o-k-l-a-h-o-m-a.

I created this blog to reflect on my thoughts concerning health, wellness, and fitness. The last few months, have definitely thrown this blog for a loop. Outside of the races I’ve run and the recipes I whip up, it’s time to truly realize, recognize, and take note: The world does not stop for me!

My stomach is still in knots and my heart is still very heavy. There may never be the right words to say in response to the tragic events that have taken place this week in Oklahoma. Either directly or indirectly, we have all been affected one way or another to the inanimate disaster that has caused so much hurt and devastation to so many in the last 72 hours.

I won’t say my words are few. But, the words that follow have been on my ailing heart the last few days. It has been difficult to accept this tragedy as truth even days later.

My Dearest Oklahoma,

Thank you for accepting me as your own.

In the last eight years, you have molded me into a better person. You’ve let me enjoy the modesties of Western Oklahoma while I spent four years gaining higher education there. You’ve taught me the pleasures and rewards of living life with patience outside of the hustle and bustle of a big city. You’ve taught me to be a child again and to never quit learning through your fascinating history and wonders.

You’ve taught me compassion for my fellow man. Oklahomans pull together in times of need and are tenacious in everything in doing so. You graciously remind me, Labor omnia vincit, and show it in actions and not just words. Thanks for helping me believe in humanity and community again by simple gestures and acts of kindness all true Oklahomans make not expecting anything in return.

You’ve taught me well, Oklahoma.

I forever cherish your selflessness, compassion, charm, and love. I used to just think you were okay, but you have become so much more than that. Although, I was raised in Texas, this week I’ve never been prouder to live in the Sooner State.  Oklahoma is resilient. Oklahoma is community. Oklahoma does rise together.

Oklahomans shows love by action. Overwhelmingly.

We will get past this. We will grieve. We will heal. It will get better.

Love,

Krystal

momentum.

Sometimes the momentum just never ends. Although, it’s not necessarily a bad thing, having a change in momentum is great. I’ve kind of had the “blues” after my marathon. I just didn’t know what to do with myself afterwards. I have some races on the calendar later this summer and year, but it just seems like the anticipation and excitement from my BIG race this year has left me a little blue. So, momentum had kind of slowed down for a bit.

I took a week off of pretty any physical activity following my run, and about 2 weeks off of eating anything good for me. I DON’T SUGGEST THIS TO ANYONE! It was originally going to just be one week, but I slipped into the “I’ll start tomorrow mentality.” We all know how that story goes. But, finally after getting back in the gym and putting miles under my feet, you really leave yourself no choice but to watch what you eat.

My goal this summer is to get into the best physical shape I’ve ever been in. This past Wednesday, my roommate and I started a 28 Day Detox through my company, Arbonne International. It focuses mainly on rebalancing your body through nutrition, while eliminating all processed, sugar-laced, refined, and down-right unhealthy foods. The detox will help to identify food allergies and intolerances by eliminating them from your lifestyle, and slowly reintroducing some foods at the conclusion of 28 days.

triple threat: pomegranate fizz drink- energy drink, protein (soy-free, whey-free), detox herbal tea.

I am going to be “Fueled by Arbonne” throughout my races this summer

Hope everyone is having a fabulous Summer Spring!

Krystal’s Kwick Tip- Hydration and Clothing:
With the hot Summer months approaching, be smart with your hydration and clothing choices. Choose electrolyte rich drinks with little or no sugar. If you sweat a lot, you may look into salt pills or supplements of that nature. If you are going to be outside running, make sure to carry water. Dress in light colored, breathable fabrics. Dri-fit and wicking fabrics provide the most enjoyable experiences while participating in activities outdoors.

just saying.

krystal circa 2003

I stumbled across a podcast today called Running Academy. I listened to guest, Laura Skladzinski, talk about her story about becoming a runner and the youngest woman to run a marathon in every state. Like Laura, I can relate to how I became a runner. It didn’t happen overnight. One thing that Laura said, which really made me appreciate my journey was, “I think back to when I couldn’t even run one mile, and I think how amazed if that person could see me now, just how amazed that person would be.“

I can think back to where running one mile was equivalent to running a marathon for me. Ten years ago, I was a junior in high school. Running, although I thought it would be a great accomplishment, seemed unattainable to me. I bought into the belief that people were, uhmmm, born to run, and I did not fit into that gene pool. I could sprint. But, anything more than a dash so out of my league.

It wasn’t until about a year after I graduated from college when I realized that maybe, just maybe, I had what it takes to run. So, I began training for a 5K. Yes, I TRAINED for a 5K. The 5K I was training for was extremely special to me because it was a benefit run for a dear friend who was going through some medical issues. It’s kind of fun to look back on my “hard weeks” when I ran 7 or 8 miles that entire week.

running, rest, hour happy.

Today, a mere two and a half years later, I have completed several 5Ks, a few 10Ks, a 25K, three half-marathons, two triathlons and a marathon.

I believe that if that person two and a half years ago could see me today, they would smile and give me a huge hug. They would thank me for not giving up and for staying strong when I got discouraged or temporarily sidelined. That person would thank me for taking care of myself, physically and emotionally through running. She would thank me for restoring my sanity and appreciating “me” time. She would be so proud of me, because deep down inside, she always knew I could do it.

Have you accomplished something you never thought you could do? Would the “you” back then be amazed at you now?

brave and courageous.

Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon

Many will agree that running a marathon is more than a race. It’s an experience. Whether it takes you 2 hours or 6 hours to venture 26.2 miles on your feet, you are bound to learn something new about yourself. I’m still soaking in the fact that I ran a marathon on Sunday. It’s definitely a strange concept for me to grasp. Close friends and family that have known me for over three years, know that running was never on the top of my priority list. Or any list for that matter. I once (okay, maybe twice) completed my summer post-season soccer workout without running a mile whatsoever. I thought weightlifting would get me through. I now know that the best way to prepare for any type of running activity is to RUN! Although, I can’t think of any life-changing epiphanies I had during my run on Sunday, the only thing I have thought about this week was the marathon.

Here are a few things I learned about myself this week:

1) I am WAY too hard on myself.
At the age of 26, I should have it all together by now, right?!? I am starting to think even at the age of 100, some people still don’t have it together. I am realizing that it is alright to not be perfect and it is alright to make mistakes. I need to remind myself that I am human. In order to grow and learn, I need to make mistakes. Whether it be in my personal or professional life, I need to sometimes fall down and scrape my knees up a little bit. And you know what? It’s okay. No one is holding me on a pedestal. The ones who care most will be there with an encouraging word, prayer, or a shoulder to lean on. Like Dr. Seuss said, “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind. .” Breathe, Krystal.

2) I minimize my achievements, A LOT.
Yes, I have accomplished quite a bit in my life. I am so blessed. Many times I look back and see that it was always God at work. There is no reason I should have been on a collegiate soccer team with no formal training or no club experience. I think this was a big defining achievement in my life, which continues to shape my future.

3) I am BRAVE and COURAGEOUS.
I have been on my own since I was 18. A few times since then, I have made some decisions that have completely changed the trajectory of my life. At the time, I never noticed them as signs of bravery and courage, but hindsight is always 20/20. Moving away to school. Accepting a position in a state where I have no family. Going back to school. My mom once told me, if I make decisions based on what other people tell me or what other people do, I will miss out on a lot things in life. I am creating my own story, and if it involves acts of bravery and courage even better.

4) Sometimes I GIVE up too EASY.
Okay, this is actually something I realized during my last 6 miles of my marathon. I can do something a hundred times, but sometimes that 101st time will seem so difficult. Sometimes I allow things out of my control to detour my good intentions. Sometimes negativity and self-doubt drown out positivity and self-esteem. I need to have more confidence in my confidence. Trust my training. Trust my education. Trust myself.

Hope you all are having a lovely Spring. Can’t wait to see what else is in store for the year.

Week 15 mileage-
April 16- 7.10 mile run
April 18- 3.20 mile run
April 19- 0.25 mile swim
April 20- 8.02 mile run

Week 15 mile totals: 18.57 miles

Week 16 mileage-
April 23- 3.00 mile run
April 26- 26.20 mile run

Week 16 mile totals: 29.20 miles

We all like pictures!!! Here are some from the past weekend. Enjoy!

My little brother and me at the OKC National Memorial

Race Expo
We Run to Remember. In Honor of the 168.

Mile 25 with Mat.

throwback thursday- never did an update.

Originally posted Thursday, June 30, 2011

Well, it has been two months since the OKC Memorial, and I never did post an update. I finished! And got a snazzy medal. My goal was 59 minutes, and I ended up running it in 69 minutes. Realized yesterday, I actually ran it in 57:02 10 minutes over 1:58 minutes under my goal time, but what can you do? Woohoo!!! Since then, I have been trying to stay active and participate in some sort of competitive event each month. I really didn’t have anything planned for June though. Fortunately, my company participates in OU Medical Center’s Corporate Challenge each year. Behold, one of the relay team’s was short a female runner. Although it was not a foot race that required excessive training, I stepped in to run the 100 m leg of the race. Our team finished second in our heat, just behind the other CHK team.

For July, I currently have no races planned. The Dirty 30 which I really wanted to run on the 30th conflicted with other plans, so maybe next year

Relay Teams

Our hand-off… Don’t judge, I never ran track.

Tentative- Half Marathon in October in North Carolina with my sister Stephany Speck. She also introduced me to a new running app called RunKeeper, and I have loved it so far.

the run that changed your life.

As all of us in the running community continue to take roll call accounting for our running clubs, friends, family, and acquaintances who were running Boston on Monday, let us still keep those who were less fortunate in our thoughts and prayers.

While details are still unfolding, I had a feeling in my heart to do something in my community to honor those who were killed and injured. I decided to invite runners out for a 2-mile run at Lake Hefner to honor those killed and injured. My thought was, although I can’t do a lot from Oklahoma, I can do something, and that something matters. I decided to #run2milesforboston and invited all my friends locally and virtually to join in.

Why it matters to me?
Even though details are still unfolding, as I mentioned earlier, this was not an attack on the Boston Marathon. The majority of people affected were in the crowds. The crowds consisting of our mentors, supporters, and believers. This was an attack on people that without, this race is nothing. These are the people we look forward to seeing at the finish line. People we long to see after experiencing 26.2 miles. The ones who push us to carry on. The ones who embrace of with a hug and kiss for our efforts. The ones who cry with us with overwhelming emotions of achievement. The ones that tell us, “you’re almost there” or “you got this” or “looking good.” The ones you run 26.2 miles for. My eyes swell with emotion writing this. Life changers await at the finish line. Races are nothing without crowds in the stand. This was a senseless crime which should have never happened. Without Martins, Krystles, and Lus our 26.2 miles are in vain. My heart aches for you and your families for doing what we runners appreciate so much. Thanks for believing in us. Thanks for supporting us. Thanks for encouraging us in the final leg. We love you and you will be greatly missed in this life. I am praying for comfort and understanding in such confusing times.

This run has changed so many lives in so many ways. It’s not about the medals, bumper stickers, or PRs. It’s about community. Martin, Krystle, and Lu, thank you for changing my life. Thanks for being believers, supporters and mentors. You were taken from this Earth too soon.

#prayforboston #prayformartin #prayforkrystle #prayforlu #runforboston

well, well, well.

I’ve recently gotten hooked on The Voice. Mostly, I’ve gotten hooked on Blake Shelton. He’s got that Southern charm. A few episodes ago, and singer disclosed that they were from Texas, and Blake responded “well, well, well.” As if he was from Texas. Adam Levine quickly jumped in to remind him otherwise. So, in saying this, I want to begin a series of post called, “Well, Well, Well.” Here I will share random facts about myself, and hope that you get as much as a laugh out of it as I do now.

Well, well, well…

I’m from South Carolina.
Although, I claim Texas as my home, I actually was born and lived in South Carolina for 3 years. Sometimes people think I have an accent, and I don’t know what to credit that to. But, I was born a South Cackalacky girl.

I once auditioned for America’s Next Top Model.
It was my junior year in college, and they were holding a cattle call in Oklahoma City. So, my friend and I waited hours in line for a 2-3 minute audition. And guess what? I didn’t make it.