Tobacco Road Marathon Race Review

Posted on April 27, 2018 by tootallfritz

Its been six weeks since the Tobacco Road Marathon but I still want to review the race for those who might be interested in putting this on their future calendar.

The Tobacco Road Marathon was on March 18, 2018 in Cary, NC. Close to Durham & Chapel Hill. The race venue is the Thomas Brooks Park & USA Baseball Fields. Race is traditionally held on a Sunday and requires travel to the area on Friday or Saturday to pick up race packets. Small expo at a local hotel. Easy & fast, in and out. A few vendors, like my favorite girl, Gypsy Runner.

If your traveling with the family, there isn’t a lot to do in this area (or maybe we just didn’t know where to look?). Beautiful area though. New neighborhoods. Nice homes. Cute boutique like shopping areas. Nice.

Race day started bright and early ~~like always~~. Getting to the race site required some planning. There was a local pick up area in Cary called NetApp, where people could park & get shuttled to/from the race site. There were a few onsite parking spots that required pre-purchased parking passes. Then there was runner drop off at the venue. Fortunately, my daughter now has her license. GASP! She was able to drop me off, then drive back to the hotel with her little brother, then return to pick me up. This race would have been challenging, logistics wise (as a mom with kids & no other adult to supervise), had she not been able to drive. I’ve taken them to a lot of races & I usually pick a hotel on the race course or close to the start/finish so they can sleep in at the hotel, then come to the race when they are ready. This race started at the park, then ran to the American Tobacco Trail, stayed on the American Tobacco Trail, then ran back to the park for the finish. You need access to a car to get to packet pick up and to/from the race. No shuttles for local hotels. No way to spectate without access to a car.

On to the race! The important part, right? Please note that the majority of these photos are courtesy of Amy at Gypsy Runner. I wanted to ring the PR bell, so knew I couldn’t waste time with photos. Thanks, Amy for always helping me out! I love seeing your smiling face at expos and out on the marathon courses!

We got to the race early. The race started at 7am but the parking areas shut down at a certain time. I think they wanted everyone in the parking area by 5:30 so that the shuttle buses could come/go without issue. It was cool. Probably upper 40s at the start and while we were waiting. I rarely take throw away clothes but did this time because I wasn’t planning to check a bag. The plan was to run the race, finds the kids, leave. We were headed to Disney World for Spring Break & this was just a pit stop for momma to grab another state!

The race started promptly at 7am. Start/Finish area was easy to find, just down from the row of port-o-potties. It was still dark when we started the race but the area was well lit around the bathrooms & the start/finish area. Photo courtesy of the Tobacco Road Marathon Facebook page:

We left Thomas Park with an incline to get out of the park and onto the road. Key to remember because that’s a downhill to the finish line! Couple other rolling hills in the 2.5 miles from the park to the American Tobacco Trail. Then the marathoners had 21 miles on the ATT. Very few turns. If you are ever afraid of getting lost, this is the type of race for you. There was never any question as to where to go or where to turn. It was very well ran, volunteers were great. All road crossings were patrolled.

The race was advertised as fast & flat. As a Midwest gal, I know flat. Any race that claims to be flat, will probably have more hills than I can get when I make an effort to FIND hills to run. I wasn’t sure what to expect with this race. I will say that it was pretty flat. There were a few rollers to/from the ATT. Once on the ATT (where we ran 21 of the 26.2 miles), it was pretty flat. This was an old rail trail. So the inclines/declines were not visible, you’d just feel it in your legs. On a slight decline, you could feel the load lighten and the pace got easier. On the incline, you couldn’t really “see” it but you could tell you were going up because it took more effort to hold the pace. But honestly, I heard some people complain post race about the elevation, Garmin showed 735 ft of gain, Strava showed 819 ft for the entire race. Small gains & losses over time.

The ATT was a mix of crushed limestone and asphalt. Mostly tree lined with giant pines which provided a break from the wind and the sun. Temps started in the upper 40s but climbed to the 60s while we ran. Humidity was low to non-existent. I don’t do well in heat & humidity so while I did notice that it was getting warmer toward the end, it didn’t effect my performance.

There were 9 aid stations on course, most of which we hit 2x since the trail was an out and back. All stations were well stocked with fluids, food items & there were port-o-potties!

On the ATT, we headed out to the north initially, then flipped between mile 8 & 9. Then headed back south, past our point of entry until another turn around between mile 18 & 19. As always, that last turn around always feels great. I also am a huge fan of out and backs, particularly when I know people running. Watching the other runners makes me happy. I like to encourage them, cheer for the fast people at the front & it distracts me from the task at hand.

Not a ton of spectators. Logistics put most spectators at a trail head that intersected with a road we were crossing. Some dogs. A few signs. But everyone was enthusiastic & encouraging.

I really liked this race. I picked it for a few reason. Fast, flattish, few turns, smaller number of runners & the fact that most of it was on a rail trail which would feel a lot like my old training runs. Some people run better on Saturday mornings with their friends than at big venues with long waits & a bazillion spectators. I’m probably more of the Saturday morning girl than the “wait & shiver for 2 hours before the major marathon” girl.

I knew I wanted to try to run faster since I’m not allowed many races this year. I’m in the midst of training for Ironman Lake Placid. When I run less races, I’m faster. No brainer there. And my back is feeling the best it has in several years. I’m not 100% but to be honest, this is probably as good as its going to get. Also, it was important to plan and execute a race strategy, just to know that I can do it. After Lake Placid, I’m going to take a break and then see if I can qualify for Boston. This race time was not anywhere what I need to run a BQ but it was all about planning & executing.

I did have a snafu leading up to the race (pulled something in my foot) so went with Plan B vs Plan A, in the name of being smart & facing down a lot more training for Lake Placid in the next few months. I started with the 4:10 pacers with the plan of running away from them before the finish. I figured I could easily gain a couple minutes and drop into a 4:08 before I hit the line, if I was smart. That’s really the hardest part, being smart. And patient. The first half of the race feels so easy, its hard not to just go with it and run faster. Well, take my advice, going faster than the plan is a good way to blow up. I used to run less races & try to go faster but I always blew up. I would go out too fast! Every time. That’s really how I started running more races. I decided that I worked too hard for ONE race, for it not to end in the result I wanted. I decided I could run A LOT of races and have a A LOT of fun, and really my times weren’t any slower than going out too fast & blowing up.

Anyhow, shout out to the 4:10 pacers. They did a great job. I even dropped back 2 different times to get something out of my FlipBelt. The one pacer checked on me both times & basically “yelled at me” to close the gap & regain contact. I will say that the added pressure that someone was waiting on me did help to make sure I didn’t fall off pace. They even told the runners to start floating away from them as we got close to the finish, that a pacers job was to finish alone, on time, with all their runners ahead of them. Smile I had already started moving ahead after we got off the ATT in the last 2.5 miles. That was the last thing I heard them say as I was pulling away. And I was able to ring the PR Bell at the finish! 4:08:09 was my chip time. Good day!

Overall a great race. There were 1088 full marathoners that started the day, 884 finishers. The half started 2277 runners & 2202 finished. Great race, if you are looking for a fast run. Since most of the race is on the trail, the camber of the road is not as much of an issue as in other races. Not too crowded. Just enough aid & support. Low entry fee! Definitely a good one.

This was my 27th state, 49th marathon. My 50th marathon will be at the end of Ironman Lake Placid. Now that’s going to hurt. LOL!

** Hope you are all healthy & running happy ** Amanda – TooTallFritz

The Huff 50K Trail Run …. 2017 Edition

Posted on January 2, 2018 by tootallfritz

Saturday was the annual Huff 50K Trail Run. Huff is known for bringing something new and unique each year. The 2012 race brought epic flooding. 2016 brought 6 inches of fresh powder to the start and then added freezing rain atop the snow (and us) for the entirety of the race. 2017 will go down in history as one of the coldest years on record. Temps at the start were below zero with wind chills, then plummeted further thru the day for an average of –13 to –15 “feels like” during the bulk of the race. It was a long day for those who were able to finish and there was a large number of runners who had to drop out, or were not allowed to continue after the completion of the first loop, due to weather related concerns.

The Huff 50K offers a 1 loop “fun run” of approximately 11 miles, a 3 person 50K relay & a 50K trail run. I’ve ran, and managed to complete, the 50K every year since 2013. I’ve had good years & bad years. Ones that were tough because I wasn’t up to par physically. Ones that were brutal due to weather like 2016 & 2017. I love this race and will continue to run it as long as I am able. It’s a great way to end my racing season each year. Its close to home. And love that we can pick up our packets the morning of the race! Win, win, win!

This year, due to the cold temps, I left my phone in my check bag. My iPhone has a very short battery life & the cold kills it almost instantly. None of the photos you see in this post are mine. Thanks to Tadd B, Stacey H & Sara P for sharing their photos so I could add something visual to this write-up!.

Pre-race with Tadd B & Pat H. I’m the one in bright orange.

The race started at 8am for the 1 loop runners. At 8:20 for the 50K runners. The course is different for each race. For the 50K race, there are 3 aid stations on each loop. Located at miles 4, 8 & 14. Then the warming tent at the start/finish which is also the half way point of the 50K can be used as an aid station. Other than the aid stations, there are only a few road crossings. This is not a race that you can cut short in very many places if an injury, illness or other issues result. I heard some criticism from some who were not allowed to go out for a second loop of the 50K due to time & weather issues. I can say from a safety standpoint, it was imperative to have runners off the trail by dark. Then if we add in the weather concerns, the second loop of the 50K was cold. Really cold. Plus the trails were drifting from the blowing wind & snow. It was a bit of a challenge. I had to have my face covered almost the entirety of that loop to avoid frostbite. Our bodies were burning extra energy to try to keep warm, in addition to the running, so fueling was a huge issue. And the volunteers at the aid stations were FREEZING trying to support us. More respect needs to be given to the race officials and volunteers for these races. Nobody wants to cancel or shorten a race. Its bad publicity, especially in this age of social media. However, they are liable for each and every runner. They have to do what they think is best for everyone, runners & volunteers included.

We had about 3” of snow on the ground. Flurries during the race. Roads were iced over with a little snow on top. It was a much better situation running wise than the deeper snow and freezing rain of 2016. However, it was still a tough race. Tough but beautiful.

Lots of hills. Lots of slipping and sliding. Running for most of us was slow going. I was amazed by the varying degrees of dress. I was focused on keeping my face covered to avoid frost bite, yet there were people running in shorts, or less. The conditions were dangerous. I wouldn’t recommend running with exposed skin when the temps are below zero.

Sara & I in the pines on loop 1. One of my favorite areas.

Pure joy as we cross the half way mat (after I stopped to put on my yaktrax).

And then the wind hit us. Cold. Strong. Blowing us around. Trying to cover the tracks of those before us. Time to put our heads down and just run. The yaktrax were a welcome addition to loop 2. They helped A LOT in the areas that were packed down and in the slippery areas. I wish I had worn them for the first loop but thought the snow was probably too deep for them to do much good. I’ll definitely wear them for all snowy trail runs going forward. My footing was a lot better after I put them on.

The wind made the temperature drop further but I was warm. My clothing was perfect: Athleta Polartec tights, Injinji over the calf compression socks, thin Under Armour Long Sleeve Infrared tech shirt, Nike Pro Hyper Warm Fleece Lined 1/2 Zip, Saucony Vita Run Vizipro jacket, ear band, hat, balaclava, lined gloves with a an extra pair of throw away gloves that had hand warmers inside. I used the throw away gloves with hand warmers at the start for a several miles, then again on loop 2 after a lengthy stop at an aid station. Only difference between loop 1 & loop 2 was that I had to keep my face covered the majority of the second loop due to the added wind.

Best Aid Station Ever at Dock Lake. Team Tritanium ran the aid station again with the Huff Couch. Two fires were burning. Smores, gluten free chicken noodle soup, homemade sweet bread, plus the usual ultra fare.

But really the best part is always the finish. My 5th Huff 50K is in the done column. I hope to be back for #6 in 2018. See the finishers medal and cool handmade soup mug below. Lots of fun.

Finisher stats: 50K – 118 Finishers, 57 DNFs; 1 Loop Fun Run: 139 Finishers, 5 DNFs. Relay – 24 Finishing teams, 5 DNFs, 3 DQs.

As always, a great race. If you are going to run in the winter, I’d recommend layering up and minimizing exposed skin. There will always be people running with very little on but honestly, that’s just not safe. Be smart & enjoy the beauty of the season. Running is a great way to get out and enjoy the winter months and keep those Winter Blues away!

** Happy Running ** Amanda – TooTallFritz

Wildwood Trail Marathon Race Review– Wildwood MO

Posted on December 6, 2017 by tootallfritz

I ran the Wildwood Trail Marathon in Wildwood MO on Sunday. It was my 47th marathon (or longer). I’m a runner who loves to run. I love the trails and the serenity. However, I’m not a real trail runner. Let’s not squabble over the fact that “if I run trails, then I’m a trail runner”. You know what I mean. I’m a road runner. I enjoy the road under my feet. A solid surface that does not move. One where I probably won’t trip over something that I can’t see because its covered by a forest of leaves. One where sharp rocks don’t jut out at every step. One where if I fall, I won’t stress about sliding down the bluff in the process. Road runner. Yep, that’s me.

Now that is has been clarified that I’m a road runner, my report follows.

The Wildwood Trail marathon is self described as scenic & fast. Good for road and trail runners, experienced and beginners alike. I’ve ran a lot of road races, plus my fair share of trail races. So I feel well versed and able to give a realistic point of view. Scenic, yes, in spots. It’s a beautiful run thru the woods. This race, unlike others I have ran, consisted of a lot of rock based trails. Most trail runs are on dirt trails. Wildwood has a lot of rock. Not to make this too simple but the bluffs are made of rock. The dirt wears away & only rock is left in spots. Second pic below shows it well. That looks like a well worn dirt trail, right? No. Its solid rock. Somewhat smooth surface in some spots. Jagged rocks sticking out in other spots. Pics below are from the Bluff View Trail.

The race started at a school, right off the Hamilton-Carr paved trail. Then we hit a crushed stone & dirt type trail called the Al Foster Memorial Trail. This lead us to the first detour, the Bluff View Trail which was about 2 miles into the race. That’s where things started to get interesting. The trail (seen above) was 2.5 miles of single track, some slanted to one side or the other, winding up the Bluff for an awesome lookout. The Bluff View Trail provided some of the most scenic views of the day to the Crescent Valley below.

After climbing the Bluff Trail, we made a small loop & returned the same way we went up. I must say that after staring at the course map for days, I really didn’t understand it. But thankfully, the race was marked very well and there was never a question as to where we were headed. Course map below. One note, it would have been super helpful if the course map had mile markers. For those of us unfamiliar with the area, we never really knew where we were at any given moment. I had the map in my head but as you are climbing, climbing, climbing and maneuvering the switchbacks, everything is very focused. It would have been great to know that I just had to manage the climb/terrain until mile x, then I would get some relief.

December can be tricky but we had a beautiful day with the sun shining on us. Made me happy.

Dry trails. Leaves cushioning the rock. And a few breathtaking views. After the Bluff Trail, we hit the Rock Hollow Trail with the infamous Zombie Heights. This was by far the toughest section (on the map it’s the tall section of zig zags, middle of the map) and I was zombie like, just watching the ground and trying to navigate the terrain. Rock, switchbacks, lots of technical sections, all on a single track of rock and/or dirt. We spent a lot of time hiking in this section for safety reasons. My legs felt good but I can only go as fast as I feel safe. I’m not a super coordinated person. I’m not exactly clumsy but I do try to be careful. So we saw a lot of 20 minute miles in this section. Took forever to get thru it. This was approximately mile 6 through 14. Pics below of this section show the varied terrain.

After Rock Hollow and Zombie Heights, we had a nice flat section back on the Al Foster Memorial Trail heading to Sherman Beach. Easy terrain. Well packed. Fast section.

Sherman Beach was a hot spot. By the time we got there, a lot were already headed back to the finish. Lucky them. But this was an important area. First, the only port-o-potty on course was here. It was also the 3rd & 4th aid station. And this is where the cut-off happened. Once passing thru the Sherman Beach aid station (mile 15.5ish), there was a 7.5 mile loop. We had to be back to that aid station by 2:30pm or we wouldn’t be allowed to finish. Technically we had plenty of time. But if we ran into a section of 20 min miles, then the cutoff was in jeopardy. I must say this is the first time I ever really thought about a cutoff (in any race) and it was stressful!

Leaving Sherman Beach we had a short section of flat, well groomed trails. Then we hit the tunnels. Concrete, manmade tunnels. I had to bend over and walk thru them, they were short in height and long in length. A volunteer on a bike told us that he would see us in 2 miles, once we hit the tunnels. Must say this might have been the longest 2 miles of my life. The tunnels lead to the Cedar Bluff Trail. Obviously a short 2 mile jaunt. Not as technical as the Zombie Heights but we had to be on our toes. And we were apparently rushing because of the cutoff. Both my run partner & myself fell in this section. Hard. Blood & bruises the result.

Once we were back to the tunnels, things got much better. We hit a network of trails by the Meramec River. These trails consisted of dirt & sand. Well groomed. Lots of people riding bikes, walking dogs & hanging out.

And then eventually the Stinging Nettle trail which was a sand trail taking us back to the 4th aid station at Sherman Beach. Well AHEAD of the cutoff. Smile Tamyra below on the Stinging Nettle trail.

After Sherman Beach, there was an easy, flat run back to the finish on the Al Foster & Hamilton Carr trails. Photographer caught us in this section. Yep, I’m dirty. I fell down somewhere along Cedar Bluff.

This marathon was approximately 25.77 miles. If you are a 50 States Marathon Club runner who is trying to run all the states, don’t use this one for Missouri or you’ll be short & it won’t count. Trail runs are always questionable in distance since you go where the terrain takes you. Very normal.

So, was this race scenic & fast? Yes. Obviously scenic. But its also one of the faster trail marathons that I’ve ran thanks to several flat sections where you can run faster. Good for beginners & experienced runners alike? Maybe. The flat sections help a lot. But there was a lot of technical spots too. Anyone can do it. But they really have to be invested in it. So yes, good for anyone as long as they are committed & ready to go the distance no matter what the trails present.

Overall, great race. Great volunteers. Only 4 aid stations. Stocked with trail running basics: Coca Cola, Ginger Ale, peanut M&Ms, cookies, pretzels, oranges, pickles, electrolytes, Hammer gels. Water & Heed (a Hammer product). This was a cup free event so everyone needed a handheld, water bottles or collapsible cups to utilize the fluids on course.

Small event. I had read before race day that there were 209 entrants. Not exactly how the results panned out. I’m not sure if everyone was listed but they show 89 finishers. I was #81 (6 hrs 30 min). 3 DNFs. 8 DNS. Winning male: 2:52. Winning female: 3:44. So it was apparently a fast race for some. Smile Cutoff was 8 hours. Last finisher was 7 hrs 51 min.

SWAG: Beanie, Hammer gels, Hammer Endurolytes, sample pack of Biofreeze, finishers medal & FREE race photos.

That’s a wrap on this marathon! If your interested in trail running, I’ll link to some of my other trail runs below. The hardest I’ve done so far is the Eugene Curnow Trail Marathon in Duluth, MN. That race is the warm up for the Minnesota Voyageur 50 miler. God help those 50 milers. They are tougher than me! My second hardest trail marathon was the Dances with Dirt Devil’s Lake Trail Marathon in Baraboo, WI. Easiest trail run/ultra was the Lakefront 50K in Chicago. If you need a fast 50K time, go to Chicago. Race is on a paved path along Lake MI. Fun. Easy.

Trail Race Reviews (minus the 2014 Huff 50K, which apparently I didn’t write up?!?):

Eugene Curnow Trail Marathon (MN)
Dances with Dirt – Devils Lake Marathon (WI)
Bobcat Trail Marathon (OH)
Huff 50K (2016) (IN)
Huff 50K (2015)
Huff 50K (2013)
Lakefront 50K (IL) – Paved Multipurpose Trail

Next up the 2017 Huff 50K on 12/30. Then I rest.

Happy Running, all! ** Amanda – TooTallFritz

Atlantic City Marathon, Atlantic City, NJ

Posted on October 27, 2017 by tootallfritz

The Atlantic City Marathon in New Jersey was Day 2. The second marathon for our double marathon weekend. 2 Marathons. 2 Days. 2 States. Totally normal, right? Maybe not, but this was an easy double if you ever want to try one. We picked Atlantic City because it was a short 2 hour drive from Dover, DE where we ran the Monster Mash Marathon the day previous. The drive was so short that we even detoured thru Philadelphia to fulfill a childhood fantasy of running up the Art Museum steps like Rocky Balboa! Super exciting. Then hey, stopped over to see the Liberty Bell too!

Some people thought we were crazy for actually running up the steps. It was fun! There were only 72 steps and it probably loosened us up after running the Monster Mash Marathon! Good news, we weren’t the only crazy people, some even had the Rocky Theme song playing. Obviously, we weren’t too serious about this double. Its not our first. We just go, run, have fun and keep things light. As for the steps, had to do it. Who knows if I’ll ever get that close to Philadelphia again. No regrets, right? I would have regretted not running up those steps!

On to Atlantic City. Packet pickup was at Ballys. We parked in the garage. Posted parking fee was $22; however, they reduced the fee for runners to $5. Thank you!! Small expo. Easy in and out once we figured out where to go inside the hotel/casino. Dinner in the hotel/casino. Checked into our hotel by 8pm. Tip: We stayed at the Sheraton by the Convention Center. It was about a 10 min walk to/from the race start/finish. No smoke. No gambling. No hoopla. Less $$.

Race started at 8am so we got to see the sun come up while we were waiting to start. It was steamy. Humid. Warm.

As we awaited the race start, it was different than most races I’ve ran. There was a start line and a gated corral. The pacers were inside the corral. Alone. We were all crowded outside the corral wondering what was going on and when they would open the gates. They opened the gates right at 8am. It was a mad rush for some to get in where they wanted to be, others were climbing over the fence. Most just lined up as they entered the corral. Somewhat chaotic. Not an issue for us since we were planning a leisurely race but I certainly see that it could have been an issue for some. Eventually, we were all in and ready to run.

We started the race heading north on the Boardwalk for a short distance, then a quick left on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, then a quick left on Bachrach Boulevard. Mile one. Decent sized race. Some spectators. Decent Streets. Views of the water at every glance. First the Atlantic, then various bays & channels. So many that it was hard to keep up with which body of water we were crossing and/or passing at any given time. Foggy morning due to the heat and humidity but not so hot that we were miserable. Just warmer than most prefer. But it was beautiful.

Soon we entered a long tunnel. There were lights so it wasn’t dark. Runners were whooping and yelling to hear themselves in the tunnel. Kinda cool. Thru some neighborhoods, up a couple highway ramps, then back to the Boardwalk, this time heading south around mile 7.75, passing the strip of casinos.

Aid stations were spaced about every 1.5 miles. Lots of volunteers. Police. Bicycle escorts for the winners. Well marked course with plenty of course marshals enthusiastically directing runners.

We ran south on the Boardwalk til approximately mile 13, then turned off heading South for an out and back on Atlantic Avenue. Busier road on the inner side of the Casinos. Sloped because we were running on the side. Lots of shops and restaurants and beautiful homes. Took Atlantic Ave until it ended in Longport at the Great Egg Harbor. Awesome aid station in that area that had mini Swedish Fish. Yes!

What I can’t stress enough about this race are the water views. Even when we were running in neighborhoods down seemingly normal streets. If you look to either side at a cross street, you’ll see water. I enjoyed it. Not beach front running per say but the area is surrounded by water. Atlantic Ocean to the left in the pic below.

Beautiful homes, buildings, churches.

Thru the streets and neighborhoods until mile 23 when we hit the Northbound Boardwalk to finish the race. Start and finish were both in front of Ballys. By the end, I didn’t love running on the Boardwalk. Softer surface, yes. But the lines of the various boards made my dizzy. I tend to put my head down and “just run” when I’ve had enough. And yes, I was ready to be done by mile 22 and in the head down mode. Once I hit the Boardwalk, too many lines. Too much motion. Too much heat. And I was “almost” tired. We had more traffic on the Boardwalk to dodge since more people were out and about. I was happy to finally see the finish!

Great after party. I saw lots of beer flowing if you like a beer post race. There was a band. Gender specific, long sleeve tech shirt! My favorite!! Great medal.

Good race. More runners thank the day previous but still small. 832 half marathon finishers. 609 marathon finishers. Flat other than a few bridges. Good double with Monster Mash because both were flat and not to physically taxing, other than the mileage. Bling from both days is below.

Next Up, Indianapolis Monumental Marathon on November 4th. My 4th appearance at this event. Its definitely one of my favorites. Crossing my fingers for cool, crisp weather and a fast race!

** Happy Running, All ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

Monster Mash Marathon – Dover, DE

Posted on October 26, 2017 by tootallfritz

I’ve been recovering this week after coming off a big weekend. 2 marathons. 2 states. 2 days. Plus maybe a side trip thru Philly to run up the steps of the Art Museum and relive the glory days of Rocky Balboa. Maybe. Just maybe. Smile Anyhow, back to the marathons! First up, the Monster Mash Marathon in Dover, Delaware. Start and finish is at the Dover International Speedway way. If you are a NASCAR fan, then no other explanation is needed. If not, this monster seems to be track mascot.

I used to be a bit of a NASCAR fan but that ended with the death of Dale Earnhardt Sr. Therefore, I didn’t know about the monster, or that it was the mascot. I didn’t know that this was a short track. 1 mile. Shorter than a lot of NASCAR tracks on the circuit. I sign up to run races based upon what fits my schedule. As a result, not a lot of research goes into each race. That’s part of the fun for me, the surprise of a new race, new course, new town, new state. Fun!

We arrived at the track on Friday evening to grab our packets. Packet pick up was fast & easy. Free parking. Less than a 100m walk to the tent. Halloween Candy scattered throughout the tent for snacking. We were in and out in less than 10 minutes & that’s with Julie talking to a lady about her doodle puppy. Julie loves her doodles!

Our hotel was a couple miles away. Comfort Inn Suites. Awesome beds that were so comfy! Then back to the track for race day on Saturday morning. Unlike big marathons, you can arrive within 30 minutes of the start for this race. You can pick up your packet race morning, if you like. And you can use the indoor bathrooms at the track before you hit the start line on the race track by pit row.

I liked that the start was on the race track. Kinda cool. Very sloped though. I definitely don’t envy the NASCAR drivers who have to get up to such high speeds on this steep and short track!

One lap around the track = 1 mile & we were off to tour Dover and the surrounding areas. My favorite part of the course came early as we passed thru the Government buildings around Legislative Avenue, mile 3.5 to 4.5.

Aid stations were very frequent, especially in the first half of the course. Hammer gels were offered. Water. Gatorade. I’ve never seen as many gel stations on course than at this race. Very impressive.

We ran a lot of country roads. But they either let us run the entire road, or had cones separating us from vehicular traffic. We had plenty of room and cars were not too much of an issue. We did have one motorcyclist yell at us to get over but for the most part there was very little traffic and everyone seemed to be in good spirits throughout the race. Course wasn’t super exciting. But it was flat. Well marked. Volunteers and aid stations were plentiful. If you were in need of a bathroom, those were harder to find but probably spaced every 5ish miles or so.

Overall a good race. I was pretty excited about it coming in as I had heard positive things. However, I wasn’t feeling great at this race, so my experience was not amazing. No fault of the organizers. Loved the race shirt & the medal! Plus they gave us a buff and magnet. Nice theme. Some people dressed up for the holiday. Overall, small race so not a lot of people. 177 marathon finishers. 237 half marathon finishers. If you need spectator support and big crowds, this isn’t the race for you. If you just want to run without a lot of hassle, then you’ll love this one.

State #26 – Delaware – DONE

Next up, the Atlantic City Marathon race review!

** Happy Running** Amanda – TooTallFritz

Dam to Dam Century Ride – Wabash, IN

Posted on September 14, 2017 by tootallfritz

Sunday, I rode my first Dam to Dam Century Ride in Wabash, IN. It wasn’t only my first D2D but also my first EVER century ride. I had zero expectations. My plan was to show up, ride & finish. Mission accomplished.

Easy drive to Wabash, IN which is about 80 minutes from my house. The start/finish & packet pickup were at the local YMCA, plenty of parking and space for the riders. Packet pick up and breakfast was in the gym. Well organized. Fast. We all received a wristband with a number to call in case we had issues with the ride, our bikes or needed help. It was a nice touch and one that I certainly appreciated. I’ve done several organized rides but never one where I felt confident that if I had a problem, someone would actually be able to help.

I started with the 7:30am crew. We hit the course early, while the main group started at 8am. I was happy to get moving. It was cold, low 40s. Plus, I knew that riding 100 miles would take me just short of forever. Might as well get started! We left the Y and started weaving thru Wabash. I immediately noticed 3 things. 1) Holy Hills. We were climbing before our saddles even got warm. 2) The course was well marked with directional arrows BEFORE the intersection where we would need to turn. 3) I would be riding 104 miles NOT 100 miles. Small detail but something I noticed immediately.

It was a beautiful morning. Cool. Foggy. Breathtaking views. I was happy to be out. Happy to be riding. Happy to be tackling something that had been on my bucket list for several years. Even stopped for a few pictures.

And a selfie! Thanks to Ron at FNA Outdoors for helping me out again this year. Great guy. Great bike shop. Cool gear. Awesome bike.

I rode the 104 mile route. Aid stations were located about every 20 miles. Closer in some spots but never further. The aid stations reminded me of ultra running. Food, food & more food. Pic below of the first aid station. Trail mix, PB&J, cookies, water, Gatorade, tomato juice, pickles, bacon, chips, etc. Every aid station had different food items, but the food was always plentiful. If you like ultra/trail runs because of the food, you’ll love century rides!

Best part of the day, in my opinion, a field of sunflowers. So many. Sunflowers as far as the eyes could see. I took this while riding and am thankful it wasn’t blurry!

We rode thru the countryside, across several bridges & dams. Thru the Salamonie Reservoir & State Park. Red Bridge State Recreation area. Mississinewa Reservoir. Past the Stockdale Mill.

Once I hit Stockdale, mile 64, I was pretty flat. I had 3 weeks of building for marathon training & also 3 weeks of building on the bike to be ready for the century. I was starting to feel it. I wasn’t exhausted but definitely tired & I had been riding solo for about 10 miles without seeing many other riders.

After Stockdale, things went downhill fast, mentally. I was alone. Fighting some heavy winds. Mentally breaking down. I knew it was a mental thing but that didn’t help me get thru it any faster. From Stockdale to North Manchester, it was a real slog. As soon as I hit the city limits of North Manchester, a big pack of cyclists passed me. Then we all hit the aid station at mile 82 together. Riders kept pouring into that aid station while I was there. Obviously, I hadn’t been out there alone. I sat for a few minutes, ate 2 brownies, hit the potty, texted a friend that I was on the brink of the “ugly cry”. Then rolled out, about the same time as 10 other riders. 8 disappeared immediately. 2 were in my sights. I was not alone. So I tried to keep those 2 gentlemen in sight. Helped me focus. Rolled down the miles a lot faster just knowing someone was close. Passed thru Largo, then back to Wabash. We were directed onto a bike path for a short stint. I was alone again but it was very pretty.

Then I made my only directional mistake of the day once I got off the path. I misinterpreted an arrow. I crossed the road and started a huge climb up a very ugly hill. Then I was in a busy part of town. Then I noticed there weren’t any more arrows. I messed up. Thanks to Google Maps, I found my way back to the YMCA. 107 miles total. Just shy of 7 hours on the bike. Wow. Longest. Ride. Ever.

Overall, I was very impressed with D2D. I’d definitely go back and ride it again. I’d like to be able to do it as an annual event. It wasn’t super close to home but manageable. And it was just a good event from start to finish. Great directional info, signs, and volunteers. The aid stations were on point with lots of goodies. I loved that they were pretty close together, especially when I started to struggle, it helped to know I only had to make it to the next aid station. The majority of the roads were decent too, which I appreciate. Great experience, I hope to return next year.

** Happy Running, Riding OR Whatever YOU Enjoy ** Amanda – TooTallFritz

Ironman 70.3 Steelhead–2017 Edition

Posted on August 25, 2017 by tootallfritz

This year was my 3rd consecutive showing at the Ironman 70.3 Steelhead event in Benton Harbor, MI. The race was Sunday, August 13th. It was my “A” race although I certainly did NOT show up recovered & rested enough to perform at “A” level. It was my own fault. Not enough time between IM 70.3 OH and Steelhead. I “possibly” should have picked one race, or the other, rather than doing both. Smile Regardless, Aby & I and a few others headed to Steelhead to have some “fun” in the sun.

We hit the expo on Saturday around noon to listen to the Athlete Briefing, pick up packets & do a quick warm up swim. I personally wasn’t planning to swim. I had pulled something in my shoulder earlier in the week (while sleeping, of all things). I didn’t want any additional strain on it until I had to hit the water for real. However, once we arrived at Jean Klock Park and finally caught a glimpse of Lake Michigan, we noticed that the water was rough. Really rough, white capping with big rolling waves that were 5+ feet, plus there was a small craft advisory. My crew opted out of the warm up swim for fear that it would create additional anxiety. Normally the water calms down over night, that’s what we were hoping for because we came for a 70.3 triathlon, not an abbreviated event. Crossing our fingers!

Race day arrived bright & early. Race site was buzzing with energy. Air was cool. Water was calm with gentle rolling waves.

This year, Steelhead had changed the swim start. They moved to a self seeded rolling start that would allow us to start with those of our own ability level vs the normal age group start. I was happy with this decision. I thought it should result in a smooth swim without us swimming up on slower swimmers who had started before us and it would prevent faster swimmers from doing the same to us. Good deal, right? Overall, I think it went well but the water was still rocking and rolling and some underestimated how long it might take them to do the swim. So I was still swimming up on quite a few but it was less chaotic than normal. I took 3 swim lessons before this event. I’ve swam in triathlon for 10 years now, without lessons, without a coach & without any real guidance. I’ve met my goals in that time span and am happy with what I’ve accomplished; however, I have not improved in the swim over that period of time, in fact, I’ve gotten slower. So …… swim lessons!

After the 3 swim lessons, I felt lost. I knew everything I was doing was wrong. Its impossible to correct everything at once, and I’ve basically been swimming in SLOW MOTION in order to focus on a few things. As a result, I didn’t know how the swim would go for me. I am happy to report that I felt in control. I really focused on keeping my head down & that allowed me to cut thru the waves vs ride the up & down roller coaster that Lake Michigan provided. I was pushing thru my stroke. I still don’t have the catch right but I did push thru my stroke & I think it was working (at least better than normal) because when I would get beside someone, I’d be past them quickly with one or two pushes thru my stroke. So it went well. I swam until I could dig sand, then stood up. I looked at my watch even though I wasn’t out of the water. 44:00 flat. Then it took me almost a minute to fight the waves and wade out of the last little bit of water. But I was still faster, in Lake MI, with the waves, than my last two 70.3s this year, which were both slightly over 45 minutes. Happy dance!!

It should have just kept getting better once I got out of the water but I hit transition and immediately recognized that it was busy. Really busy. I normally get out of the water with my age group. We are all in the same area of transition. You know how you did in the water based on how many bikes are on the rack vs gone. This time, since we did the self seeded start, transition was total chaos. People were everywhere, sitting, standing, in various states of dress or undress. I was dodging people & wetsuits just getting to my transition spot. Now, transition in Steelhead is along the beach. Long and narrow. So be prepared to run & definitely know your spot. Bikes as far as the eyes can see. Further actually.

This year, I felt like we had more space on the racks between bikes. But the rows seemed tighter. Or maybe it was just because there were more people in transition when I got there? It was tight. Regardless, got out of my wetsuit, got my bike & was running out of transition dodging people. One person even told me to slow down. What? Finally got out of transition and the bike mount line was on one half of a round-a-bout. Not a big one. It was about the width of half a road. One lane of traffic. And EVERYONE in front of me had stopped on that mount line to get on their bikes. What? I was trapped. And the people directly in front of me could not get clipped into their bikes. Total chaos. After waiting, and waiting, and waiting, I became impatient, picked up my bike, ran thru the round-a-bout, dodged spectators & put my bike down on the edge of the road away from the mount line. I titled my bike to get on & a spectator yelled to me, “hey, you dropped your chain!” What? Me? Is he talking to me? I didn’t drop my damn chain. I haven’t even been on my bike yet. This bike doesn’t drop its chain. What? I look down (opposite side of the bike) & my chain was hanging. What? A bazillion things went thru my mind. I moved to the other side of my bike. Moved myself & my bike further out of the way so as not to interfere with those who actually were able to clip in and start riding. And I was just standing there, staring at the chain. Probably with a stupid look on my face because a spectator came up to me & said, “let me help you with that”. Huh? And I stupidly stared at him while he put my chain back on the bike. Like I didn’t know how to put a chain back on my bike? Right. I’ve done it a thousand times. But apparently I had the “damsel in distress” or worse look on my face. He got me fixed up & I was on my way. Still wondering what had happened. But I’m on my bike, riding gently to get the gears settled back into the right spot. Immediately I hear/feel a catch somewhere on the bike. Something was catching/rubbing. Either every wheel turn or pedal stroke, I couldn’t quite figure it out. I looked down to make sure my brakes weren’t rubbing. Not that. No idea what was going on but decided to ride the bike til it broke or I couldn’t ride it any further. It was a long ass 56 miles. The bike was not smooth. I could feel the rub/catch continuously thru the ride. Then the course was pretty rough. I had been up & rode the course on Memorial Day and was surprised as to how much the roads could deteriorate over 10 weeks time. We did have a reroute due to road construction but that road wasn’t any smoother. The entire ride, short of the out & back on 63, was just rough. Add that with the catch in my bike & it made for a slow, not so fun ride. Plus my legs were definitely fatigued from OH. I usually pass A LOT of people in the last 20 miles. Not this time.

Finally back to transition. Onto the run. Let’s just finish this! But by this time it had heated up and we just ran. At whatever pace we could manage. I ran between aid stations except for a couple decent hills that I walked. But otherwise, I ran. Slowly. And just kept moving. I’d walk thru the water stations to get the water/ice that I needed. Then moved on. I like the Steelhead run course. Starts through a beach community. Past a golf course. Up a hill, to the main loop that we run twice. Past the fire station, down some nice community roads where there is always a family handing out beer shots. Always makes me giggle. Do people actually drink the beer shots? Aid stations every mile or so. Port-o-potties, first aid, pretzels, chips, cookies, candy, oranges, bananas, gels, coke, red bull, water, ice. Whirlpool campus. Some shade, paved & grassy/dirt trails. Big hill. Back to 63 for a short jaunt, then back to turn by the fire station to start loop 2. After the repeat of the loop, then we head down the hill & back toward the finish. That’s when the smile emerges & I know I’m about done. That I have once again conquered the 70.3 distance.

I think I’ve done 13 or 14 at this distance now. Its still not easy. There is so much that goes into Triathlon between the 3 disciplines. The longer the race, the more variables to add. The bike, which is the longest distance, has additional issues. Flats, mechanicals, other racers dropping things in front of you or veering into you. Triathlon is not for the faint of heart but I do believe that anyone can do it. If they have the desire. If you have been thinking about it, I seriously encourage you to give it a TRI. Smile You can always email me with questions at amanda@tootallfritz.com. I will respond. I’m happy to help with questions regarding gear/races/training. But I’m not a coach.

SWAG & finishers medal below.

My beautiful bike, which was indeed “broken” during Steelhead. A bolt in my stem had snapped. I’m lucky I didn’t crash. Although it has since been fixed, the front wheel now has too much “play” from side to side. Paint has also been chipped off the front fork/head tube area where someone must have slammed into my bike while trying to get thru transition. That’s probably how my chain dropped too. I just didn’t notice because I run my bike on the opposite side of the cassette & chain ring.

Cheers to the 2017 TRI season. Its in the DONE column. I had considered trying to get in one more 70.3 to try to maximize my training and make another go at my “A goal” but there just isn’t time. I’m riding the Dam to Dam Century Ride on September 10th. I just got my bike back this week but I definitely need a couple longer rides ASAP. And its marathon season once again. Marathon season where its you, your body & the elements. Less drama. Less chance of unknown mishaps. Never predictable but so much easier in so many ways. So I’ll be seeing you on the road. Soon.

If you want more info on IM 70.3 Steelhead, see my report from 2015 & 2016. I hope you are having a great season. Let me know which fall marathons you’ll be running & maybe I’ll see you.

** Happy Running & TRIing ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

Ironman 70.3 Ohio Race Review

Posted on August 1, 2017 by tootallfritz

Ironman 70.3 Ohio is in its infancy and I think we all want to know what kind of race Ironman is delivering in Ohio. I was interested to see how it compared to other 70.3 events in the Midwest. I was also interested to see what Delaware, OH had to offer.

Delaware was about 2.5 hours away from my home in the Ft Wayne, Indiana area. I was flying solo for this trip so packed & pulled out as soon as I could get Mr. Michael over to hang out with my parents. Minivan/Bike selfie for the win! Love being a minivan mom! When I’m old & wrinkly I’ll probably still be driving one around cuz my bike REALLY likes riding inside. Smile

3 hours later, I pulled into Delaware, OH. Home of Ohio Wesleyan University. Easy enough drive. Cute town. Beautiful church in the downtown area . Typical small college town with a main street area lined with shops & restaurants.

The expo was on the Selby Stadium campus. Big merchandise tent with A LOT of IM 70.3 Ohio stuff. The merchandise tent was much bigger than Muncie & was larger than what I usually see at Steelhead too. Not sure why, but it was impressive & I’ve done quite a few IM 70.3s. Smallish expo otherwise but the highlight was free sunscreen from Ohio Health, then both NormaTec & Rapid Reboot had recovery boots for people to try. I’m part of the Best TRI Club Ever (BTCE) & we get a discount with Rapid Reboot so I was happy to try out a pair of those to see how they compared. LOVED them!!! I think they would be great for Aby & I to help with recovery. Maybe Santa could bring a pair for us to share?!?!?!

Saw one of my BTCE teammates at the expo & we got to hang out, drop our run bags together, then we eventually did dinner. Thanks, Laura!

What makes IM 70.3 Ohio slightly different than most 70.3s in the Midwest would be multiple transition zones. Transition 1 was by Delaware Lake at Delaware State Park. Transition 2 was inside Selby Stadium. Below.

Hard to see all the bike racks because they are sitting on the white lines. We had to pack our run bags the day before & drop in our T2 spot so that we would have what we needed when we brought our bikes in for the run. Those bags are the red spots you see on the white lines.

Then after we dropped our run bags, we headed 6 miles away to Delaware State Park to drop our bikes in T1. I didn’t love this but it was mandatory due to very little parking at the park & a need to shuttle athletes in on race morning. Last year, there was a tornado that touched down in the park overnight while the bikes were in transition. Yes, that was definitely in the back of my head.

Race day started bright and early as we all needed to board a school bus to be shuttled to the swim venue. We were able to park in 2 different locations. I picked the one closest to T2 since I would need to get my bike & all my gear (sans transition bag) back to my car solo. My parking area was about 0.6 mi from Selby Stadium.

Good news was delivered via Facebook right before we boarded the shuttle. Wetsuit legal! We boarded buses. As soon as a bus was full, it would leave. Lots of buses. I didn’t have to wait at all. Easy ride to the venue. We were dropped near transition. Went thru body marking. Then finally had access to our bikes again. Everything looked fine, just damp with dew. Biggest challenge was pumping tires when we couldn’t carry in a pump unless someone we knew could carry it back out for us. We were not returning to T1 after we left on our bikes & there wasn’t room in our bike bags for an air pump. Luckily, someone loved the lady beside me & she had her tire pump in transition. She was kind enough to share with me! Much appreciated!

I set up my spot and prepared my bike bag for when I returned for the swim. Everything from our swim needed to go INSIDE our bike bag & then volunteers collected the bags & transported our swim & morning stuff to the T2 area for us to retrieve after the race. Quick picture with Laura before we left our phones in the bike bag. Then out of transition by 6:45a when it closed.

Our swim waves were at 8:04 & 8:08a. Long wait. I was definitely stiff, tired & ready by the time my wave went off. The lake water the day before was a bit choppy but smooth by race morning. We waded into the water & treaded water as we waited for the start. 4 minutes between waves. Seemed like we swam somewhat parallel to shore to start but according to the map, we swam in a triangle. First segment to the red turn buoy was 500m, then a long 800m stretch into the sun. I don’t think any of us would have hit those last 2 buoys on the long side without help from the guards. The sun was in our eyes & we could see buoys over on the other side but not the ones “in front” of us. I kept hearing the guards yell, “swim right, swim right”. Finally we made it to the final turn buoy for a 600m kick to shore. It was kinda carnage. We could see again but the course narrowed, basically there were more swimmers & the guards were in closer to the buoys so it seemed like we didn’t have much room to swim. The people in front of us who were struggling were just lounging, kinda stopped in the water. Or going very slow. The people behind us were trying to swim over us to get out of the water. I got smacked in the head & my goggles were dislodged but I didn’t lose them. The gentleman was very nice about it but I couldn’t get my goggles to reseal after that. Oh well, just keep swimming, right?

Finally out of the water. Almost an identical swim split as Muncie even though I felt like I did better. It seems like the harder I try and the MORE I want to do better, the slower I go. Is that even possible? The mysteries of the swim elude me!

On the bike. Splitting headache & nausea the first 22 miles. Maybe that guy hit me harder than I thought? After some ibuprofen & pepto, I was good to go, just in time to turn out of the wind. Smile First half of the course was super easy, very few turns. Good roads & we were frequently separated from the cars by traffic cones. Last 20+ miles had a lot more turns & the “where are we going now” feeling. I wouldn’t call this a particularly fast course because of the number of turns toward the end. And the roads were open. So we had cars to deal with the majority of the time. There were several times that the riders were having to wait on cars, or a car would pass us, then have to slow because they couldn’t get around the next group of riders and we’d have to brake to keep from running into the cars in front of us. Traffic got increasing more congested as we were nearing town for T2. So as we were navigating the course & all the turns at the end, we were also fighting real traffic. Very unsafe at times.

Hit the ground running at the dismount line, onto the track around the football field, onto the astro turf for transition. HOT. The astro turf was burning hot on my bare feet. I fortunately wasn’t too far into the rack for T2. So I grabbed my run bag (that had been sitting since the previous day) & realized that my shoes were burning hot too. Fun. It was upper 80s probably by the time we got off the bike. Quick T2 cuz well, I wanted to get away from the astro turf.

Onto the run. Two loops. Still hot. Some breeze. Some shade. A few nice people who brought out water to spray on us or splash us. One spot where kids with giant water guns were having fun spraying us. However, the aid stations weren’t as prepared for the heat as most IM events which I have done in the past. There was ice in maybe 3 or 4 spots over the 13.1 miles. What little ice they did have would go fast & I didn’t get any on the second loop until I was headed back to the stadium with about a mile to go. It made me feel really bad for those behind me.

Great volunteers on the run course. No vehicular traffic that I remember. Varied elevation but mostly flat with a few small hills.

Finish. The sweet finish. We ran back into Selby Stadium. Did a partial lap around the track & we were done. Yes!!! Nice finish. I went to pick up my morning/bike bag. Hands were full! Then I went to the food tent. They were grilling hamburgers & chicken but it was gone when I got there & they were waiting for more. I didn’t feel like waiting. Went to T2 to get my bike & the rest of my gear. Quite the balancing act getting the bike & all the gear back to the car without my transition bag. If I had thought about it, I should have left my transition bag inside my run bag so it was there when I was ready to pack everything up at the end of the race! Or maybe another backpack. That would have been helpful.

Overall a good race. Nice venue at OH Wesleyan. The two transition locations was not ideal for me but I still enjoyed the race. Volunteers, police & spectators were great as usual. Plenty of SWAG, pictured below.

Thanks to Delaware OH for letting us invade your town. Great hospitality.

** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

Rock N Roll Chicago – 2017 Edition

Posted on July 28, 2017 by tootallfritz

The Rock N Roll Chicago 1/2 marathon is one that I keep returning to, year after year. Not because timing is great for me (its my momma’s birthday weekend EVERY year). But because my friends & family love this race. Since I moved away from the Chicago area, this is a great excuse to come back & reconnect with some people I rarely get to see, plus Aby loves this race. Its always been my MO to go where my friends go. Racing with friends is always more fun!! And for anyone under 30, MO is “method of operation”. Apparently that’s not a common acronym at this point in time. I was just informed the other day that Aby has NO idea what that means (and I use it pretty frequently). Smile

Aby, Nicki & I hit the expo on Saturday at McCormick Place. Always plenty of parking at McCormick. Easy in and out. We even received discounted parking this year which was a bonus!! Plenty of vendors. A couple photo ops.

Having to go downtown for the expo is a perfect excuse to enjoy the city by walking around, having a late lunch & Aby usually insists on ice cream. Ghirardelli’s anyone?

Race day starts bright and early to try beat the summer heat & humidity of the Midwest. We got downtown around 5:15a for a 6:30a race start. Temps were probably in the 70s and not nearly as hot & humid as normal. Thank goodness!

And we are ready to ROCK! Nicki for the 10K. Aby for her 3rd half marathon & as for me, well, I was just there to have fun. I’ve probably done 30 some half’s at this point. Not my race distance of choice currently but Chicago offers a 5K, 10K & half marathon. Great for the whole family & a great girls weekend where there is something for everyone! I particularly love races that have multiple distances so its more inclusive for runner friends at all levels!

It took about 2 miles before I realized that I was going to have to say goodbye to my “little” runner girl. Aby had a poor buildup for the race. Lack of motivation after losing her favorite running partner this summer!! But race day brings magic and well, she was ON FIRE.

Good bye, girl. I must admit, the miles kinda slogged on from that point. I wasn’t tired or hurt but had just come off the IM 70.3 Muncie the week before and I was facing down 2 half ironmans within the next month. I didn’t want to put too much effort into this race. I want to be healthy and that means that I can’t give it my all every time I hit the pavement. I’m at that point in life, and age wise, where I have to train smarter, not harder. So I slogged thru the miles. Slowly.

The course winds thru the streets of Chicago. I’ve ran the race several times at this point so I know the course. The spectators were concentrated at key intersections but it was otherwise a pretty quiet day. Like a training run with lots of friends!

Highlight was that I knew I had a chance of seeing Aby around mile 9, where there is a short out & back on MLK Drive between miles 8.5 & 9.5. So unless she had gapped me by over a mile, which was a real possibility, I had a chance of spotting her. And had I been even a few minutes slower, I would have missed her. But I saw her briefly, shouted “great job” and she shouted that she was going to try to “break 2”. I said, “Go get it!!” and she was off again. She broke 2 on her 3rd half marathon! 1:56 for her!!!! Great job, Aby!!!

Once we finished the out & back on MLK Drive, we head toward McCormick Place & the last 3 miles of the course. There is always a giant inflatable Brooks Running guitarist at the 10 mile mark. Happy to see him, as usual. Then on to finish the race!

Finished!

Aby was flying high from her new PR. We all agreed that the race was great. Well ran. Plenty of aid stations. Lots of places where the City of Chicago had opened hydrants to cool off runners. Amazing volunteers, great course support, great crowd/traffic control. Overall, if your going to run a race in mid July, in the heat & humidity of the Midwest, this is one of the best. Thanks Chicago for continuing to support the Rock N Roll Marathon series & their quest to bring one of the best running races to Chicago, each and every year.

SWAG – Gender specific technical tee & race medal below.

Next up, the Ironman 70.3 Ohio. So I’ll be back next week to tell you all about that race. Have a great weekend & I hope you ROCK your runs, no matter how big or small, at whatever distance YOU love!

** Rock N Blogger – Amanda – TooTallFritz **

Ironman 70.3 Muncie – 2017 Edition

Posted on July 12, 2017 by tootallfritz

Saturday brought the 2017 edition of the Ironman 70.3 Muncie event in Muncie, IN. My third time participating. I must say I’m not even sure why I signed up because my first and second experiences at Muncie were less than stellar (torn tendon in my foot in 2012 & ruptured discs in my back + a broken bike in 2016). But several of my friends were going. Peer pressure? No. Its just more fun to race with friends. So I signed up with mixed emotions. Spoiler Alert: Muncie delivered a good race for all of us!

Muncie is a Saturday event. So we went down Friday afternoon to get our packets. It rained the entire drive. Some thunder. Some lightening. Lots of rain. We got to the venue. It was REALLY muddy but not raining. We parked pretty far away and hiked in so that I had a chance of not getting stuck. Quick check of the water to see that the buoys were out and the water was calm. Pretty normal for Muncie. The swim is in the Prairie Creek Reservoir, so warm water without much chop is the norm.

Packet pickup was smooth & easy, as are all Ironman events that I’ve ever done. Packet, check. Event bag, check. Race shirt, check. Activate chip, check. Then we hit the mandatory pre-race meeting and had a hard time paying attention because the skies were turning black and a new storm was rolling into the venue. We ended up cutting the meeting short & hiking back to the car, just in time to pull out as the thundering rains came down. Rain. Thunder. Lightening. Hail. Downed trees. Tornado sirens. This went on for hours & Ironman ended up shutting down packet pick with a plan to resume early before the race start on Saturday morning.

Opening packet pick up early, really affected all of us, not just those who didn’t have their packets. Although transition didn’t open until 5a, they were opening the venue at 4a for packet pick-up. Since the venue was really muddy before the big storm on Friday night, there was an extra level of anxiety for some of us, okay ME, that we would struggle with parking and/or get stuck getting parked or getting out to go home! Although many people did get stuck on Saturday morning, the boy scouts were helping push people out. And we parked further back, where there was less traffic and we got in pretty easily on race morning.

Transition closed at 6:45 since the first swim wave started at 7a. We left our shoes, grabbed our swim gear and wetsuits. The bonus of a stormy Friday was wetsuit legal temps on race day! First workout of the day, wiggling into our wetsuits! Then my wave took off at 7:45a. Get ready to swim, bike & run!!!

Swim started with five minutes between each wave. But it was a madhouse as usual. 128 ladies in my division/swim wave. I was pretty much right in the thick of it when I would have preferred to be swimming alone. I breathe bilaterally, which works in my favor cuz I can see who is trying to beat the crap out of me on both sides. I’m not a fast swimmer but I can swim a long time. I don’t need to start at the front but if I start too far back, I get trapped. Placing myself in the swim is never fun and I never seem to put myself in the right spot. I held my own with the fist swimming ladies in my age group. Let the fasties go, and we started swimming up on the wave in front of us pretty quickly. That’s when things get dicey. We got to them about the same time the fasties in the age group behind us got to us. Lots of extra traffic. But I was just swimming from buoy to buoy & looking at all the kayaker lifeguards to see if any of them were my friend Sheryl. Didn’t see her. Sad smile

Swim course was set up like an inverted triangle with 2 long sides and a short “leg” in between.

As we swam around the second turn buoy, heading back to shore in the final leg of the swim, the sun was in our eyes. So blinding. I’ve done this race 2 other times but the sun seemed so much brighter this time. I couldn’t see the buoys at all. Had to stop several time to see if I was on track. This last leg should have been where I picked it up but I didn’t since I couldn’t see. In fact, I was so blinded that about half way thru that final leg, I swam up on a gentlemen from one of the waves in front of me. Scared the poo out of me. I froze, popped my head up & apologized. Well, I must have really tightened up when I hit him because my left calf cramped & I was dead in the water. Quite literally. Clutching my cramped calf in one hand, trying to swim with one hand out of the way of all the bazillion swimmers who were fighting to get around me once I stopped. Not fun. I couldn’t get the cramp to pass & was trying to massage it in the water. Hundreds of people passed me as I was sidelined & then I was eventually able to start swimming again & get out of the water. Yes! Victory. Back on land. Better yet, there were wetsuit strippers!! Life savers because with my back in its current state of disrepair, I really struggle getting out of my wetsuit. Super thankful for the lady that helped me & helped pull me back up off the ground since I was struggling there too!

Muddy run/walk up to transition. Found my bike. My friend Sara got out of water at the same time as me and was particularly speedy. I felt dull in transition, like I didn’t know what to do. How many times have I done this?!?!?. Put down my swim stuff. Thanked the Big Man (once again) for my end spot in transition. Put on my bike glasses. Sprayed myself with sunscreen, put on bike shoes. Grabbed my helmet. Started to open a bottle of water but realized I would have plenty of time to drink on the bike. Go, Go, Go!! And Sara zipped by me at this point as I was getting my bike off the rack. Side note: I always struggle getting my bike off the rack because my bike is so much bigger than most. I have to tilt it sideways to get it in and out and be careful to not mess up anyone else’s transition area. I also have to be careful to not lose my nutrition in the process. Not graceful. Not fast. But at last I’m rolling.

Jogging out of T1 with my bike, hop over the giant river of mud to the road, roll to the Mount Line. Hoping there isn’t a lot of mud stuck in my bike cleats to prevent them from clipping. Finally I’m clipped in and rolling. Slowly. Everyone is flying past me. My legs feel heavy. I wonder what the day will bring and if my legs will shake out. I’ve felt nothing but heavy & fatigued on the bike for about a year now. Ever since I ruptured 2 discs in my back last summer. But recently, I had been feeling better. Then I had 2 really bad rides the week of the race after vacation. Maybe I’m not getting better? Maybe it was wishful thinking? Hmmmm, only time will tell.

Rolling. I knew I had about 6 miles of rougher type roads before we hit the main drag where we would loop 2x. I just settled in, took in some Tailwind for calories & tried to relax. The work would start on the main drag & I felt like it wasn’t worth wasting too much energy hitting it too hard before the road smoothed out.

Once I hit US 35, the main drag, there was new pavement, spectators & other riders hitting it hard. Relatively flat course with a few rollers. Total of 1021 ft of elevation gain for entire bike course. First section on 35 before the turnaround was from mile 6-17. I wasn’t really sure how far it was to the turn around (rookie mistake!!) and I thought the wind was at my back but I wasn’t sure about that either. I should have been pushing way harder in this section but I was still riding pretty easy. Once I hit the turnaround, somewhere after mile 17, I started looking for my friends, fighting the wind & figuring out my strategy. Yeah, a little late, right? Miles 17-28ish. Into the wind. Hit the turnaround for the final loop around mile 28 & then I put the hammer down. My legs had come back. Like many endurance athletes, the beginning of a run or ride may be yucky but the body knows what’s up and will eventually get on board, once it warms up. Just takes me awhile! So I pushed a lot harder on the second loop and passed some people. I grabbed water at every aid station. As always, the volunteers at the bike aid stations impress the heck out of me. They are smart, pay attention to the riders & deliver into my hand whatever I call for as I’m approaching. Great job, volunteers!!! Thank you!!!

I was hoping to get my bike split back under 3 hours but I started too slow to make it happen. Decent bike though & the best bike split I’ve had in over a year so I was happy and know what to do for next time. No back pain during the bike! HUGE win!!!

Transition 2, back to my lovely end spot. So lucky!! Tilted my bike to get it under the rack. No need to worry about losing my nutrition and my rackmate wasn’t back yet so I didn’t need to worry about disrupting her bike/gear. Shoes. Sunscreen. Visor. Race belt. Go, go, go! I left T2 in a jog. A jog is about all I’ve got these days regardless if I want to go fast or slow. So away I went in my one and only gear. Slow.

I was looking forward to the first aid station on this run. Last year they had a water hose & were spraying people down. I saved my “thank a volunteer” bracelet for whoever was on the other end of that water hose. It was heating up. Probably close to 80 by the time I got to the run. The temps were cooler than normal for Muncie but still hot for me. I knew the run course had some rolling hills. Nothing too bad, only 161 ft of elevation gain, but one of the issues with my back is that nerve damage prevents me from raising my feet off the ground too far when I’m running, so hills are a challenge. Even little ones. My plan was to just keep moving, regardless of the pace. Just keep moving.

Course was an out & back. Aid stations & potties about every mile. Closed course. Lots of spectators. Decent roads. Some shade. Slight breeze at times.

I love a good out & back course because I get to see my friends. Racing is about challenging myself, staying motivated to push my limits, & the friends I meet along the way. An out & back lets me see those friends who are racing with me! Yay!

The finish eventually presented itself. Finish Line = Pure Joy! It was a good day of racing for me & the people I knew who went to Muncie. Bonus, the wind that slowed us a bit on the bike, and cooled us a bit on the run, also dried up a lot of the mud so we could get out of our parking spots. Yes!

Shout out to my bestie, Julie M. She completed her first half ironman only 5 weeks after her first EVER triathlon. Racing with this chick makes things fun. So happy she drank the Triathlon Koolaid!

Shout out to FNA Bicycles. They hooked me up with a badass Felt bike this year. I had to save my pennies for a long time for this bike but it was worth it. The geometry on this bike is so much better for my body. And the electronic shifting ….. worth the $$. It still amazes me that when I shift, even under a load, everything just moves. So nice to have equipment that works!

Lastly, thumbs up for Muncie. They continue to deliver a great race, year after year. Amazing volunteers. Great venue. Best post race food in the Midwest on the IM 70.3 circuit. If you are looking for a race that is good for beginners & experienced racers alike, Muncie might be for you. It is in the middle of nowhere but its worth the trip. Expect a non-wetsuit legal swim, flat bike with a few rollers, and a hot/humid run with some hills. And the SWAG is below. Cute bag, cute gender specific shirt & I’m loving the medal this year!

Next up, Ironman 70.3 Ohio – 7/30/17.

** Give It a TRI ** Amanda – TooTallFritz

TooTallFritz

Running Toward: Health, Wellness & PEACE …………………………………….. Running From: Insanity, Screaming Children, Housework & a Big Ass

Category Archives: Race Reviews

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Ironman 70.3 Steelhead–2017 Edition

Ironman 70.3 Ohio Race Review

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Ironman 70.3 Muncie – 2017 Edition

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