Monthly Archives: February 2012

Run/Walk thru the CHI…..

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Yesterday I hauled my ass self away from the office with the intent of knocking out an 8 miler.  Well, that didn’t happen.  But it was a beautiful day in the CHI and the sun was trying to peak out!

I wasn’t very far at all when I realized that my legs were very fatigued.  So I readjusted my goal from 8 miles to 6.  Then I got to Oak Street beach and realized that I wanted to walk.

So I walked.  And realized I was only 2.5 miles in and if I wanted to walk at this point, then I better just turn around and head back for the office cuz it wasn’t going to get better so I turned around and the now 6 miler turned into a 5.

In addition to the heavy fatigue, my right calf was also screaming talking to me.  The good news is that the ankle which was bothering me last week was silent, unless I just couldn’t hear it’s whimpers over the screams of the calf muscle.  I’m thinking that a 2013 edition of the Warm Your Heart rat maze will NOT be in the cards for Ms. TooTall.  Yep, the aftermath on my body was too much for a 5K distance.   Not worth it in my opinion.  Too many hairpin turns.  I’m coming off the Plantar Fasciitis injury and am still not 100% so it probably affected me more so than a healthy person.  The calf muscle that was screaming after the Warm Your Heart race and also during this run, is the same one which was swollen and so damaged that it finally sent me to the doc for the Plantar Fasciitis in September.  I know this is all related.  That’s okay, it will bounce back and I’ll know better for next year. 

In the interim, I enjoyed a nice run/walk thru the city. 

Chicago is getting ready for St Paddy’s Day!

So it was a good day to get out and enjoy the city but a very unproductive “run” per say.  It’s okay, just a perfect excuse to take it easy the next couple of days in preparation for Sunday’s race in Miami.  And fortunately, I have been doing this long enough to know that this will in NO WAY affect my performance.  It’s just a bump in the road, the work has been done, the miles put in and I will be READY TO RUN a kick ass race on Sunday. 

Cheers!                                                                                                                         Amanda – TooTallFritz

 

 

I’m a Tough Chi(c)k

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I’m a tough chick.  I’ve known that for a long time.  As with all bitches ladies, some days are better than others but overall, I’m up there on the tough scale.  Over the last couple years, I became aware of a clothing company appropriately named, Tough Chik.  How fun is that?  I had browsed their website multiple times but their products just weren’t exactly what I wanted at the time.  They had lots of cute running tees but I don’t wear tees while running, or otherwise, and the performance line was small so I have been patiently waiting for them to expand the line.    I don’t mind spending money on performance clothing even though I have a ton but I don’t spend it on stuff that I don’t love. 

Towards the end of last year, my beloved Tough Chiks, who I been stalking but had yet to make a single purchase, announced they would be organizing a team for 2012.  Anyone who joined the team, by purchasing from the Team apparel line, would not only be part of the inaugural Team Tough Chik but also have a year’s worth of discounts for all Tough Chik apparel, get discounts for numberous yet to be named sponsors, and possibly get a ton of random freebies in our team package.  So basically we were purchasing a mystery package and well, I’m all about surprises and taking a chance, especially when the Team Tough Chik package looked to be just my style in regards to performance, function and fashion.

The team packages will be mailed sometime in March so I have been anticipating the delivery for several months.  Then I saw that the TC performance line started to expand and I was intrigued.  I’ve had my eye on this:

But I didn’t buy it.  I thought it was cute but I didn’t know how the sizing would work, I have this team package coming and the contents might not fit and since it’s custom I was sure that returns/exchanges wouldn’t be an option, so I was waiting to see how the sizing of the team gear would work for my body.  I have an odd body shape.  I’m long and lean but have a very poochy belly cuz I like to eat and drink instead of doing core work.  As a result, I have to be careful with my clothing not being too tight thru the belly or I look ridiculous.  I know you will be shocked but I also have an issue with my height and some of the TRI and running tops are too short and I certainly won’t wear anything that doesn’t have proper coverage so I was still waiting.  I figured that after the team package arrived and I had a better idea on sizing that I would try a few other things, like the pink tank above.

However, Tough Chik pulled a fast one and put something out that I COULD.NOT.RESIST.  Many of you know that my favorite race is the Shamrock Shuffle in Chicago.  Each year, I try to harass encourage as many of my friends as possible to run.  This year I even strong-armed pursuaded a large group of ladies to run with me in green Team Sparkle skirts.  And since the occasion will be so festive, I have also purchased shamrock socks, white leggings for under the skirt and a green pullover.  But this green “i run” tank will hopefully match the Shamrock outfit perfectly: 

Yep, I couldn’t resist but took the plunge and purchased my first TC product.  It was relatively cheap at $30, plus there was an option of matching arm sleeves which I will probably need at the Shamrock Shuffle.  And most importantly, it fit PERFECTLY.   The tank is designed to be form-fitting thru the chest and then has a drop to a looser fit thru the mommy tummy.  YAY!  WIN!  I was so excited last night when I tried it on that I couldn’t even contain my excitement but took some pics, posted them on Facebook, tried to get 3 of these in the PINK (above) for me and my girls running 13.1 Miami on Sunday….. but shocker……. they are sold out of the pink in some sizes…..more to come soon!

Arm Sleeves ($25) with little Tough Chiks:

Back:

I can not wait to run in this top.  The fit is so nice, it was hard to take it off.  The seams are flat and the arm holes go up high enough that I don’t anticipate any chafing in the underarm flab department, this really seems like the perfect top and let’s say that I have been thru a “few” brands to know a lot by just the initial try-on.  Most tops I order never make it to a trial run but just get sent back immediately.  I have never found any running tops that I really love but am very hopeful with this one.  And quite honestly, the price point is so low compared to other technical brands, that I’m hoping this top performs half as good as I expect.  You may only see me on the trail in Tough Chik i run tanks this summer.  I’ll take this tank to Miami for a test drive this weekend and let you know how it performs.  More later.

Do you have any running tops/tanks that you absolutely love?  What is the price range?  Let’s find some good stuff at a good price for a change!  Tell us what you like!

Happy Running,                                                                                                              Amanda – TooTallFritz

 

 

Warm Your Heart Indoor 5K – Race Review

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As soon as the Warm Your Heart Indoor 5K was announced, there was a group of us who immediately signed up.  I mean, really, an indoor, guaranteed 70 degree race in February, YES, I’ll give it a try.  This was, of course, way before somebody stole got ahold of the course map.  Initially all we knew was that it was a “single” loop, inside, certified course 5K race.  And then the course map was released and holy shit wow, it looked a little hairy!

This isn’t the exact course we ran because the start/finish line were not the same and since I knew were I started, the finish line actually surprised me.  It was way before we would have re-entered the other building for a sprint back to the start/finish area.  I didn’t have a clue that things were slightly off until I hit the 3 mile clock and then I knew I had messed up because I should have been running much faster that close to the end.

All in all, I will say the race was good.  It was non-traditional but good.  They had 3 inconvenient packet pick up locations and then also race day registration with a final packet pick up.  Had I known there was race day pick up, I would have certainly done that but according to the website, packets could only be picked up previous to the race.  So I went to the closest location to my work, in downtown Chicago, in the rain to get the packets for us Southsiders.  Not convenient for us but I’m sure it couldn’t have been worse.  The packets were sparse, included a long sleeve unisex tech shirt, a magnet, a small backpack and some literature. 

I think just about everyone I knew commented positively about the shirt, so it appears to have been a hit with the majority.  For me, it won’t get any much wear since it was a  unisex size.  I did try it on and it was just awkward and ill-fitting.  But I did like the design/color and would have worn it had it been a ladies size.

Getting to and from the race was very easy.  The race was at McCormick Place in Chicago, easy access and lots of parking.  However, once we got up to the race area it was a bit chaotic.  They had a mini expo going, runners were all over the place and there were lanes roped off in every direction.  However, in the midst of this chaos was also a lot of organization, the start area was clearly marked, they had indoor bathrooms and portable units.  I saw a gear check and the Starbucks was open.  🙂

We never did unite with our entire group which shouldn’t have been an issue with this small of a race.  Thankfully, I took a couple of girls with me!  Nicki, Kristina & April. We also brought our own cheering section since it was inside and the kiddos wouldn’t freeze.  Nicole (April’s daughter), Aby & Michael and they did a great job too because I heard Aby screaming, “Go Mommy!!!”  on several of my turns. 

And of course, since we made such a spectacle, we got to hook up with Aurelia’s family too so that was even better, plus she took the group photo.  Thanks, Aurelia!  From left:  Tim (Aurelia’s Hubby), Uncle Bill, Nicki, Kristina, April & Me.

The start was very organized and they had the paces clearly marked.  Then each group had a 2-3 minute head start on the group behind them.  This totally prevented the bottle neck at the turns which I had anticipated upon seeing the course map.  The first mile was by far the worse as the lanes in the “start” building were narrower and shorter but there was plenty of room and the lanes were marked off with tape.  Although there was a mass of runners everywhere you looked, there was never a question as to where you were going, just lots of turns.

I was also concerned about the flooring.  They had removed the floor coverings and it was bare concrete  in an unfinished state.   So it wasn’t slippery at all.  The biggest problem area was running from the start building into the finish building across a nicely finished, slippery hallway.  It was very short though and not a problem for me.  Then once we hit the finish building, the lanes were wider and the turns weren’t as tight so it was much easier to navigate.  I would also say the temp dropped a good 7-10 degrees upon entering the second “finish” building, so the conditions were nice and cool for running.  They had one water stop at approximately the 1.5 mile mark (I’m guesstimating).  I was very concerned approaching it that the floor would be slippery, particularly since the lady in front of me honestly tried to grab 5 cups before actually connecting with one.  I just stayed toward the middle to avoid the water, and her spillage, and I was fine but I was also in the first group that took off, so not sure how people further back in the pack felt about the situation.

It was good, I took it slow on the turns, and there were a lot of turns.  My right calve and both hips are feeling those turns now but I am overall very happy with this “indoor” race.  I would have enjoyed being able to have longer stretches to run without turns, I definitely feel as if the turns slowed me down because I was in a “better safe than sorry” mode but there was definitely room to run your own pace and no bottlenecks.  Also the number of volunteers was outstanding.  They really worked hard to make this first time race an event which will become a staple of the running community for the years to come.

Upon hitting the finish, there was immediately bananas, water, and Propel for refueling.  Once we got past that, there was a timing station set up with multiple units in which you could enter your bib number to get immediate results as far as your time, your current standing against those who had finished before you, and  your division totals.   I run a lot of races and I believe this is the first time I have ever seen this and I like it.  A lot.

Good race.  Good organization.  Good charity sponsor.  Good overall event.  I’d probably go back to run it again.  I finished in 23:59.  That’s my best time of the year so far for the 5K distance but I still have some considerable work to do on my fitness level for this distance.

Did you race this weekend?  If so, tell us when and where.  If you ran the Warm Your Heart, what did you think?  Would you go back?

Happy Running,                                                                                                           Amanda – TooTallFritz

No Honey Buckets in the Midwest…….

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Due to the weekend chaos, I decided to try to get a 10 miler in last night instead of this morning.  This wasn’t exactly ideal since by Friday night, I’m usually very tired and just want to chill but I wanted to get it out of the way since the entire week has been less than ideal.  The Wednesday 10 miler turned into a 4, then I have an indoor 5K race on Sunday, and 13.1 Miami Beach next weekend.  Plus I needed to break in those fluorescent pink Saucony Guide’s! 

The weather was good at 28 degrees and there was no snow or wind when I began.  However, that quickly changed.  I parked at Ridgeland, ran east to Matteson and back for my first 4 miles.  It’s very scenic in the first mile east of Ridgeland with a large pond on both sides of the trail.  Very tranquil.

Then I picked up Kate for another 6 miles and by that time it was getting fun.  The snow had started and the wind was ridiculous coming out of the west blowing the snow right into my eyes.  Plus the wind was at the point where I.COULD.HARDLY.STAND.UP.  But, of course, Kate was up for some miles. 

We started off running into the wind to get that out of the way and that first 3 out were tough!  It was hard to talk and we were slightly over a 9 minute mile, which felt like we were moving in slow motion!  Once we hit the turnaround though we were flying until I realized I need a bathroom STAT!  That slowed us considerably while we hunted for one and I had to just totally stop a few times to “refocus”.  Sorry Kate!

This whole process really had me thinking about running in the midwest in the winter.  Personally, as a Midwesterner, almost everything seems better on the west coast.  Port-O-Pots included.  And what was on my mind during last night’s run?  Well, Port-O-Pots cuz I had to “go”.  Several west coast run-bloggers have mentioned their beloved Honey Bucket’s many times over the last several years.  Doesn’t that sound pleasant?

As a winter runner in the midwest, you will find that all of those readily available bathrooms, port-o-pots and water sources that you hit during the spring/summer/fall have all been locked up, or taken away, during the winter.  Well, that doesn’t mean that you still don’t need those resources but alas they are unavailable.  Kate and I were on a quest to find one yesterday when “the urge” hit me late in our run.  So nice to be out running with a friend and have such an issue fun.  Embarrassing but since she will not only be a Ragnar Relay partner but also a Chicago Marathon training partner, I guess she would have eventually realized that I have some “issues”.  Still not ideal though on my part.  😦  And note to self:  Cheese & Crackers pre-run is NOT a good snack.

Of course, all the nice, indoor facilities were locked.  The port-o-pots at the parks had been removed.  And one lonely Waste Management potty was left at Ridgeland Avenue.  Thank goodness for whoever pays for that one to stay and be maintained.  Not only was it open and available but it was also stocked with the necessities. 

And the best part, although those 50-60 mph winds tried their darndest to tip this potty while I was inside, in the pitch black darkness, I got lucky and made it out unscathed.  Some days are definitely better than others!

Anyone want to make a list of port-o-pots that are still available in the winter?  I may need to readjust my running routes to include these places.  So tell us if you know of any potties that are out along Old Plank Trail!

Happy Running,                                                                                                         Amanda – TooTallFritz

Saucony Guide – 4 vs 5 – 8mm Drop

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After running a full cycle in the “new” Saucony Guide 5‘s with the 8 mm heel to toe drop, I feel like I can give an accurate and honest review of the changes of this shoe.  First off, the new Guide’s LOOK really cool, although this is the last thing we are supposed to consider when buying a shoe, let’s be honest, it kinda matters.

I have been running in Saucony exclusively other than short 5K type races since 2006/2007.  Due to my size and forefoot strike, I have to change out my shoes approximately every 300 miles or 3 months.  I really like to get 3 months out of a pair of shoes if possible but that is usually pushing past the 300 mile mark.  So let it suffice to say that I am familiar with the Saucony line, particularly the Ride (Pre-Michael) and the Guide (Post-Michael – Don’t ask how my foot changed so much from having a baby but that’s not the only thing that changed so C’est la vie).

The Guide 5 is by far the most attractive pair of Saucony’s I have ever owned.  It’s actually nice to be sporting a pair of “cool” shoes for once.  🙂  This new version with the 8 mm heel to toe drop is also 1.5 oz lighter.  I know that doesn’t sound like a lot but it is a noticeable difference.  I notice it when they are on my feet and I had both pair in my hands last night and the Guide 5s were considerably lighter than the 4s.

The Guide 5s also fit like a glove.  It was love at first fit for me when I slipped these on my feet.  They are soft, much softer than the previous versions and they feel more airy like the Nike’s that I just love.  Great fit in the store, great fit on the run!

Although I was initially impressed with all the new changes, these shoes broke down quickly.  And I mean very quickly.  I ran the bottom off these shoes by the time I broke 200 miles and that’s just not cool.  I ordered a new pair from Running For Kicks once I hit 220 miles because my body was telling me it was time to switch them out; however, since the shoe has won so many awards and has a massive ad campaign in progress, it seems the shoe’s popularity has soared!  Therefore, I had to wait 3 weeks for these shoes to come off the backorder and be delivered to the store.  In the interim, I panicked ordered a limited edition of the Guide 5 from another source but have yet to receive those either.  However, here is a peek at these beauty’s which I will be sporting with my girls at 13.1 Miami Beach!  We decided to coordinate with pink & black and these babies will look pretty cool with our color scheme. 

So just this week my ankle, feet and hips started aching backordered Guide 5’s arrived at Running For Kicks.  I immediately picked them up and got to hit the trail with them last night.  I certainly didn’t go far as I have some nagging aches that I need to kick in the ass evict before the Miami race; however, I was able to catch up with my F’N Runners for a bit.  Good looking group showed up in the rain, if I do say so myself!    From Left Back:  Susan, Cathie, Wayne (newbie!!), Dawn, Kathy, & April.  Left Bottom:  Nicole C, Jeni – Sparkalish Roar, Meg & Nicole W (April’s Daughter!).  Not pictured:  MagMileRunner, Diane & myself.

I ran 4 miles with this crew before bowing out to go home to Amstel Light Motrin & the last remaining sample of the Arctic Ease wrap.  Although the Arctic Ease is not as cold as ice, it is certainly more convenient than icing when you have a toddler don’t have time to sit down.  They are temporary though, I had a larger covering that I had purchased at the Chicago Marathon expo and when I went to pull it out, it was moldy.  This has happened with other wraps I have had too.  They don’t last real long but are certainly handy. 

As I was self medicating making dinner, I started to think about the difference between the Guide 4’s and 5’s, knowing darn well that the fact that I ran too long in the current pair of Guide 5’s was the reason for my new aches/pains.  This prompted me to dig out my old shoes which I have been using to commute back and forth to work.  Since the Plantar Fasciitis issue, I haven’t worn a real pair of non-running shoes for quite some time, so I live in my Saucony’s.    The Guide 5’s are on the left, the Guide 4’s on the right.  You can see the wear is so much worse on the 5’s with 285 miles verses the 4’s with 330 miles.

Forefoot of the Guide 5’s:

Forefoot of Guide 4’s: 

In my opinion, it is conclusive that the Guide 4 wore much better than the Guide 5.  That being said, I still think the Guide 5 is a better shoe in all aspects but I find it unfortunate that I will be getting even less wear out of the new version that I did previously.  Is it worth it, probably yes but still not good for my bank account. 

Do you buy the same shoe each time and know exactly how the updates affect your body? Any shoe you can tell us about that specifically made noticable changes to the good or bad?

Happy Running,                                                                                                             Amanda – TooTallFritz

 

Do As I Say, NOT…..

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I was roaming around WordPress today checking out other run bloggers and came across Arkansas Runner Girl.  The post was on will power.  I realized that I’ve totally failed on that as of late.  I read and shared on my facebook page this morning about the benefits of almonds for runners.  In order to follow-up personally, I wanted to add some almonds into my routine today.  I, of course, didn’t have any with me so I went over to Walgreens to grab some almonds for my desk.  I needed an apple too so it was an easy decision even though I try to be religious about bringing all my food/snacks to the office with me. 

And then I noticed that Mars products were on sale today.  2 for $2.  So I succumbed to the M&M temptation because they were “on sale”.

Then what happened?  I ate the M&Ms and NOT the apple.  I’m pretty sure this was a nutrition FAIL.

Bottom line, do as I say, not as I do.

Do the “sale” items always fall into your cart too or am I the only one with this problem?  I probably wouldn’t have bought those stupid M&Ms if they had been full price!

Now, I’m leaving to go run off those M&Ms.  I’ll see YOU on the trail!

Happy Running,                                                                                                            Amanda – TooTallFritz

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Believe….

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As cliché as it sounds, I believe…….

I know that the numbers on the treadmill do not define me.  I know that I have not been hitting the speeds/durations that I need in order to run as fast as I want.  But I believe that my hard work will pay off with positive results.  I am working harder than I have ever worked before, logging more miles than in years gone by and I know that when race day arrives, I  will bring everything I have to the table.  What does that mean?  I will bring my attitude and BELIEVE that I can run faster than is possible.

I began simple speed interval work about 5 or 6 weeks ago with the intention of getting back into 22:xx shape for the 5K distance.  However, I do not anticipate the upcoming Warm Your Heart 5K at McCormick Place to be a test of the progress of my random speed work since the course map looks as intricate as a good maze. 

After a brief review of this course map, I have decided that this looks like a fun race where I will get to go and hang out with friends but not one that will count as a real test of 5K speed since I can only imagine huge bottlenecks at each of those turns.

However, as I look forward to the next several weeks of training I see the 13.1 Miami Beach race in my immediate future.  I anticipate this to be a good test as to my current level of fitness.  I haven’t raced a half uninjured since last June and that day ended up being sweltering hot and although I finished in a run/walk fashion, they did end up calling the race and closing it down due to the dangerous conditions.  So I don’t feel as if that race was a good indication of half marathon speed since I was in survival mode.  I raced a couple other halfs afterwards but they were in a very injured state with the Plantar Fasciitis.  Therefore, I have HUGE expectations for 13.1 Miami Beach.  I have been trying to get to the 1:50:xx mark in the half marathon for 2 years and I now believe that I will be able to attain this goal with my current level of fitness. 

So I have one more week to train without blowing it and then it will be R&R with my momma in Miami before Ms. TooTall bags a goal that is 2 years in the making.  I’m not really sure there will be room for many other people in the race once my attitude hits the start line.  Watch out Miami Beach…….I’ll be flying in for you, very soon!

Believe in yourself and know that the impossible really is possible if you BELIEVE. 

Do you have any lofty goals which you fully expect to achieve this year?

Amanda – TooTallFritz

Short & Sweet……

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I have been checking on a daily weekly basis for Aby’s Track & Field schedule to be released.  My spring racing schedule hinges on hers and I’m a planner so need to know what’s happening for life, running and racing for the next year six months.  And because of my tendency to plan, it quite frankly really bothers me when a new event is scheduled without much notice, like the Get Lucky 7 and the Chicago Women’s Half Marathon.  Today was the day that the track schedule was published.  Of course, we have no idea of when practice starts but with the first meet on April 2nd, I can’t imagine that it will be long before the season begins.

So today the preparations began.  We first stopped at Running For Kicks for a new pair of running shoes, then we hit the road to break them in a bit.  My little shortie is looking good and getting stronger by the season.  It is absolutely amazing.The little girl who couldn’t go a half mile before stopping to walk just this past summer ran 2 miles without stopping tonight.   She hasn’t run since the end of Cross Country season except to come out in support of the Virtual Run for Sherry Arnold.  I had suspected during the Sherry run that she was stronger.  I thought the strength was probably more mental than physical but it really doesn’t matter.

Tonight confirmed my suspicions and she IS stronger!  It was a short but very sweet run tonight.  Proud of my little girl!

2 miles in 20:13 with a short stop at the turnaround while we awaited a passing car.  Watch out, my little Aby will be flying around all of us before we even know it.

Proud Mamma,                                                                                                                Amanda – TooTallFritz

On the Road Again….

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I was on the road again this weekend with the kiddos to go see Grandma & Grandpa TooTall and make a visit to a local indoor water park!  I managed to squeeze in a quick 6 miler before the festivities began.  When I’m up at the lake, it’s mostly road running.  I picked a route with a few hills since I was going short.

Then I was barely back in the house and the kids were dressed and ready for their adventure at the water park!  We went to Splash Universe in Shipshewana, IN.  The area is really known for its flea market and Amish shops but in order to accommodate the large number of visitors to Amish Country, the town had to build up a bit with restaurants and hotels.  This is one of the “fun” hotels that has an indoor water park and since it’s about 20 minutes from the lake, we try to go once in the winter so the kids can have some fun in the water and enjoy the 80 degree temps. 

See those slides in the middle?  Michael LOVED those things, probably went down them several hundred times, if not more.  Grammie would stand at the top to help police the little ones from piling down on top of each other and I was at the bottom to move Michael along so he didn’t get crushed by the next one coming down.  And then he would walk back to the top and do that again, and again, and again, and AGAIN.

Then this morning, I needed to go out for a longer run since I didn’t do it yesterday.  I wasn’t feeling it at all.  I really needed to run 12 but I could barely talk myself into leaving the house so I was pretty sure that wouldn’t happen.  Then once I did get out the door, I couldn’t get my Nike+ GPS Sportwatch to link up.  Apparently, it was tired too.  I waited & waited & waited then basically took off running figuring that’s why I had the sensor for moments just like this.  So I ran.

I made it about a mile before ducking into a seasonal campground.  I expected it to be deserted and wanted to see if there were any trails remaining from when we used to snowmobile there during my childhood.   We used to spend a lot of time in this location in the winter months as this was home base for a local snowmobile club that would snowmobile all over the lakes  and then return to this campground to warm up in one of the buildings where they would have coffee, hot chocolate and food.  However, that was when we used to get lots of snow in the winter. I can’t imagine that snowmobile club exists anymore, and I’m quite certain that most of the members of that snowmobile club are long gone like my grandparents.  So today was a trip down memory lane and like all good memories, the current reality never measures up.  I did find one old trail down by the lake but it was very overgrown almost to the point of being impassable.  I didn’t make it far before giving up and turning back. 

After giving up on “trail” running, I just circled the roads in the campground.  Half of the roads were pancake flat and the other half were very hilly.  So it was a good mix and I definitely got in some nice slow miles that were challenging.  I ended up with approximately 10.5 miles today but they were very slow.

So good weekend, lots of fun, a few run miles and lots of drive miles.

What did you do this weekend?

Happy Running,                                                                                                       Amanda – TooTallFritz

Pitch Black

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I realize on a daily basis that I am getting older. As my 38th birthday fast approaches, I know that I’m not “old” per say but rather things are changing faster than I would like. The last several hours in the car, driving in the pitch blackness of night listening to my fighting, screaming children has brought this even closer to the surface of my attention. Have you looked outside tonight? It’s dark. No stars. No moon. No light. Just black.

I have recently come to the conclusion that I do not like driving in the dark. I can hear the words of my NotSoTall Grandma Fritz in my head declining to drive in the dark. This is my fate. I don’t like it anymore, it makes me nervous and I can’t see anything at all!

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At slightly less than 38 years……it’s official I’m an old lady driver. Don’t ask me to go anywhere after dark, I will soon begin to politely decline. If you need my presence after dark, please contact my husband chauffeur.

How about you? Have you begun to notice any old lady/man tendencies as of yet?

Amanda – TooTallFritz