5 Days til Ragnar – 5 Generous Sponsors

Posted on June 3, 2012 by tootallfritz

Although, my Ragnar dreams are over, we still have 5 generous sponsors who have given a lot to get us to and through our relay journey.

(YOU JUST GOT) CHICKED! – TEAM SPONSORS:

Family Fan Clubis hooking us up with everything from personalized race shirts with our team name (You Just Got) Chicked to decals and magnets for our van, personalized safety vests, headbands, etc. You name it, they can personalize it. We have even contracted them to do the shirts for our running club. Lots of options here, check them out!

ShowerPillapparently doesn’t want us to chase away the competition with our running funk. Do us a favor and get your own so you too will smell fresh and clean throughout the 36 hour event! Or come and borrow some of ours! 🙂

If you need compression shorts to help with performance, recovery & injury prevention, then check out Aspaeris Pivot Shorts! They will be protecting us during our Ragnar Adventures! I love these shorts and wear them under my skirts or by themselves. They are very versatile.

Check out the awesome fueling possibilities at GUEnergy.com. Don’t run out of energy, we won’t! Gu covers all areas from energy to hydration while offering a variety of products. Good stuff and lots of options.

BondiBand.com has some unique & creative but FUNCTIONAL pieces ranging from headbands, to hats, to swim caps. Lots of COOLstuff from BondiBond! Check them out!

A huge shout out and thank you to all of our sponsors! Thank you so much for helping us prepare for this awesome journey. Your support has been much appreciated!

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

6 Days til Ragnar – 6 Chicks

Posted on June 2, 2012 by tootallfritz

So today brings us 6 days out from the start of the 2012 Chicago Ragnar Relays. And we have 6 chicks that form our ultra team, You Just Got Chicked.

However, one chick…..ME, isn’t going to get to run. I “may” have mentioned that my Plantar Fasciitis flared up BEYOND comprehension over the last couple weeks. And we “may” have been trying to get me thru the Ragnar Relays by using the acupuncture, foot manipulation, cortisone shot, ice & motrin but it all blew up this morning. Quite literally BLEW UP. I was running, a little over a mile from my car, turned around because the pain was so bad that I audibly said, “I can’t do this today”, then about 2 minutes later something popped. It felt like I got shot in the side of the heel in the arch. Wow. I hobbled back to my car and drove ~~bawling~~ straight to the chiro. I honestly thought I would need surgery but knew she would be honest and tell me what to do and basically not panic ~~like I was at the time~~. I honestly thought blood had to be squirting out of my shoe cuz it seemed impossible that something could hurt so badly and not be squirting blood.

So the “good news” is that nothing is broken. Although it would heal faster if something had broke. I don’t need surgery but was told that rehab will be the same as if I had to have surgery. 12 weeks off or I can try to start taping after 2 weeks, keep running ~~which would be stupid~~ and risk further injury. I was basically told after 2 weeks, if I started up again, I might get another 2 weeks before I was back here or worse. I think the best case scenario ~~since I don’t get paid to run and TRI~~, would be to suck it up and take the 12 weeks off. No Ragnar. No 70.3 Ironman Muncie. No Great Illini Challenge 70.3. No Chicago Marathon.

At this point it hurts to walk and the main focus is getting the swelling out. I iced more today than ever before in my life. I used a bucket of ice, I soaked my foot in our green pool, and I used an ice wrap.

So I’m going to focus on walking first and then the rest will come with time. Or not. Whatever happens, happens. If I understand it correctly, all of this is related to the plantar fasciitis and the heel spurs but I have a secondary issue which deals with the muscle or ligament which runs beside my tibia (big bone that most call the shin bone). This ligament attaches to the heel bone thru the arch. Well, this has been a very ~~painful~~ tender area and we knew it was a problem but today it reared is ugly head and stated its presence for real. This ligament is strained/torn/pulled/sprained…..whatever you want to call it. Doesn’t even matter at this point. It hurts ~~like a bitch~~ badly.

So, the search is on for a lady runner for our Ragnar team. 33 miles is the distance which needs to be covered over the 30+ hour period. And yes, the race is 6 days away. Yes, the race starts in Madison, WI. If you have an interest in running, message me ASAP. I need to fill my spot. I can’t walk so running is absolutely not an option. Please think and help me fill this spot!

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

7 Days til Ragnar – 7 Things I’ll Be Packing

Posted on June 1, 2012 by tootallfritz

We are 7 days out from Ragnar Chicago and it was a rough day in TTF land, luckily I had the day off from actual “work”. The day started well when I went to the pool and swallowed a ton of TRI Smart Water. Wow, they swim fast ~~compared to me~~. Wow, they kick up a lot of water in the pool. Wow, they pull a good current when you are surrounded by 4 of them. ~~Wow, I suck at swimming.~~ Wow, I’ve never seen the pool so busy.

After the swim, I only had time to squeeze in a 27 mile ride on the trainer before hitting the chiro. Today she tried acupuncture since my body doesn’t respond like a “normal” person. Being special isn’t so great in a situation like this. I’m gonna post this “needles in the foot” pic again ~~for my mom~~ those of you who don’t have facebook or follow me on twitter.

After the needle fun at the chiro, I went directly to the foot surgeon for a more needle action in the form of a cortisone shot. He infused the cortisone with an anesthetic in order to numb the foot out for a week or so. Let’s cross our fingers! Ragnar here I come…..Dear Foot: Please comply!

In developing a list of 7 things I “need” that are possibly not going to be in every runner’s bag, I started with the important stuff:

Ice bag. I have a gel ice bag that I’m planning to beg my teammates to stuff in the cooler. I need it.
Motrin. I need it.
Merrill Encore Ice slip-on shoe. Although this is probably the ugliest shoe I have ever purchased, I’m glad to have it. I bought it off the clearance rack at REI and it holds my plantar fascia up and keeps my feet feeling “ok”. I need them. But they are ugly. I’m considering getting a sandal just like this too. 🙂
Toothbrush. I know we won’t be having a lot of time to shower but I’m hoping to be able to at least brush my teeth.
Tortilla-Peanut Butter- Dill Pickle wraps. I know this sounds disgusting but I actually like peanut butter and pickles together and I think this will work well for me food wise and I’ll be able to avoid the soggy bread issue.
Rehydrate Energy Gel – This is a new product which totally rocks. It is easy on my tummy and has an excellent lemon taste. I still can’t get over how awesome this stuff is and am looking forward to our long term relationship.
A freakin’ AWESOME attitude. I think this is probably the most important “item” on the list. We are going to be tired, cranky and the worst thing we can do is take it out on each other or somebody else. In order to have a good time, each person is responsible for bringing a good attitude. Ever heard the saying, “if you aren’t having fun, it’s your own fault”? So let’s bring it, rock this thing and have some fun!!

What would you take on your relay run adventure?

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

No Regrets…

Posted on May 29, 2012 by tootallfritz

I live with a “No Regrets” mentality. I don’t waste time looking back at what has been and lament about things I did wrong or even wish that things were different. I honestly believe that everything happens for a reason. I believe that God plays a huge roll in every aspect of our lives even if we don’t understand why or recognize the work He has done. No regrets, things are as they should be and it is our job to accept. No regrets.

So each year, I jam as much as possible into my life because I know that at some point this will all come to an end and all that will be left are the stories. In fact, I frequently see a shirt that One More Mile makes that sums it up perfectly.

In fact, if you know me in real life, you have probably heard me say on occasion, “oh, that’s gonna hurt…. but it will make a good story”.

Last week should have been my biggest training week for the Chicago Ragnar Relays but life “kinda” got in the way. Even my running watch noticed.

I may have mentioned it before but if you are going to be a slacker, don’t buy the Nike+ GPS Sportwatch, it totally calls you out. I’ve only had one other time when I saw a message on my watch and that was when I took some time off at Christmas to try to get the Plantar Fasciitis in check.

Between life, and an attempt to heal my left hip ~~from tripping on a crack in the sidewalk and jamming it up~~ and also NEEDING to heal the aching Plantar Fasciitis, last week was a bit light on workouts. You’d think I’d feel better and refreshed but I don’t. I do think we are making progress with the hip but the PF is out of control. The current method of treatment for the PF is a process of scraping the fascia to break up any scar tissue/residue and ~~hopefully~~ eventually curing the PF to the point where I won’t need the orthotics. ~~It hurts like hell.~~ It’s not going well and has inflamed the PF back to it’s original state of pain. It hurts to walk and run. It hurts to stand. It hurts.

I did manage 2 runs this weekend. A beautiful 10.5 miler on Saturday morning. The trail is alive and beautiful and makes me happy to be out there moving.

It took 5 miles before the hip loosened up and I could actually run faster than a 9:30. The second half of the run was much better and I was back down into the 8:45 range, not great but I was comfortable for most of it until probably the last mile when the hip really started burning and the PF was getting ~~extremely~~ cranky.

But I was happy to be out! Then Sunday, I went 7 miles and that wasn’t pretty. The hip didn’t bother me at all but the PF was very angry from the Saturday run so it was a run/walk fest. Yesterday I rested. The PF is even worse today. Hmmm….how to handle the next month?

So, although I have “no regrets”, I certainly am not excited that the official kickoff to Chicago Marathon training started yesterday. I can manage the pain with TRI training because the intensity of the run is low; however, I know from experience that the pain just increases and spreads with the high mileage that marathon training requires. And then I have that little thing called the Ragnar Relay which is in 10 days. and oh yeah, I’m on an ultra team. Hmmmmm……..

No regrets but things could be looking a little better at this point. 🙂

No complaints but anyone have a cortisone shot in their pocket? I know that doesn’t fix anything but it sure does make things ~~a lot~~ more bearable. You wouldn’t tell Alexis L that I got a cortisone shot while she was trying to cure my PF, would you? Shuuuuussh, cuz I’m seriously thinking about it.

How was your weekend? Did you print your training program for the Chicago Marathon? If not, you need to think about doing that. If you are in half marathon shape, ~~and are not freaking out about the fact that you have to run a marathon in 18 weeks,~~ you will need to start training the first week of July. If you are not in half marathon shape, then you need to start training…….. yesterday.

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

Recharge Your Battery!

Posted on May 24, 2012 by tootallfritz

As we approach the holiday weekend, I want to take a minute to remind you to take some time for yourself and rest. Everyone needs to recharge their batteries on occasion and this 3 day holiday is the perfect time!

Many of you will be racing and I hope after that you will kick your feet up, grab a cold bottle of ~~beer~~ water and eat some frozen grapes. Red grapes are tastier then green when frozen, in case you are wondering, and the kids love them!

Although, I won’t have my feet up in Miami this weekend, I will be at the lake, on the boat or lounging on my patio. A tropical location is NOT necessary to enjoy some R&R.

So grab a cold beverage, a lounge chair or hammock, and commence recharging. We have a full summer ahead of ~~busting our asses~~ bustling activity and this may be the last chance you get to take a few minutes for yourself.

How do will you be recharging yourself this weekend?

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

Landscape Cross Training!

Posted on May 23, 2012 by tootallfritz

No, I’m not out of town. No I’m not injured so badly that I can’t run or bike. No I’m not working late ~~even though I should~~. What I AM doing is working on my annual Landscape Cross Training which occurs in a mad rush the week prior to Memorial Day weekend. Tonight will be the third night in a row of Landscape Cross Training.

Fortunately, the weeds and giant thistles have been pulled prior to them going to seed. Yay! 🙂

I have repurposed an old, torn pool cover for ground cover in an attempt to keep SOME thistles from popping through my mulch!

I have purchased some new shrubs in an attempt to retake the thistle thriving territory.

I have spread mulch, more mulch and then yep, I have more to spread.

I’m still not done but it’s Wednesday and I will trade in some cross training for running with the F’N Runners! Then I’ll go home and hopefully finish planting & mulching…..so I can start work on the pool.

Which may or may not have some living creatures.

So we can have a pool party!

Any landscape cross training for you this week? Any green swimming pools that you are trying to bring back to life for the holiday weekend?

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

Mom-Coach-Mom-Rabbit

Posted on May 16, 2012 by tootallfritz

Aby is 10 years old. She is very young 5th grader and she has the mentality of a kid. I’m a firm believer that she is at a very sensitive age and she needs guidance and structure but there isn’t much need to kill her in the workout realm. Running should be fun for her and if she doesn’t enjoy it then we encourage her to try band, choir, dance, martial arts, etc. whatever she would like to do to keep moving. Active children are GOOD, it’s tough on us but it really does keep them out of trouble.

Aby started asking to run races when she was really young, probably 4 or 5. I said, “No”. I kept telling her she couldn’t run a race until she could pronounce it. At the time, she called 5Ks a “K-5”. Once she was 6, I let her do a few kid races, like the Mini Muddy Buddy.

When she was 7 & 8, we were dealing with pregnancy & new baby fun with Mr. Michael.

When she was 9, I finally relented and let her start racing. Her race debut was the Ringing In Spring 5K in Valpo in April 2011 where she took her age group for the win. She didn’t stop racing, or placing, all summer. Ringing in Spring, Devil Dash 5K in Peotone, PTO 5K in New Lenox, Mokena Summertime Stride, Courthouse Classic in LaGrange, IN, Fort4Fitness 4 miler in Ft Wayne, IN. She ran these all herself, not with me. I ran my race, which some say is “mean” but my theory is that if she was old enough to want to do it, then she was old enough to push herself to the finish. And she did. Each and every time.

Aby & Me_Devil Dash 2011

Apparently, the timing was right, she was having fun and we soon got notice that 5th graders could join the middle school kids for Cross Country. Wow, that was new; it wasn’t like that when I was a kid. So after a great summer of road racing, Aby turned 10 and moved into school sponsored running. Things changed. She was having fun during the summer, I would encourage her and cheer for her and it was very low key. The crowds were big at our local 5Ks so she always performed well in the pack and did well in her age group. Now she was competing with kids much older and stronger. She struggled but kept her head up and kept running. Although her school program was very underdeveloped, there were several young girls on the team who bonded and fought thru together. I was always around but since I was “mom”, Aby didn’t think I knew anything. If I tried to help, or give advice, she would roll her eyes, so I settled for the supportive “mom” roll and let her do her thing.

Then track season rolled around and the “fun” left with all the young distance runners who quit the track team. The middle school track system doesn’t allow much for distance runners anyhow, just the 1600 meters, which is a mile and basically it’s a full out sprint now. Super scary! Our little country school had two “distance” runners. One girl who went to state in Cross Country (yep, she is fast) and Aby. Gulp. It was a rough season, Aby put herself out there each and every time and got pulverized on the track. She doesn’t know how to sprint a mile. There wasn’t much coaching direction and parental intervention was a “No-No”. Aby was running but not competing, not focused, just running laps and she wasn’t having much “fun”. 😦

Although, she had a nice sprint to the finish in the last 100 meters, the race was over way before then. Hubby & I knew she was not even close to reaching her potential but she was frustrated so we continued to be supportive, encouraging parents. I told her that I would help her during the summer if she wanted but she didn’t care. Her best 1600 (mile) on the track was a 7:16. That’s a good mile time for anyone but not competitive with the girls on the track.

Last night I did my first triathlon brick. I biked 10 miles, then put on my running shoes and quickly ran to the end of our road & back. It was a whopping 1.4 mile run. Stellar, I know. When I hit the drive on my return, Aby wanted to be dropped a mile from the house to run a timed mile. So hubby dropped us off. My goal was to get her under 7 minutes but I didn’t tell her that. She ran hard, but not uncomfortable, I could tell she was running harder than I had seen her run all track season. I was watching our pace. She was fading. I was encouraging her to stay with me. To push. To just hang on. To focus. I also gave her tips to focus on her arms and her feet would follow, to run with her abs and not her legs. I slowed the pace to reel her in closer so she wouldn’t give up. I hit the mile at 7:05. She was a few steps behind, probably a 7:07! Not under 7 but damn good! Go Aby!

How many times do you thing we will have to do this during the summer? How long before she is the rabbit encouraging me to stay with her? How does a 10 year old run so fast? It’s going to be another exciting road racing season for us! Stay tuned and if you have any tips for this Mom-Coach-Rabbit, please let me know! Aby said I was hard on her, too hard, but that it was good and fun. 🙂

Cheers ** VERY Happy Running ** Amanda – TooTallFritz

88 Laps….

Posted on May 15, 2012 by tootallfritz

For me, swimming is a task like no other. When I run or bike, I have a constant stream of thoughts and am actually able to work things out in my head. When I swim, I focus on not drowning, breathing, stretching my stroke and counting my laps. I have random thoughts that come and go but mostly, I just focus on not drowning and counting. No joke.

88 laps in a 25 yard pool is equivalent to the 1.2 miles I need to swim in the two half iron events in which I will be participating this year. I swam the full 88 laps yesterday for the first time. I am only 55 days away from the July 7th Ironman 70.3 Muncie.

A few of my random thoughts….

44 minutes, the amount of time it took me to swim 1.2 miles in my last half iron event.
56 minutes, the amount of time it took to swim the 88 laps yesterday.
4, the minutes I hope to eliminate from my swim with it being in open water and not having to turn around every 25 yards.
5, the minutes I hope to eliminate from my swim by using my wetsuit that will hold my ~~momma~~ hips up in the proper position.
10, the number of mini prayers I sent up asking for water temps on July 7th & September 1st to be cool enough to be USAT wetsuit legal.
78, the max water temp for an event to be wetsuit legal.
3, the lap I was swimming when I started thinking about Kelly’s post on her first swim lesson.
4, the lap I was swimming when I thought about contacting Maggie’s cousin, Coach Judie, or MJ at TriSmart , or ~~anybody~~ somebody to tell me if my swimming is even remotely adequate.
50, the number of times I tried to “hear” my stroke like Kelly discussed in her post on the first swim lesson.
0, the number of flip turns I performed.
6, the number of times I stopped to readjust my goggles.
4, the number of times I breathe in 25 yards.
7, the number of years that I have owned the TRI tank I was wearing that I will never again wear. Can you say skintight and see thru? UGH!

35, the lap I was swimming where it finally all came together and I relaxed.
36, the lap I was swimming when I started to wonder if the turnover rate of my arms during the swim is also called cadence like the rate of turnover of foot fall/pedal stroke while running/biking. Answer: YES, look HERE.
3, the number of sets I did to equal 88 laps. Set 1 = 48 laps, Set 2 = 30 laps, Set 3 = 10 laps. Don’t ask why, it’s random, just like my thoughts.
25, the lap in the 2nd set where I was wondering if CrazyBoyDon actually counts laps or if he somehow adapts 99 bottles of Beer on the Wall to keep track….. 88 laps to swim in the pool, swim one down, flip it around….yeah that doesn’t work.
1, the lap in the last set where I realized that I don’t know how to kick. I have spent so much time “not kicking” to save my legs, that the kick just seems foreign to me now.
12 the number of times Michael asked me if I had been swimming with Santa when I got home.

Michael is obsessed with Santa and wants to go swimming with him so badly. He is always flailing around the bathtub pretending to swim with Santa. If you know of any swimming Santa’s, please let me know. PLEASE!

What do you think about when you swim? Will you be thinking of swimming Santa’s the next time you go to make some laps? Maybe you should!

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

Ryder Shot Eyewear Review

Posted on May 14, 2012 by tootallfritz

I was a lucky girl and put in some nice miles this weekend while still managing to have lots of fun! The weekend kicked off mid afternoon Friday with a 29 mile bike ride. This was an important ride because I ~~just had my bike readjusted and needed the mile~~s was testing a new pair of sunglasses, the Ryder Shot Photochromic, which had already passed the run test x10. I’ve been running in these glasses for almost a month and we all know from the I Wear My Sunglasses Almost Never post, sunglasses and I normally do not get along. I want to wear them, need them to protect my eyes but usually pitch them due to poor fit, lighting, or the irritation factor.

I have quite the collection of those which remain but never get worn:

Therefore, I didn’t want to be hasty on writing up a review on the Ryder Shot’s prior to really wearing them, thinking about the fit, coverage, functionality, and using them on both the run and the bike. As a triathlete, the sunglasses are one of the most important pieces of gear on the transition mat. They can make or break the bike/run legs if you don’t own a good pair that fit, perform well and protect your eyes.

First, how do they look? The most important aspect, right? Okay, not really but….

The above photo is not the best, it’s a direct result of Aby’s photo session at the bike shop on Thursday night, but it gave me giggles after a quick WTF moment of seeing the color “splashes”. The before/after photos below are a bit better. I’m a “little” disheveled “after” but still smiling! Yes, that is the Team Tough Chik bike jersey if you were wondering.

The Ryder Shot’s that I received are the photochromic type which retail for $69. I’m wearing the silver frame with light grey lenses. I probably wouldn’t have picked a silver frame myself, not that I don’t like it, I’m just very boring and tend to stick in the black/brown family. However, these look good and more importantly fit really well. They are not tight on my face but they hug and do NOT move.

The Ryder Shot Photochromic incorporates the photochromic technology that automatically lightens and darkens the tint of the lenses according to the weather and lighting conditions. For somebody like me, who ~~is blind~~ doesn’t see well, this is a huge selling factor because I can’t change my lenses while I’m on the road. I need the glasses to accommodate whatever the weather throws at me.

The Shot’s come in various colors and styles. The non-photochromic & non-polarized models start at $39, that’s a steal!

I also love the nose piece which is soft and rubbery but doesn’t get stuck in my hair. If I’m talking with someone or taking a photo, I tend to put the glasses in my hair. The nose piece can be a big issue if the rubber piece get stuck in my hair. That’s an immediate fail in my opinion but not an issue with the Ryder Shot’s. You can see in these photos from yesterday’s run at Schubert Woods with Cindy & the Pancakers that I have my glasses in my hair and it’s a win. It’s a win that they fit nicely on my face when I run, and a win that they don’t stick to my hair when they are resting for a photo op. 🙂

Initially, upon receipt of these glasses, I was planning to do a list of pros & cons. However, I have put this review off for this long because I can’t find any cons. I wanted to make sure that I was really behind these glasses for the long term before I actually recommend something. I didn’t buy these, ~~that’s a first,~~ so didn’t want to just get all crazy excited over some freebies before I really knew what I thought. I actually like them, really like them, and you will see me wearing them exclusively on the bike and run this season and for many more to come. Thanks, Ryder!

According to the Ryder website, these are one of our smallest, most lightweight models. A favorite amongst runners for its minimalist design. I absolutely agree that they are light and certainly not only “a” favorite of mine but the only pair I have used for the last month. They offer UV protection and are shatter proof. As a triathlete and cyclist, the shatter proof quality is a necessity because things happen and we crash. Although I have never crashed badly enough to crack my glasses, I have seen others who weren’t as lucky. Protective eyewear is not a luxury but a necessity.

Please find something to protect your eyes from the UV rays, rain/sleet, bugs and debris. I was wearing these on the bike on Friday and was amazed at the clarity. It was absolutely crystal clear that a yellow jacket would have flown into my right eye had it not bounced off my right lens instead. Scary. Protect your eyes!

If you are interested in Ryder products, check out the website HERE. The prices are very reasonable in comparison to other sport brands so enjoy the savings!

Happy Running, Riding and TRIing! ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

Bike Fit….

Posted on May 11, 2012 by tootallfritz

As you know from THIS post, I’m back on the bike and staring down two 70.3s which are fast approaching. The first one is July 7th, a small event hosted by Ironman, and I anticipate it to be a total ~~bike~~ train wreck. The little biking that I have done so far (70 miles last month) has not gone well. Everything hurt. My knees hurt. My hips hurt. My neck hurt. My shoulders hurt. I kept thinking, ~~what did I get myself into?!?!~~ that my return to triathlon was going to be a difficult one. I did the only thing I could think of doing, I took more Joint ProMotion.

Okay, let’s be honest, I actually started taking Joint ProMotion. You would think that as a runner ~~and AdvoCare Distributor~~ I would be using a glucosamine supplement but you would be wrong. I am now.

Then I started thinking. More thinking. I’ve never been a strong biker but there is a difference between ~~sucking~~ not being good at something and having pain. I never had pain before, this is new. I am riding the same bike I had Pre-Michael but I felt like it had shrunk in it’s 1309 days of hibernation. Muscle atrophy? Probably not. I “may” have mentioned these problems to hubby and he may, or may not, have threatened me regarding bringing home a new TRI bike. Sigh….

So I called Trek Schererville and scheduled an appointment to be refitted on my “old” bike. Aby was kind enough to take a few photos of the process.

Getting Closer…. Hello Team Tough Chik! I’m actually in this photo…..kinda. And you can “kinda” see Paul behind me, adjusting the bike. Apparently the seat was almost 2” too low.

When your seat is too low, you don’t get proper pedal extensions, have less power, and develop aches and pains in your hips and knees. It also basically folds the bike up on you and the aerobars will feel too short, shifting will be difficult and you “may” develop pain in the neck and shoulders. Really? I never would have guessed.

I’m a happy camper now and looking forward to my ride this afternoon. Cross your fingers for me!

And as a general rule of thumb, if it feels wrong, it is wrong. Trust yourself. Don’t get hurt because you are stubborn or because you think you are a weak biker/runner/person. It also helps if you buy your bike from a store you can trust, ~~a store who’s employees know your name and number when it pops up on the caller ID,~~ a store that will refit your bike and help you with your ~~mental~~ problems, a store that will service your bike free for life. Trek.

Side note: My computer finally arrived! I’ve been waiting for the Node 1.1 to arrive so that I could have an affordable computer which works on the road and on my trainer, while still being wireless. This is HUGE. Now I have zero excuses as to not riding. NO EXCUSES!

So what’s your excuse for not putting in your miles? Please share, I need some new ones!

Happy TRI-ing ** Amanda – TooTallFritz ** amanda@tootallfritz.com **

TooTallFritz

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

Category Archives: Triathlon

5 Days til Ragnar – 5 Generous Sponsors

6 Days til Ragnar – 6 Chicks

7 Days til Ragnar – 7 Things I’ll Be Packing

No Regrets…

Recharge Your Battery!

Landscape Cross Training!

Mom-Coach-Mom-Rabbit

88 Laps….

Ryder Shot Eyewear Review

Bike Fit….

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