Coach Kirstin

Wow the last 4 months has gone so fast. I have been completely immersed in Krav training. I haven't run in 3 months. I haven't seen a Red Sox game since the end of June the week before I started training. I do know they are in the play offs as the wild card though. Today is my last day of work for 20 days. I will be leaving on Monday for Santa Clara for work training, then to LA on the 9 th to start instructor training on the 10 th . I will finish on the 16 th . Then on Saturday I head to New Orleans to celebrate my GF's 30 th birthdays! Packing for this trip is an endeavor all in its own. As for my instructor test, I actually feel ready. And I am still really excited. Its a mix of nerves and excitement. Anyone who knows me is not shocked by the nerves part. I finally feel like I understand instead of just do the techniques. There's not anything I'm not comfortable with. I just need to do it right instead of half assing anything. I also ...

After getting out of the cast I really had hoped to jump right back in to running and still make Toronto. Knowing in the back of my mind how long it took me to feel normal after my last stress fracture, I knew that wasn't going to be a reality. But I tried any how. And it just hurt too bad. I'm getting to the point in my life where I am letting my long term health drive my decisions as opposed to my stubbornness in wanting to accomplish my goals. I backed off from running for a bit and took as many Krav Maga classes as I could and focused on my rehab. I'm still not sure why I finally decided to act on something I had been thinking about for many months but I spoke to our chief instructor at Krav about becoming an instructor. Krav has become such a part of my life and the people are almost like a second family. While in my cast I would go to the training center once a week to watch class, partly to stay caught up but also because I missed being there. I really do love it ...

I got out of the cast last Wednesday. And it wasn't all I had hoped for. I went to physical therapy that afternoon and had homework to run a mile on Wednesday and a mile Thursday. Wednesday went ok but by Thursday I was hurting. I went back to PT on Friday and was put back on restriction until I could get another x-ray or get my inserts, which I got fitted for that afternoon. I took Friday and Saturday off from training. Sunday was a beautiful day and I really needed to get out despite feeling quite under the weather. It felt good to get out but my cold was still there. Monday I took my bike to work with me and went out for a bike ride. Only did 6 miles but it was what I needed. It got me out side, my legs burned, my breathing was deep and sweat ran down into my eyes. That is what I missed with swimming. Then went to a level 1 and level 2 krav class. I was tired and my leg was a little sore but overall I felt good. And this morning I was up without any trouble. No...

I have officially been out of training for 4 weeks today. I have lost a significant amount of muscle tone but have fortunately maintained the same weight. Ideally I would have dropped weight but for my lack of activity and significant spike in cheese and sugar consumption, I'm just happy it didn't go up. I go back to the Dr on Wednesday morning and am really hoping to get released to run. I want to do the marathon but more than anything I need focus in my life. If the Dr and physical therapist say the marathon is just not going to happen, then so be it. But I need some structure, a goal and an outlet. Ive been quite a mess the last 4 weeks. Eating poorly, sleeping little and not working out. But as much of a disaster as I know I am, I cant find it in me to behave any differently. I am hoping this week goes differently. I had the best intentions of going sugar free beginning Saturday morning. I was off to a good start until at about 2 am the bar ran out of su...

On Wednesday I rode the bike and that provided no satisfaction. I didn't even break a sweat. And it was a bit painful. Feeling thoroughly disgusted I had almost given up on going to the gym on Thursday but at the last minute (or last moment before turning around would have been much more of a pain) I convinced my self to go. I swam for about 20 minutes and thought I wasn't even going to make it that far. All I could think about was "no wonder Michael Phelps can eat so much, this is freakin hard." In the hopes of motivating myself I went and got a cute Nike swim suit, my other one was quite embarrassing . I took my usual rest day off on Friday. Saturday I lifted and then headed to the pool. I must have been really embarrassing because the lifeguard asked if he could make "constructive criticism." I got a bit of help with my freestyle swim and learned the breast stroke. I wont be forgetting my goggles or swimming cap again, its no fun without it. But it ...

Well that didn't take very long for my running career to come to screeching halt. As I suspected I have a stress fracture to my left fibula. I thought I had prepared myself for this but as soon as the dr walked out I started to cry. After seeing me crying he shut the door and sat me down for a heart to heart. "With what your knee has been through, these things are going to happen. But we'll get you back out there." He still sees a chance for me to make it to the marathon. I go back in 2 weeks to get it looked at. For now I just need to rest it and keep my fitness up. I will shift my focus to weight training, yoga, pilates and swimming. I will probably do some stationary bike to break up the boredom. I built extra preparation into my training, I had two extra 20+ mile runs. Which means 2 extra fall back weeks. I also had an extra week of rest in there because I knew I would just need a week off at some point. So that is 5 weeks. As long as I am healed and rested I s...

Yesterday my best friend Jenn and I did a 5k.  This is part of our recovery program for runners that race badly.  We were so the opposite of how we normally are.  We were relaxed, knew very little about what we were supposed to do and laughed and waited calmly for the start.  What we forgot is the difference in the type of people that run a 5k or 10k.  After pushing our way through the first mile, it got a bit better.  We both had great negative splits but more than anything we had fun and were calm.  And just because I was curious, I had to check.  Jenn got 2nd in her age group and I got 3rd in mine!   Fast forward to today.  I sleep until about 10 after getting home at 1.  I did make all the events I was planning on yesterday, even just for a little while.  Realized when I woke up, I had forgotten to eat when I got home as I had planned on.  Got up and had my usual whole wheat bagel with raspberry jelly.  Went out for my 11 mile and knowing it was going to be sunnier than I really wa...

So I have finally arrived at my rest day and I couldnt be more worn out. Part of it is dealing with an idiot at work. The other part is I didnt sleep well Sunday after my long run, which trickled down all week and wrecked me. I ran late, my ice bath wasnt cold enough, ate random foods. All sorts of things to change this Sunday to see if it makes any difference. Thank goodness for all the people that surf the message boards on Hal Higgdons site. Im trying very hard to limit my self and commit to my training. Jenn and I are running a 5k tomorrow morning so we can pretend to be normal when it comes to a race. But Saturday night I have a wine and cheese party and then another Jen is having her 30th bday. I know I should do a low key night and leave wine and cheese early but part of me still wants to pretend I have a life. Maybe I will rest extra tonight and only go for an hour or two on Saturday.

I have set a lofty goal for myself. Run a sub 4 hour marathon and yes that does mean, 3:59:59 is acceptable. This is a huge goal considering this is my second marathon. My first marathon was a disaster, rather I was a disaster. I had just seperated from my now ex-husband and did not take my training seriously. I ended up with a stress fracture 2 to my shin two months out from the marathon. I ran in the water but I wasnt really healed or ready. But I did it anyhow finishing in 6 hours 2 minutes. So 4 hours in a lofty goal. But I can do it. And the more I tell people, the more I beleive I will not fail. I am the strongest I have ever been in my life. And have been preparing for this since November. I worked on my stride for several months before I started adding distance. Im going to yoga once a week. I lift three times a week. I take 4 hours of krav maga classes. And am running 6 days a week with a mix of a 3 mile recovery run, a 2mile speed test, a mid week long at rac...