Category Archives: Triathlon

Venus de Miles 2012 – No Redemption

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VenusdeMilesIf you hear ladies talk about Venus de Miles, you will most likely hear tales of laughing, bonding, sipping cocktails, facials & mani/pedi’s way before you realize that those ladies rode 25 or 61 miles before hauling themselves into the after party where the fun was waiting.

My story is a little different because I’m lucky like that I had mechanical issues but I’ll get to that soon enough.  The day started off a little rocky with a 3:45 am wake up call.  The ride was in Lake Forest, IL which was approximately 1.5 hours from my house in absolutely perfect traffic.  Traffic was not perfect.  I allotted more than enough time but shit happens there was a really bad accident in Chicago and I was in gridlocked traffic which moved approximately 1 mile in 45 minutes.  I made it to the ride “in time” but was very rushed. 

As soon as I got to the ride site, I saw a few Chicago Running Bloggers assembling for a photo so strolled over at the last minute to meet them on the fly.  Lauren, Erin, Kelly, MacKenna & Me:

Venus 2012_Lauren Erin Kelly MacKenna MeI stole the photo from Kelly who was much more organized & “ready” than myself.  Please flip over to her blog to read her Venus recap HERE.  Kelly also made those adorable tutus for herself, MacKenna & Jenny G (not pictured).  They were a huge hit and the ladies also sported white feathered angel wings on their back!  So, awesome!

Once we hit the start line for the 61 mile ride, things slowed down a bit.  We were all a bit anxious but had to sit thru a few speeches and introductions.  Cool idea but we were ready to ride.  Kelly’s start line photo with me in the “this is what tough looks like”  Team Tough Chik jersey.

Venus 2012_Start LIne

The ride started about 7:05 am but things didn’t speed up much as we had a police escort to pull us out of town.  The escort was nice but slow, averaging between 11 and 14 mph.   The pack was thick and the ladies were getting antsy.  One lady even rode up and asked the officer to speed up.  That didn’t go over well and I certainly would not recommend anyone trying it.  Ever.  Don’t bother the police escort.  They are their to help you and keep you safe.   

Once the escort delivered us to a local bike path, we were on our own and off with the wind.  The course was well marked and the front group was averaging around 20mph.  The speed was hit and miss though because the course was unpredictable in spots.  We had lots of turns, were on/off road, sidewalks, paved bike paths, crushed gravel trails, neighborhood streets, rural roads and busy thoroughfares.  The surfaces were inordinately good for the most part but everyone had to pay attention as the course would turn in a moments notice.  A few times, we would have to double back to make a turn.  Some ladies got lost.   I did notice 2 spots where signs were either forgotten or possibly removed before we arrived but that was not the norm.

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The rest areas were very frequent, initially I thought too frequent but apparently it worked out in my favor.   Rest areas were located at approximately mile 15, 31, 42, & 51.  Each location was fully stocked with water, ice, electrolyte drink that actually tasted good, Luna bars, peanut butter, cookies, brownies, pretzels, fresh fruit, and much, much more.  If fueling or hydration was an issue for anyone, then it was there own issue because I was out on that course so long I could have ridden a century for almost 7 hours and I was never once hungry or thirsty.

Overall it was a great ride which was put together very well.  I’d recommend it to anyone.  I wish it were closer to my house but the northern suburbs are much more cyclist friendly so I absolutely understand the venue choice.

Ride Report End ** My Journey Begins

As for my personal ride, it wasn’t ideal.  I seem to have a black cloud which is following me as of late.  When I get on my bike, the black cloud seems to get very active and the thunder and the lightening come fast.  At this point, I had thought almost everything on the bike had been replaced within the last 2 months but I was wrong.  The ride was awesome for the first 30 miles.  I was pounding the miles, hanging on the back of the lead group, really enjoying myself.  We were just starting to get into a few rollers and the fatigue in the legs was starting to surface.  I don’t climb well, so the group would pull away on the uphill and I would catch back up on the down.  It was good and I was having fun!  Then I hit something on an uphill around mile 30 and heard a “whoooosh” of air leave my back tire.  Flat.  I stopped, had the tools & supplies to fix the tire but was positive I couldn’t personally make it happen.  A cyclist, Cathy, stopped to help within a few minutes.  Thanks, Cathy!  Then Adam, an on course bike support rider stopped and let Cathy go on.   At that point, Cathy had almost everything done but my CO2 cartridge was giving us fits and we couldn’t get air into the tire.  So Adam worked on it, couldn’t get it, then used his own CO2, and he slowly filled the tube.  It looked good, I started putting everything back on the bike, I rolled it forward to get on and it immediately popped again.  He changed it for the second time with his own supplies because I only carry one spare, and he noticed a puncture in the tire.  Thankfully the rest area was only 1 mile away and he rode with me to deliver me to the rest area bike support tent where they had more supplies.  Greg, Trek Downers Grove, replaced my punctured tire & tube 2 more times before finally sending me on my way.  Between the roadside assistance & the tent support, I was out of the ride for a minimum of 90 minutes.

Venus 2012_Greg When I got back on course, it was not a smooth ride.  Greg told me that it was going to be bumpy but I should be able to limp it to the next bike support tent.  If I understand it correctly, my new tire needed to stretch out and it wasn’t properly seated.  Every time the tire went around it was like I hit a bump.  So I was just bumping my way along and the course sweepers, or the caboose as they called themselves, came up on me.  I was the last person on the course at mile 31.  Awesome.  So I joined the caboose and we powered thru to the next rest area and rolled directly over to Torsten, the rest stop #3 Trek specialist.

Venus 2012_Torsten & MikeTorsten, with Mike “The Sweeper”, pulled a MacGyver and used electrical tape to cover my damaged rim wheel tape to allow the tube to sit in its proper spot and then the tire somehow slipped into position.  I can’t even pretend to understand but I was told a billion times to make sure I took my bike into the shop to get this fixed properly.  He also told me that “X” bearings were shot and needed to be replaced but by then my brain was mush and I have no idea what else is wrong.  Good news, this short 15-20 minute repair got me thru the remainder of the ride.

Me at the last rest area with Mike & Elizabeth, the course sweepers.  I rode with them for a solid 20 miles and then said my thanks and departed without them as they needed to wait on a few ladies we had passed.

Venus 2012_me mike elizabethMile 51 – I’m no longer bringing up the “very” end but I was really ready to be done with the ride.  I powered thru the last 10 miles with one gear.  A hard gear.  There were rolling hills.  I passed where it was safe and continued to move up but the party was all but over by the time I got in and well, I was just grateful to be within walking distance of my car finished.  I could have partaken in the festivities but it was time to go home to the family, so I drank my two freebie beers, ate a little lunch, which was awesome & hit the road.

I have so many thanks to give:  1)  My F’N Runners, Jenny G, Lisa M, & Lynn S who waited on me to finish, even though they rode the 25 mile ride and were probably finished way before I even had problems.  I knew I could count on them to pick me up if I necessary and really appreciated them hanging around when I know they just wanted to go home.  Lynn, Lisa & Jenny (photo source – Jenny G) below: 

Venus 2012_Lynn Lisa Jenny

2)  The Chicago Running Bloggers, Lauren, Erin, Kelly, & MacKenna who were so kind and encouraging both during and after the ride.  3) The numerous people who participated in my bike support and ultimately helped me finish the ride:  Cathy, Adam, Greg, Torsten, Mike & Elizabeth.  Thank you all for everything you did!  It’s beyond obvious that I couldn’t have finished without you!

I’m just glad this was a ride, not a race.  It was well supported and well, if a girl were to have major problems, this was the ride for them to happen.  Have you ever had major issues on a ride that required assistance?

** Happy Riding ** Amanda – TooTallFritz ** amanda@tootallfritz.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next Up – Venus de Miles

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I’m super excited about this weekend.  I recently registered for the Venus de Miles, 61 mile, all ladies ride.  I saw it come thru on an Active Swaggle Deal of the Day.  Normally, I’m not a big “biker”.  I ride to TRI.  Period.  I’d like to think that I have improved my biking during the time that I have not been able to run been rehabbing my injury but I’m still not a “biker”.  I’m a runner and triathlete.  I swim to TRI.  I bike to TRI.  I hope that I continue to improve my riding after I finish the Great Illini 70.3 on September 1st but let’s not jump too far ahead, right?

I wouldn’t have signed up for Venus de Miles had I not been injured and not able to do run races & TRIs it not come thru on the Swaggle.    I believe with the Swaggle, plus my Active Advantage Membership, I paid $47.  The ride is in Lake Forest, IL and I have no idea where that is other than “up north”.  I know they have lots of big expensive fancy house up there because my J.O.B is appealing property taxes. 

I have ridden in a non-triathlon group atmosphere exactly twice.  Let’s just say neither experience went well.  The first time, circa spring 2007, I took my shiny new road bike to a local bike club for a Sunday group ride.  Everyone was warm and welcoming and they immediately handed me a map for the days route.  Huh?  A map?  Can’t I just follow somebody?  How can I read a map and ride my bike at the same time?  Then they asked my pace.  What?  Pace?  “Um, I don’t know, I just bought this bike yesterday and I never had a computer on my Walmart Special mountain bike.”   I believe they frowned.

The ride options, if I remember correctly, cause trust me I’ve tried to suppress the memories for YEARS, were 26, 40 something, then it jumped to 60 something.  I was going to “try” the 26 mile option but was a bit nervous as my longest previous ride was 11 miles on my Walmart Special.  So the 60 mile group who planned to average 18-22 mph took off like they were being chased.  The 26 mile group included a lot of older men, one on a recumbent bike and let’s just say the pace was very “relaxed”.  So I was tooling along with them and just REALLY wanted to ride my new bike to see what it would do.  Well, two older men blazed past us, which was not difficult at our relaxed pace, and I made the stupid split second decision to go with them.  I recognized them from the parking lot so just went.  They were riding a decent pace and I was having fun.  I was amazed at how quickly the miles were ticking off and loved watching them accumulate on my new computer.  The men were very nice and didn’t seem to mind my following them.  Then the miles really started to climb and I was wondering when we were going to turn back toward our start location.  We didn’t turn.  We kept riding AWAY from my car.  I was getting distressed because by that point I had no idea how to get back by myself so I kept following.  Then they got lost.  Awesome.   Then we ran out of water.  Awesome.  At some point during this fiasco, we had to stop and look at the map, which was now crumpled, folded and sweaty from riding against my person.  This was when I learned that they were attempting to follow riding the 60 mile route.  Awesome.

Somehow, I we managed to hit the half way point and stopped to refill our water.  The fasties original 60 mile crew had already had breakfast and were preparing to leave.  I was frantically thinking about how I should proceed.  This was a point in time before every cyclist and runner carried a cell phone on their person.  So when everyone left the half way point, I left too and continued following.  I didn’t have much left and I definitely could NOT go another 30+ miles.  I was all done.  I rode to the point where we hit a busy road which I recognized, just south of a town not too far from my house.  They stopped at the stop sign;  I rolled thru the ditch and into somebody’s front yard.  The bike crew asked what I was doing.  I said, “I’m all done”.  The response, “Come on, we are planning to stop right up here at a gas station”.  I said, “No, I’m stopping right here.  I’m finished”.  They rode away.  I just sat there.  In fact, the people from the house eventually came out and asked if I was okay.  What to say?  Hell, NO I’m not okay!  I just rode 40+ f’ing miles.  My ass hurts.  My legs are jello.  I’m so dehydrated, I can’t even cry!  I think I said I was fine and managed to stand up.  I was about a 1/4 of a mile from a bar.  I walked my bike to the bar.  I can’t remember it well but I must have had $ for a beer, or else hubby paid for it later, because I remember drinking a Corona and a ton of water.  I called hubby on the bar’s phone.  That was my first and last ride with that group.

The second attempt at a group ride went “better”.  I joined the Folks On Spokes Easter Ride.  I rode solo, got to pick my distance, the ride was supported and well marked but I didn’t finish.  They pulled the route too close to my house so instead of making a turn, I just rode home….. with a few people following me.  Oooops, sorry about that.   Thankfully my house was only 2 miles from the “missed” turn so they didn’t have too far to back track.  🙂

So Venus, you are my redemption.  I will ride. I will finish.  I will have my cell on my person.  If by chance you live on the Venus route and see me laying motionless in your yard, please hand me a Corona Light and the phone. 

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Anyone else riding Venus de Miles on Sunday? 

Have you ever ridden a group ride or large cycling event like Venus?  How did it go for YOU?

** Happy Riding ** Amanda – TooTallFritz ** amanda@tootallfritz.com

Invest In Yourself….

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I keep seeing the same photo of a woman being posted on Facebook.   A photo of a woman who I have known for a very long time.  A lovely photo.  She looks beautiful but she isn’t the same person I once knew and I was thankful the photo was tagged so that I could identify her.   At some point, surgery happened.  Now the smile that shines comes from a nice tight face which looks full and perfectly defined.  Her body which was once petite and thin has become quite voluptuous with time and money.  She looks lovely, yet it makes me sad.

These photos represent the same path of so many women who are unhappy  inside and out. They can’t accept what life and time has given them.   I always encourage people to invest in themselves but this is not the type of investment I personally recommend.  I refuse to judge anyone who makes this choice but wish other steps could have been taken to foster self-esteem.  I certainly understand the “look better, feel better” motto but nobody is perfect.  Please embrace your imperfections.  For example, I was fortunate enough to inherit the Fritz nose.  It’s not lovely.  It’s not even straight.  It’s not even close to being small and petite.  People constantly ask me if it has been broken.  No, not broken, I was born this way! 

Me_profile pic_snow

In order to feel better on the inside and out, invest in yourself.  Make a time investment.  Everyone deserves a little “me” time away from the chaos.  Find something that helps you feel better about you and fosters self-worth and self-confidence.  This doesn’t mean hitting the bar with your friends for drinks.  Who feels better about themselves after that?  Who is better prepared to dive right back into family life after cocktail hour?  Not me!  Hit the gym, go for a walk, run, ride your bike, connect with nature.  Do something to clear your mind and suddenly you will be a lot more appreciative of life as it is even with all those little bumps in the road.

Focus on building your confidence.  If you feel good about yourself, just the way that you are, you will be more productive and be a better mom, wife, employee and athlete.  Be confident!  Here are a few tips from eHow to help you get the job done, please take the time to read thru these tips as they can help you in so many aspects of your running life.

  1. Confidence is one of the most important factors to building self esteem. In order to be confident, one must become very positive. Love yourself no matter what people say about you, and always keep your head up high.
  2. When building self esteem, it is very important to include positive self talk. This may be a very silly skill to you, but to some people, this can help a lot. When you use the self talk method it reduces your stress. Also, sending a good message to your brain can improve your self esteem.
  3. Choosing good and supporting friends is also one of the most important ways to improve your self esteem. Make sure to choose friends that will not criticize you, or make fun of you in any way. Having supportive friends can boost you self esteem magnificently. Anyways, why would you want to have a friend that makes fun of you?
  4. Volunteering for any city or services builds self esteem also. When you volunteer for an organization, you make yourself feel better, in return, building your self esteem. Not only do you help yourself, but you also help others. When the people you help say thank you, you become very confident and proud of yourself.
  5. If you are struggling with building self esteem, try something new. When you try something new, make sure that it is a little out of your comfort zone. When you accomplish something out of your comfort zone, it makes you feel like you are the king of the world.
  6. Setting healthy goals is a very important method. When you set out to accomplish something new, and achieve it, it makes you feel very confident. Also, setting goals helps you to accomplish new tasks.
  7. Having fun may be the most important factor when it comes to building self esteem. Sometimes, people are not confident with themselves, so they do not go out and have fun. Having fun and laughing makes you feel better, and relieves a lot of stress you may have.

So according to tip #7, drinks with friends is sometimes acceptable, after you hit the trail and get your workout in for the day!  🙂  Just remember to take the time to get out and reconnect with you so that you can be thankful for the blessings in your life.  The poorest attitude will be corrected within the first mile of a run.  I promise.  Things always look better when the blood gets flowing!  Use the eHow tips above for life, running/triathlon, dealing with boss & family.  Be confident, stay calm, cool and collected and know that you are AWESOME!

** Love Yourself ** Amanda – TooTallFritz ** amanda@tootallfritz.com

Mixing Things Up & Giveaway Winner

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I have just reached the point in rehab where I am able to run a little bit at a time.  Yesterday was 2 miles in the dark at a conservative 9:19 pace.  A two mile run, although quite an accomplishment, and testament to the effectiveness of my rehab, still does not constitute a full workout.  So I’ve been doing a lot of random things to fight the boredom and keep moving.  Yesterday included the 2 mile run, then a 30 minute StairMaster session.  Today began with a 9.5 mile ride on the trainer and tonight I will do my weekly swim workout.  I just try to focus and keep moving while utilizing workout DVDs, various pieces of equipment like the elliptical & StairMaster and I ride my bike both inside and out.  While riding on the trainer is not fun, think running on the treadmill mindless and super boring, it certainly has it’s benefits.  The trainer gives me freedom to ride in the dark, when I’m with the kids and when the weather is less than ideal, like this morning during the thunderstorm!  I admit, I feel empowered by the fact that I can ride my bike even when it’s not an option to take it outside.  

My bike set up is below.  I move the bike on and off the trainer all the time, by myself.  So if you are looking for an indoor riding option while the kids are napping, playing or watching a movie, there is no need to spend extra money on a spin bike, just purchase a trainer and use the bike you already own.  I bought this fluid trainer years ago via an online sale at Performance Bike.  I think it was $139 circa 2006.  Just an idea to keep things moving even when the weather is bad!  And this is way cheaper than a treadmill!bike on trainer_my trek

Now, the giveaway winner!  Last night around 8pm, I read Aby all of yesterday’s comments on “keeping cool” and let her choose the winner.  She had a tough time deciding between two but finally decided that Susan D’s suggestion to freeze her underwear was the best, most creative and funniest suggestion!  She and her brother then promptly ran to their rooms for a pair of clean undies to put in the freezer.  Thanks, Susan…..I really appreciate your “suggestion”. 

Aby’s second choice was Brian P’s idea to hit every ice cream joint on the south side.  Aby loves ice cream more than almost anything and she had a very rough time awarding Susan the win when it ousted Brian’s ice cream suggestion.  Since Mission AthleteCare has been so generous with the goodie pack:

Mission Care Package

I decided to award Brian a prize too.  Susan D wins the EnduraCool Towel  & Brian P wins a 5 hour Anti-Chafe Stick.  Please send your mailing addresses to amanda@tootallfritz.com and I’ll get your prizes out ASAP!

The 5 hour Anti-Chafe Stick is one more anti-chafe product in the Mission AthleteCare line.  I had previously tried the Anti-Chafe Cream and compared it with Body Glide and was not impressed.  Body Glide vs 5 hr Anti ChafeThe Anti-Chafe Cream works well for bra strap rubbing but did not perform well with the chub rub that I experience in the inner thigh area.  It’s an issue for me and I keep Body Glide in my purse and use it constantly when I wear skirts or shorts.   So I’m a big Body Glide fan for both life and running/triathlon.  When the Anti-Chafe Stick arrived, I assumed that it wouldn’t be able to compete with Body Glide but I was wrong.  It actually goes on much smoother than Body Glide and works just as well, if not better.  So just in the “application” aspect, I now put the Mission AthleteCare Anti-Chafe Stick ahead of Body Glide.  This is big in my world and I’m happy they sent me some to try because I probably wouldn’t have bought any since the cream wasn’t my favorite.  Thanks, Mission Athlete!  Brian, I hope you like this product as much as I do!  Enjoy; I know your feet and body are taking a beating during marathon training in the heat and hopefully this will help prevent blisters on your feet and soothe any other hotspot/chafing areas you get while on the run.

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What is your favorite anti-chafe product?

** Happy Running ** Amanda – TooTallFritz ** amanda@tootallfritz.com

Middle of the Road….. & Quick Giveaway

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The great thing about living in the middle of nowhere country is that at 4am, traffic is non-existent and it’s just me and the coyotes open road.  Since I am bouncing back from the torn tendon in my foot, I am slightly cautious about footing.  This morning, I took the flattest/smoothest section and ran down the middle of the road with my Knuckle Lights shining a bright path in the darkness.  Here is the road I ran this morning but in the light, at 5:45 am.  Still not “too” busy.Country RoadsI know all of you have been battling the heat and humidity for marathon training while I have been rehabbing my injury.  Inside.  In an air conditioned, zero humidity environment.  Today was my first hot run and let’s just say, I need to adjust quickly.  It was 83 degrees at 4:30 am with a feels like temp of 87.  It was not only warm but very humid as the rainstorms were still miles away.  I only ran 2 miles, at a very relaxed 9:19 pace but it was stifling.

Aby, my soon to be 11 year old, has been running in the heat all summer.  She has raced several 5Ks, is running 2x a week at Cross Country Camp and basically suffering thru the miserable heat & humidity just like all of you. Courthouse Classic Aby2_2012 She may be young but has figured out a few great ways to stay cool while running.

1)  She freezes her water bottles and takes them to Cross Country Camp frozen so that they will still be cold when she needs them.  In fact, we just picked up this Nathan Thermal QuickShot Handheld for her at the Sports Authority booth of the Rock N Roll expo.  We paid $11 but Running Warehouse looks about the cheapest online for $16.95.  I hope she’ll let me borrow this sometime.

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2)  She also found a 180s Quantum Cooling headband ($15 online, $12 expo) that is activated by sweat and/or water to continuously cool her head.  It also has a slot for ponytails, which made her squeal with delight.

Cooling Headband

3) She has also stolen borrowed my new Mission Athletecare EnduraCool Towel.  The towel that Mission just sent me last week.  The towel that I only have used one time.  The towel that stayed cool for hours, even hanging on the chair to dry.  The towel that I should have had on my run this morning.  The towel that is hidden away in her Cross Country bag.  I’m going to get this one back unlike my gps watch which she has commandeered.  Is it over-the-top to give a gps watch as a birthday present to an 11 year old?

               EnduraCool            EnduraCool_me

I hope all of you have also figured out a few unconventional ways to keep cool during these sweltering summer runs!    In case you haven’t I’m going to do a fast giveaway to get one EnduraCool Towel into somebody’s hands in time for this weekend’s long run.  So if you want an EnduraCool Towel, then put on your creative hat!  This needs to stay PG because I’m going to let Aby pick the winner at 8pm tonight (winner to be announced tomorrow morning).   

Please make a suggestion for Aby (age 11 – 6th grade) of a crazy/funny way to stay cool this summer.  Ideas can relate to being “on the run”, cooling off post run, or dealing with the heat in “real life”.  In order to respect the laws of creativity, it does not have to be something which is actually feasible or even something which we could implement.  We just want to make her giggle.  Think/Create an idea & comment below!  Good luck!

Info on EnduraCool Towel from Mission’s Website:

Mission’s™ Enduracool™ is made from a proprietary performance fabric that instantly cools when wet with water or sweat, wrung out and snapped in the air to activate the sustained cooling properties. Use during or after competition to provide sustained cooling on your neck, head or other hot zones.

How It Works: A revolution in cooling, this performance fabric absorbs and retains sweat and water, circulating the molecules while regulating the rate of evaporation to ensure an instant cooling effect against the skin for hours, without feeling wet.

Towel Dimensions: 12.25″ x 33″

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** Stay Cool ** Amanda – TooTallFritz ** amanda@tootallfritz.com

A Few Lessons….

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Last week, I learned a few new things.  I may be an “old” dog but I’m always up for new tips or lessons!

1)  No matter how new your swim cap may be, always have a spare in your swim bag.  Swim caps rip.  They are not made of a special material which will last forever.   They do not care that you hold a sentimental attachment to them because you just recently finished their event.  Swim caps rip.

swim cap_ripped 2)  While swimming, your sinuses will discharge.  If you want to avoid constantly wiping snot off your face while you swim, maybe use a nasal rinse before getting into the pool  We will all thank you for your extra effort.  nasal saline As an added benefit, this will help with your allergies and flush any germs from your nasal passages that may help you avert the sniffles.

3)  Read reviews of products you own.  No matter how well you think you know your gps watch product, somebody might know something you don’t know.  Last week, I learned that my Nike+ Sportwatch GPS was waterproof up to 50 meters.  Hmmmm, news to me!  This was actually the only complaint I had about my watch, the fact that I couldn’t swim in it.  Well, I was wrong, I CAN swim in it and I did so last week.  Watch still works perfectly!

Watch_water 4)  If you take your bike out and it’s loose, dropping screws and you feel generally unsafe, pack it up and go home.  Things will not end well. 

Me_bike fall 5)  Along the same lines, if your bike isn’t handling well, it drops a water bottle on you because your cage is loose & you just hit a monstrous bump, maybe unclip BOTH feet before rolling down a concrete dip to retrieve the dropped bottle.  Once again, things “may”  not end well.  See above photo.

6)  If you haul your kids out of bed before dawn to go run 1 mile with the F’N Running Club, make sure you don’t look like you are going to run just 1 MILE.  Own that mile in celebration of a new beginning as we kick injury to the curb, albeit very slowly.  🙂  

Me&Michael_Stars & Stripes Yes, I did go to the grocery store like this afterwards!

“Run”Way Fashion:  2011 Chicago Marathon swag shirt, RunningSkirts.com stars & stripes triathlon skirt, Zensah Compression Sleeves in Stars & Stripes.  This is the first time I’ve tried the Zensah brand of compression.  I must admit, my love for the stars & stripes pulled me in and I fell instantly in love with the look and feel.  I wore the compression sleeves for a short run (1.6 miles), a .5 walk/run with the kiddos, play time on the playground and then hit the grocery, so probably for 4 hours total.  Yes, people stared at me in the grocery.  If you don’t want people to stare when you wear workout gear in public, maybe go with something less amazing a bit more traditional.

So far, I really like the sleeves, not too tight, not too hot, not too boring.  Just right.  I’ll definitely be wearing these a lot more as I begin to rebuild my mileage.

Amanda – TooTallFritz ** amanda@tootallfritz.com

Getting Back in the Groove….

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Theory states that it takes 21 days to create a good habit.  So if you are just starting a workout or running routine, know that it won’t be easy but it does become more manageable if you stick with it. 

good-habits addictive

Those of us who have been on the fitness train for a while know that the smallest things can cause a bump in our routine and attempt to derail our fitness.    Therefore, we have to be extra vigilant when our routine hits a snag.  Vacations are one of those things which are bittersweet for me.  I love to go, get away and have fun but I miss my fitness routine and my bed and my fresh food and my dogs.  Since my return on Saturday afternoon, I have been hitting it really somewhat hard to attempt to get back into my routine mentally.

Saturday afternoon – 40 miles on the bike (trainer), 50 pushups, rehab exercises & barefoot strides.

Sunday – Felt ridiculously guilty but between unpacking for 4, laundry, grocery store, party food prep, outdoor work, playing with the kids & the FNRC Splash N Dash, I didn’t workout.  I wasn’t happy about it but some days are just not long enough.

Monday – 30 minute swim in the cool waters of a local indoor pool.  I had the entire pool to myself and it was the best swim I’ve had in a while, mostly due to those cool water temps.  Plus I tried a new pair of goggles that worked out really well, the TYR Velocity Metallized goggles.  They were cheap ($15.95), and I had an email special/promo code, thru TriSports.  I was super pleased.  They fit well and I liked being able to use the slide at the side to tighten them up for a quick adjustment in the water!goggles_trisports One I got home from the swim, I did 100 push ups, rehab exercises & barefoot strides in the yard.

Tuesday – 16 miles on bike (trainer), 50 push ups & rehab exercises

The bottom line is that life will occasionally get in the way of your workouts.  Vacations come/go, kids get sick, parents need help, the J.O.B. gets crazy.  This is normal, take a deep breath and accept it.  Just don’t let the “little things” become an excuse to derail YOUR fitness.

** Keep YOUR Fitness Train Rolling! ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

Ironman 70.3 Muncie Race Report

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This post could easily be titled the “Good, Bad & Ugly” but let’s be positive, right!  So I will instead focus on what I did right, what could have gone better and what just went well…. WRONG!

ironman 70. Muncie Cover

First, remember that this Ironman 70.3 Muncie was shortened due to the excessive heat warning.  It had been 108 static temp in Muncie the day before the race and health officials advised Ironman to shorten or cancel the race.  So the 70.3 distance was reduced to 37.2 (1 mile swim, 30 mile bike, 6.2 mile run) and the start time was moved up by a half hour to 6:30 am.

I hit transition pre-race with none to much time to spare, got my bike racked and somehow managed to forget how my bike pump worked.  The bike pump that I’ve owned for 7 years.  The bike pump that was deflating rather than inflating my tires.  Was I stressed?  I didn’t think so but subconsciously, maybe a little.  Thankfully, the lady in transition next to me was able to “remind me” how to inflate my tires.  This was a sign.  A big one.  I should have heeded the warning.

Transition was big.  There were 1700 registered participants and it looked like this in just about every direction.

ironman 70. Muncie transition

Each race has a certain way to ensure that only athletes get into transition to keep the bikes and gear secure.  Ironman gave us wristbands at check in and only athletes wearing the band could get inside the transition walls.

ironman 70. Muncie bracelet

The race started promptly, ushering the pros into the water with the boom of a cannon.  Then each wave thereafter left in 3 minute intervals on the sound of a horn.  The waves were sorted according to age groups.  The older age groups at the top with the younger ones following.  This resulted in us oldies just getting plowed over, under and shoved/kicked/punched by our much younger friends.  So not cool.  I’m trying to remember how the waves in previous races were scheduled and I’m at a loss.  However, I do not recall ever experiencing pandemonium in the water in any other TRI event in which I have ever participated.  It was not fun.

WHAT I DID RIGHT

  • I showed up
  • I had a good attitude

WHAT COULD HAVE GONE BETTER

  • The Swim – I panicked.  I started out good, I was toward the back of my wave like always.  I let the fasties get out of the way but I was immediately trapped behind some ladies doing breast stroke and who were just not swimming.  I stopped, let them get a bit ahead, I swam up on them again, stopped again because I didn’t have a clear shot around anywhere and then the real chaos began.  The wave behind us came thundering thru.  Holy crap.  They didn’t really care that we were in the way, they didn’t care that there wasn’t a way thru, they just swam over us.  Wow.  That was fun, and then the wave just kept coming.  I never had a chance to get in a grove, and just focus on swimming because from there on out I was panicked. At some point, somebody kicked me really hard in the ear and my head was ringing a bit.  In fact, a lifeguard asked if I was okay.  What to say?  “Hell, no!  These people are monsters!”  But I laughed & said, “I think so, I’m almost there right?”.  This was the longest and slowest mile I’ve ever swam.  I could have dog paddled the mile faster if I had a straight shot or if I had just focused on dog paddling! This mile swim took longer than my 1.2 mile swim in my last half iron event and I think I’m a stronger swimmer now!  I would free style a couple strokes, then stop to make sure I wasn’t about to be attacked, then free style a few more then recheck my surroundings.  Swim – 1 mile – 45:09
  • Getting in and out of transition.  The transition mat was long, possibly a 1/4 mile or more.  It was rough on my hurt foot transversing the mat with all the gravel everywhere and my being concerned about re-tearing the tendon.  I was very ginger and slow getting up the beach/mat into transition.

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WHAT WENT WRONG

  • Goggle Malfunction – I  was running a bit late the morning of the race but decided I had better put more Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Shampoo on my goggle lenses to avoid fogging during the race.   In my hurried state, I apparently didn’t get all the shampoo rinsed off and well, the “no tears” slogan is a lie.  That stuff BURNS the eyes!  So during the awesome swim that I had, my right eye was BURNING, watering and distracting me.  I stopped 2x to lift the goggles to let any water escape but since the water was so flipping hot too warm to be wetsuit legal, it was difficult to fiddle with my goggles and not drown since I was also treading water at the same time.  Totally my fault.  My eye was red and irritated for 12 hours after the race.

The bike went well.  Nothing spectacular but good.  I was pretty comfortable, the course which was advertised as “flat” had some small rolling hills so I was able to get some decent speed, which helped.  It was two loops so very crowded in spots as the fasties from the earlier waves were crushing their second loop as I was just beginning my first.

The water stops were frequent due to the shortened course and the volunteers were brave and had steady hands holding out ice cold bottles of squeezable water for the bikers to grab on the way thru.  Each time I connected with a bottle perfectly and was so proud of the volunteers.  They had a very tough job and I’m sure the bike water stations had to be very stressful for them.  I saw people dropping bottles, hitting bottles out of their hands and these were large 3/4 liter squeezable bottles.  It was dangerous for the volunteers!  At one station, the biker in front of me dropped his bottle.  It was after I had already connected with mine.  I was holding a water bottle, zooming along, then had to run over his bottle with one hand steering and somehow managed not to fall.   This was definitely the highlight of my day and I was immediately thankful that I avoided the crash!

Although the bike course was packed, everyone was polite even when rolling past a full 10+ mph faster than me!  Those people kick butt on the bike and the swim and the run.  It was absolutely amazing.  This is the point where I realized that I’m just not fast enough or aggressive enough for Ironman racing.  I’m just not at a point in my life with the kids/family, fulltime job and fulltime commute where I can train hard enough to be even remotely competitive with these type of people.  Although, I like to participate and perform at the best of MY ability, I am perfectly happy to do it on a smaller front at our local races.  This is about fun and fitness to me, not about big name events, prize purses, racing with the pros or jostling for a position which really means very little in the end.   Bike – 30 miles – 1:35:06 – 18.9 mph

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Overall, I think Ironman did a great job with the race.  I think they were smart and courteous to decrease the distance rather than canceling the race.  I think they know triathlon racing in and out.  They had plenty of on course support, post race drinks/food, massages.  They also gave a great swag bag with a gender specific shirt, a backpack which I neglected to photograph previously (below) since I was using it and the finishers (I didn’t run and didn’t finish) received a hat and a nice medal to reward their achievement.

ironman 70. Muncie bag

The venue was Prairie Creek Reservoir in Muncie.  It was large enough to accommodate the people but not one of my favorites.  The water was very turned up, dirty, weedy, and warm at 86 degrees.  The grounds had a lot of rocks and tree debris which was difficult on bare feet.  I would recommend a pair of throwaway flip flops for anyone racing here so that you don’t have to walk around barefoot at anytime.

Overall a great race, I just don’t think Ironman racing is for my more laid back style but it was fun to give it a TRI.

**Happy TRIing! ** Amanda – TooTallFritz ** amanda@tootallfritz.com

Twas The Night Before……

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I’m sitting in a shitty hotel room alone on the eve of Ironman 70.3 Muncie after a long day of travel. The main topic for today unless you live under a rock is still the weather. As I was getting close to Muncie, Indiana the temps kept increasing. It was 106 in Fort Wayne, which I thought was unreal until I got to Muncie where my car read a temp of 108. It has been 108 since I entered this town. I went to the convention center 2x, once for packet pick up and then again for an athlete’s meeting, then I went to dinner. At this point, I’m hoping the thermometer on my car is just stuck/broken because the thought of 108 in INDIANA at 8pm is ridiculous.

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If you haven’t heard people bitching talking about the weather than I know you’ve heard them talking about the fact that Ironman has GASP decided to shorten the race. Yes, shorten the 70.3 mile race (1.2 mi swim, 56 mi bike, 13.1 mi run) to a mere 37.2 miles (1 mi swim, 30 mi bike, 6.2 mi run). The health officials here in Muncie are warning people to not go outside tomorrow and not to exercise outdoors. Apparently, today isn’t “hot” but tomorrow is gonna be a real scortcher with expected temps between 110 and 114 degrees. Yep, I’m still gonna be in Muncie, INDIANA tomorrow. No, I didn’t type that incorrectly. Yes, people are really f’ing pissed that the race is being shortened. Ummmmm, okay. As I was driving here, I half expected to pick up my packet and be sent home but no, we are racing. It will just be the modified distance due to EXTENUATING circumstances. I personally don’t think this is unreasonable. Yes, it stinks that people trained months for this race and now will not be completing the full distance but I’d like to think that a reasonable adult would consider this decision to be in the best interest of the athletes. Thanks for thinking of me, Ironman!

They still gave us a cool swag bag with gender specific tech shirts, plus a few other goodies.

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They are still holding the race. They just want us out of here and in the safety of cooler temps as soon as possible. So far, I like the way they have handled the situation. They are even offering us a 50% discount to some of the upcoming 70.3 events which are not yet full. They are also still using this race as a qualifier for the 70.3 championships. They are doing what they can do and I like it and I picked up a couple water bottles to commemorate this event since it will surely go down in history.

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I’m smiling and happy to be here.

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I will race my 996 as far as they will let me and I’m so veeerrrrrry thankful that I know myself well enough left my running shoes at home. I only have my bike shoes and flip flops. I did that on purpose so that I wouldn’t even contemplate the run. I know I can’t do it. I know it would do more harm to my torn tendon but with the run now shortened to 6.2 miles, it would have been very difficult for me to not give it a shot. However, its not even an option since I am without running shoes!

When I travel for races, I like to eat. However, I have to be careful with my pre-race meal. I need to keep it pretty safe, not spicy, not too rich, and this normally equates to a pretty boring dinner. Tonight I stopped at a locally owned place, Amazing Joes, not to far from the convention center to throw a little business at the community which will shut down for tomorrow’s race.

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And it was amazing! Really amazing! First I open the menu and pickle chips POPPED out to greet me. Why, yes, I will! I only ate half of them. I was told the place had wonderful steaks but I knew that was a bit much for my crazy tummy so I picked the most bland pasta dish on the menu, an angel hair pomadoro with chicken. Wow, was I surprised. The dish was packed with flavor and absolutely delicious. I know that was a stellar description but that’s all I got. It was awesome.

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Stop at Amazing Joes on Wheeling Avenue if you head to Muncie, Indiana!

So far, a huge thumbs up to Ironman and Muncie for their “warmth” and hospitality.

** Stay Cool ** Amanda – TooTallFritz ** amanda@tootallfritz.com

Looking Back…..

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I’m now only a couple days out from the Ironman 70.3 Muncie, therefore I decided to look back at the notes I recorded after my last 70.3.   My previous 70.3 occurred on September 6, 2008.  It was before the TTF blog, before Facebook and during a time when people were emailing back and forth as a manner of communication.  My audience was small but I still sent my family & friends LOOOOONNNNNGGGG emails on every detail that they didn’t care about of the race.  Thanks to Mom, Abby S & Lisa E for reading those and many other emails!

The Great Illini Challenge on September 6, 2008 was my first and most current 70.3.  I have not raced a triathlon since that day.  I do, however, have a crazy beautiful toddler which hubby and I started raising in my time off triathlon.  See hubby, Michael & Aby below.  family_stars & stripes_2012

Some might wonder if I’m nervous since I haven’t raced triathlon for so long.  No, I’m not yet.  Triathlon is where it’s at for me.  I feel at home there and things just click. 

Some might wonder why I picked a 70.3 distance as my return to triathlon.  Timing.  I would have preferred to start with an International/Olympic distance race but timing didn’t work out.  I don’t have a ton of $$ to be racing so I picked just two triathlons (Muncie 7/7 & Great Illini 9/1) for the 2012 season and those were both the 70.3 distance.

Photos & Notes on the Swim/Bike from Great Illini 2008:

Copy of IMG_0287      IMG_0291    IMG_0293  

I tried to be calm and smooth on the swim, I didn’t stress about speed, but just took it easy because I knew that it was going to be the easiest part of the day so I wanted to enjoy it and come out of the water fresh. My goggles did fog up 2x but I just stopped and wiped the fog out and continued on my way, no problem!

** It might be more enjoyable to try to swim the entire 70.3 miles!

Transition was certainly not the frenzied event that it is in shorter TRI races. We were relaxed, joking around with one another, talking with our families, and pretty much stalling to AVOID getting on our bikes! In my relaxed state, I managed to forget my energy gels in transition.  Bad, really bad.

The bike had a great first half, on great roads that were freshly paved. There were lots of very large rolling hills. It was a “what goes down, must go up” theme. The hills also made me realize almost immediately that at some point in transit, something happened to my bike and the chain was loose. Not good, I needed  gears badly with the large hills and they were making a lot of noise and not shifting properly. My chain then popped off at mile 7 at the bottom of a very large hill.

**Mile 10 of bike: Riding is such a great time for self reflection, prayer & quiet thinking.
***Mile 17: It is such a beautiful day, the road is smooth, the sun is shining, and I love these hills!
**Mile 20: Wow, I got up to 33 mph coming down that hill; and it isn’t even bad going up because I get to stand and it allows me to stretch my quads a little! This is really great!
**Mile 40: Why didn’t I make up for sale signs for my bike before I came??
**Mile 41: No biggie about the for sale signs, maybe mom can sell it while I run? No, I’ll just put it on Craig’s List tomorrow!
**Mile 42: A triathlon tattoo was a really bad idea! Wonder if I can have it turned into a cross? I really like crosses!
**Mile 44: There is no shame that a full iron distance person just passed me. I am sure he was a really fast swimmer!!!
**Mile 47: Gel = life/energy and being able to finish the race! If I weren’t so tried I would be really excited.
**Racking the bike = awesome feeling of “last ride”, I don’t even need to sell it, we’ll just throw it in the lake because I’ll get better gas mileage on the way home!

I don’t think we need to relive the run portion of the 70.3 since I won’t be doing the run portion this time.  Although, I’m not looking forward to a DNF, I’ve certainly accepted it.  My strongest part of a TRI is always the run but it’s not meant to be this time around.  So I will be swimming & biking and am thankful I can handle that much!

** Happy TRIing **  Amanda – TooTallFritz ** amanda@tootallfritz.com