the big race with my friends and family standing in the rain with no beefcake to cheer on.


Once I got my day going I choked down a bagel with peanut butter and Jason and I headed out to brave the traffic after a big good luck kiss from Max. We parked in the North Side and walked across the 16th Street bridge into the Strip District. There were people everywhere! We walked and walked to find the 2:30 pace team. Once I got there I stretched, Jason took a few photos and I stood there waiting for the race to begin. I saw the balloons launch and we were off...well almost...15 minutes of shoulder to shoulder crawling later and I crossed the start line.


Distracted by the guy dressed like a shark weaving in and out of people, Mile 1 goes by quickly and then the rain starts to come down harder. After Mile 2 I see Jason as I am about to cross the 16th street bridge. He brings such a smile to my face and inspires me as I cross my first water stop and head through the North Side. Somewhere along this route a spectator on the side noticed that my bib said "BEEFCAKE", he screamed it out and started cheering for me. It brought a huge smile across my face and made me laugh out loud.

As I come into Mile 5 I realize that encouraging the people around me makes me stronger, my stride a little longer and my smile a little bigger. Before I knew it I was at Mile 8 and I was officially the 'happy girl' who everyone was either scowling at or talking to! I slapped the hand of every group of cheerers along my 13 mile route and kept smiling no matter what. As I rounded Fort Duquesne Boulevard I ran through a rain puddle of epic proportions! My feet were officially a squishy mess and I could feel the blisters forming underneath each step.

There was one gentleman who I ran pretty neck and neck with up until Mile 6 and then he seemed to take off vanishing over the Pittsburgh horizon. As I came over the West End Bridge and onto West Carson Street there he was unconscious on the side of the road being loaded onto a stretcher and into the back of an ambulance. It became very apparent that pacing myself was much more important than trying to break any world records on a hot, humid, rainy Sunday.

I headed down West Carson and started to pass through Station Square. In front of me I see a girl hobbling along and then down she went! I ran up to her as she tried to get back up and asked if she was ok...she sat back down and asked me to get a medic. About a mile or so from the next water station I booked it to find someone to go back and help this girl. Once I did my legs seemed to run out of steam and my chest started to tighten. I was hitting a wall of exhaustion and pain. Surrounded by a team of women I saw a girl struggling along and decided to talk to her to distract her and well, let's be honest here, me! We started running together and before I knew it I was talking to a whole crew of women about why I was doing this for me. I told them about my weight loss and they cheered me on, I felt great coming across Mile 11. Shortly after this I was passed by yet another ambulance. Shortly ahead some spectators were helping a women who seemed to be struggling walking off their porch and to the ambulance. I couldn't believe that all of these people who look so fit were medically unable to finish. I spent my whole life being unfit, unhealthy and overweight and I am feeling great!

Across the Smithfield Street Bridge and into downtown I can practically smell the finish line, they keep rerouting us in every direction. No one knows where the finish line is! I see Jason and my father, then Sara, Liz, Nikki & my mom with their signs and still no finish line! Then another runner just standing in the street looking lost tells us that they have shut down the course due to a bomb scare and there is no where to finish. My frustration was mounting and myself and a team of runners just kept going, weaving in and out of hoards of spectators trying to find some place to go! We weren't the fastest of runners but we weren't the last 5 either. There was thousands of people still out on the course who would face this same thing.

Eventually someone sent us in the right direction, we could see the finish but were literally sandwiched between spectators on the sidewalk! People were yelling, "runners coming through" but no-one seemed to move or care. Finally a marathon volunteer sees us through the crowd and opens the fencing to let us through. We ran through the finish line from the wrong direction, made a u-turn and right back through for the timing chip. This guy crosses right behind me, runs past me and immediately collapses! It's sheer madness at the finish! I made it! I can't believe it! I am handed a mylar blanket, a steaming hot banana and my medal and along with it a sense of accomplishment I could never have imagined.

I throw out the hot banana, find my mother and father, Nikki, Sara & Liz through a fence and tell them about the crazy finish! I believe my exact words were "I didn't run 13.1 Miles to not cross a fucking finish line!" I make my way around the fence and hugs and celebration ensue.

Then there is my hubby, my biggest supporter, the love of my life. It is such a special feeling to be hugged and loved by someone when you are such a smelly, dirty, disgusting mess. I love this man more with every breath I take. I have an amazing family and friends and I can't get over the support from everyone that came and braved the rain, Jennie and Mama Jen via text and my lovely Facebook friends.




We hang out for a while taking photos and talking and then go our seperate ways. Across the 16th Street bridge for the 3rd time today the pain starts to stab in the back of my knee. I stop to take a rest. I used to feel great, what happened?!

Finally making it to the car and then home, I am overjoyed with emotion and questions about what exactly happened to the finish line. We start talking about the events of the day and then read in the news that the great bomb scare was actually a microwave on the street full of ravioli! The bomb squad robot actually blew up a microwave full of ravioli in the center of the marathon so they had to reroute everyone...one major flaw in their plan, they forgot to actually reroute everyone for a good 45 minutes.






As the excitement died down and the stiffness set in, we spent the day relaxing around the house until we went to celebrate Barb's graduation! Dr. Barb deserves celebrating tired or not!

A few beers later I was ready for a good nights rest. The next morning, waking at 6am, I am feeling things in my body that hurt. My neck, shoulders, back, hips, hamstrings, calves, feet and basically well my everything hurts! I took the day off so I am going to relax, stretch as often as possible and relish in the glory of a race I will never forget.

Just a little bit more...

It's only Half Empty when it comes to beer...

So it seems as though there is a budding trend in my life when it comes to accomplishing more. Apparently I am never satisfied even when I have met my goals. I work towards setting more modest goals and being happy to reach them, but it never fails, as the race approaches or the milestone seems close in the distance I start the self-doubt.

In less than 3 days I am about to compete in my very first half marathon. I've had my fair share of mechanical setbacks, aches & pains, but it is the mental part I am still working on. I know that I can bust my ass and I know that I can finish that half marathon. Being that it's my first shouldn't I just be happy with finishing, even if it is in last place? I constantly strive for perfection and in unrealistic circumstances. As it leads into the marathon I continue to tell myself you are doing great and you are that much farther ahead just by participating, however, when it comes to race day will it be enough for me? I fear I will be unhappy with my performance. I know because of my hip I am going to have to walk part of the half marathon. The new Krystyn says to be proud of what you have accomplished instead of upset of what you haven't...the old Krystyn says you aren't good enough and you never will be.

How do I stay in this place of self-love without the past ever coming back to haunt me? If anyone figures it out, let me know...

In the meantime I will continue to keep my head up and fight for my right to love myself. When I look in the mirror I am proud of what I have achieved. When I look inside my heart I am proud of the person I am. When I look at my life I am an extremely fortunate woman with a fantastic husband, a dog who affectionately wakes her up with a smile each morning and a changed kitty who's started showing affection...when I look into the past I am full of doubt with no direction.

It's good to be in a better place, now let's try and make it stick.

13.1 Miles...Ready or not, here I come!

When the going gets tough, the tough go to a chiropractor?

I am a year and a half into my training...working hard, eating healthy, getting ready for Spring and starting full swing into my marathon training and BAM....I can't stand up. I have had problems in the past with my hips and my knees but never really had a measurable amount of back pain until now. The day before the pain hit I got up in the morning, tried out the Jillian Michael's "No More Trouble Zones" DVD and then hit the treadmill for 5 miles. Shocking, I know, I didn't stretch. The next day I spent hanging around the house cleaning, bend over to pick up a piece of paper I dropped and can't stand back up. What exactly happened?!

After days of pain and not being able to walk, lay or sit, let alone run, lift weights or do cartwheels, my trainer talks me into the Chiropractor. Never having been, not knowing what to expect other than the predetermined notion that he could potentially paralyze me and being at the end of my rope with pain, I sucked it up and went to see what it was all about. Now I am a pretty spiritual person when it comes to the energy of the earth and the power we can tap into within ourselves, however, I am not interested in managing this type of pain with the holistic approach. I was pleasantly surprised to meet someone knowledgeable, charismatic and for lack of a better word, not a quack. He spent a good deal of time talking to me, educating me as so what he actually does and performing a series of tests to better help him diagnose. The entire time I was texting my dear friend Barb.

She is smarter than most people should ever think to be and in her last few months of Physical Therapy school. If there is someone I trust with the health of my back, its her! After much deliberation and evaluation and twenty-some texts later, I agreed to the adjustment to fix my 'rotating pelvis'. Although it sounds like something that could potentially give me Shakira-eque moves and abs to match, it couldn't be farther from that latin delusion. Common in runners, he decides to snap that pelvis back in line. After a couple days of soreness I went back for my follow up adjustment and essentially my official sales pitch. (It took me a couple days to cope with the fact I am a now considered a runner and no longer the obese girl barely capable of touching her toes.)

While I am not ready to commit to a 18 week plan of 3 days a week at $25 a pop, I am interested in continuing my 'treatment', at least throughout the duration of my marathon training. Feeling better and back to body weight strengthening and walking, I was feeling like I still might be able to compete in this thing in 14 weeks. Then, 2 weeks after the initial paperweight injury, it happens again! This time I am bent over in the washer...that will teach me to ever touch laundry again. I should know better than to try and take over Jason's duties.

After my first experience with this pain, I have learned to stand up slowly, gently walk upstairs, take some Advil and gingerly start the stretching process. I can't even think of touching my toes at this point but I get comfortable, pour myself a glass of wine and spend the night nursing my back. I decide to save the whining for later, stretch it out and go to training on Monday morning. I think I have diverted disaster by stopping and taking care of myself when the pain struck.

Still not quite right and afraid to start my running back, I am forced with the decision...go back to the chiro, call the doctor and set up an appointment for weeks from now and lose all this time training or push through the pain and risk hurting myself?

The thought of running 13.1 miles on May 2nd right now is scary but the thought of not being able to reach my goal and even compete in the marathon is terrifying. I have spent so much time envisioning myself crossing that finish line and reaching a brand new goal that I can't imagine abandoning my training now.

With 14 weeks left to train, I am hoping that my back, hips and knees cooperate and I can proudly cross that finish line. I suppose time will tell...

2010: A Year of Do rather than Resolve to Do

I have so many goals and aspirations for the year 2010, however I am attempting to "do", "live" and "achieve" more often than the time I would usually spend planning these things. While I made great strides in 2009 in this direction, it wasn't really a goal of mine, it just happened.

I'm excited to compete in my first half marathon in May (pending a much happier back), and I'm looking forward to any other races I decided to participate in this year. I would resolve to 'reach my weight loss goal" but i have realized that my goal all along was to be happy with myself and be healthy and enjoy my life. In 2009, I accomplished all of this and now I just need to live out my life in this manner and continue working towards the goals I set for myself.

Don't get me wrong, I do want to reach that big goal and I CANNOT WAIT to hit 100 lbs lost but whenever it happens, it will be phenomenal. I can resolve to not putting myself down in the interim. Any steps taken in the right direction are still steps taken.

Now that I feel like I have a handle on the thing that has literally consumed my whole life I can work on other goals. I resolve to enjoying all the little moments in life and work on destressing and smiling more. Every moment should be a moment worth smiling for if you have your health, your family, your friends and respect.

I am realizing that I reach goals I never knew I had by living out every day of my life to it's fullest potential.

I am thankful for 2009 and excited for 2010. Will we really decided that this is the year to try and get pregnant? Only time will tell. I do know we will celebrate an entire decade spent together and that makes me very happy and extremely fortunate.

Cheers to the past and everything that has yet to come! Happy New Year!