This week we're talking with Kristen Sad who comes from Chicago.

She's going to tell us what it takes to balance a family life and training and racing.

Hey Spartans, this is Kevin Gilotti and welcome to the Spartan athlete.

Christensen is an interesting case because she's a very, very strong athlete and a mom, but she's found a good balance where she doesn't get too serious about the

racing, but when she comes to perform, she performs. But unlike most of the other athletes

see out there, the top women, she's not solely focused on just this avenue of racing.

How do you pull that balance off?

I mean it's hard sometime because I'm a really competitive person and there's a PCB that when I come out here I know I want to do well

but at the end of the day I just don't have the time or do I want to have only my life based around this

so it's just finding that balance and being okay

with being in that top group, but maybe knowing

that I'm not going to be on the podium every race

or winning the race.

And I just kind of come to peace with that.

I've raced for a lot of years.

And at this point, I get a lot of satisfaction

of still being able to get out there and all the friendships

and just leaving it all out there and what I have and being okay with that.

Yeah, you've proven to be a pretty formidable athlete and one that a lot of people don't

see coming because you don't come to a lot of races but when you come you

generally make a pretty strong statement. Talk to me a little bit about does it

make you nervous when you see a lot of your competition post and I'm training this I'm training

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