What Women Want …. Christmas 2015

Posted on December 15, 2015 by tootallfritz

What women want. That is a timeless question. I could really say a lot on this but I’m not sure it would do anyone any good if I gave away ALL of our secrets, so lets focus on Christmas 2015.

What women really want for Christmas is time. Honest. If you’ve been married more than 5 years, I guarantee your wife is ~~bitchy~~ tired. Okay, she is bitchy & tired. Especially if you have a couple of kids and some pets. She is tired of the laundry, cooking, cleaning, bill paying, and the stress of running a family while trying to maintain her sanity and not completely lose her own identity. To be honest, if she hasn’t totally lost it OR become one of those moms who toss back a bottle of wine every night before bed, you are lucky. And I’d suggest you tell her. Now.

So how can we incorporate time into the 2015 gift giving? If your wife is into fitness then my number one suggestion would be a race registration. Be smart about it. If she ran her first 5K this summer, don’t buy her a registration to the Flying Pig Marathon that I’ll be running on May 1, 2016. As a general rule of thumb, more women are registering, training for and competing in the half marathon distance than ever before. It’s manageable training for both wives & mothers, even those of us who also work. It can be done. This will make you look good without putting too much responsibility on you to watch the kids during a killer training schedule. Win. Win. Register her for a local half marathon, like the Southwest Half Marathon & 10K in Palos Heights, IL or the Fort4Fitness Half Marathon, 10K or 4 mile in Ft Wayne, IN. Price range: $45-$80 depending on the race and how far out it is from now. Early registration = $$ Savings.

Now that winter is upon us, there are a few things that your wife might need for her outdoor runs that she probably hasn’t wanted to spend the money on for herself. Mom’s are notorious for feeling guilty about buying things for themselves. Even things that are as much a necessity as a want. Is she running in the dark? If so, she needs some sort of headlamp or light. I prefer the Knuckle Lights so that I can quickly point them in the direction of any sound or movement. Find them on Amazon HERE for $39.99 per set.

Fun in the snow? Yes, please! Mom’s like to have fun outside too! Few things make me smile more than running in the snow. I grab my YakTrax for some added traction and I go! I prefer the YakTrax Pro, with the springs, no spikes. I usually run on a variety of terrain. Even if its super snowy, sometimes I hit a street that is plowed and I’m down to blacktop before I know it. Not a problem with the springs! $29.99 per set.

A mom’s work is NEVER done. If she is training, working, running the household & being a mom, then she is probably on her feet most of the day. You want her to recover quickly. A good pair of compression socks will aid in recovery and put a smile on her face. There are tons of compression socks on the market now but CEP is medical grade. You’ll need her calf circumference to get the correct size! And pick a cute pair so that she loves them and thinks happy thoughts about YOU each times she pulls them on her tired feet/legs. Hawaii Blue & Pink 2.0 Compression socks pictured. $60

There are 4 gift ideas, all under $100. Hope that helps you find something for the special active lady in your house! And if the budget it tight, then skip all the above, and just take the kiddos out to play for a couple hours so that she can rest. That will be just as good as a gift under the tree. Promise.

I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas. And remember that time is one of the most precious gifts you can give, whether its time spent with loved ones, or time you give your significant other for themselves. Time is a very precious commodity with the busy lives we lead.

** Merry Christmas ** Amanda – TooTallFritz

CrossFit Endurance – Week 2

Posted on December 10, 2015 by tootallfritz

The past week has been a blur. Michael brought home the flu last week and I’ve been sick on and off since last THUR night. When my alarm rang on Tuesday morning at 4am, I was not feeling good but decided to go to CF Endurance since it only meets 2x per week. I REALLY did not want to miss it. I want, no, I NEED to regain my strength. It’s important to me for a lot of reasons. In my world a strong body is way more important than a thin one. Ever heard the quote, “Strong Is The New Skinny”? Strength, both emotional and physical, that’s what motivates me. What motivates you?

Regardless of what I wanted, heading to CF Endurance on Tuesday was not the smartest move. I choked on just about every aspect of the workout, including the warm up. I was absolutely exhausted, had zero energy and just about as much focus. I look back at the pic of Tuesday’s white board and can hardly even remember anything other than how fatigued I felt. Thank goodness I was back on track today! Here is a recap of what CrossFit Endurance at CrossFit Tactical Strength in Ft Wayne, Indiana looked like for Week 2.

Week 2 – TUE 5:30am

Warm Up – Squats – 30/20/30 – Initially with bands around our knees, no weights, then we added in a weight bar. I think. I was already exhausted by this time and we hadn’t even gotten started. I remember that we counted. Out loud. Together. And I didn’t want to even do that.

Strength – Box Squats – 10 minutes. We started with the bar only, 33#s for my group, then did a back squat onto a box (or bench for those of us who are extra tall). Progressed by adding weights, 10#s each side, 53# total. The first graphic shows the movement, the second shows the form better on the back half of the movement. Goal being a good squat and to load the glutes & hamstrings, not the quads.

Sumo Deadlifts – New skill for our newbie class. Bar only. Progression on the squat movement. It was a bit of a struggle for me because I’ve only done traditional deadlifts. So I wasn’t keeping my feet far enough apart or getting my knees out enough. Here is a great explanation from PeakPerformance365 on the difference between the two deadlifts. Graphic below is from the same source.

• Conventional deadlift. Conventional deadlifts place more emphasis on the back and spinal erectors (posterior chain). If you have a very strong lower back there is a good chance that you will be able to deadlift more using a conventional stance. (Body structure will also come into play)
• Sumo deadlift. Sumo deadlifts shift some of the emphasis to glutes, hamstrings, quads, hips and upper traps. If you are experiencing lower back issues, or have a history of lower back problems, sumo deadlifts may be a better option.

Traditional deadlift pictured on the left. Sumo deadlift on the right.

Accessory Work – Jump Ropes – Skips – Foot work

Metabolic Conditioning – AMRAP (As Many Rounds As Possible) – 3 min. 10 Sumo Deadlifts, 10 Push Ups. Rest 1:30, repeat. Yeah, I was exhausted way before this. I “lucked out” and got the bigger bar for deadlifts, so that was already 45#s, then I had to add 10#s per side. Not my idea, ok. And I didn’t use my words and say this was too much for my ailing body. My bad. So I was 65#s with the Sumo Deadlifts and I didn’t do well.

Week 2 – THUR 5:30am

Feeling better today and we are finally starting to move into some real workouts. I was super happy about our WOD today, or the “Met Con” section as they call it at this box. This was our 4th class and it’s good to see that we are getting somewhere, slowly but surely.

Warm Up – 4 Rounds – 10 seconds ea: Jumping Jacks, Air Squats, Mountain Climbers, Lunges. All traditional things, only twist was with the Mountain Climbers. We had to take our forward leg OUTSIDE our arms. Made it way tougher and very awkward. Great image from CrossFit Oakgrove below to show the exaggerated movement.

Mobility – Hip Distractions with a slight variation to work on additional flexibility to ankle.

Strength – Push Press. 12 min. 33# bar, progress to 10# weights on each side. 53# total. Yay, something I recognize! Graphic below from CrossFit Gardendale.

Metabolic Conditioning – 3 Rounds – AMRAP in 1:30: Sled Sprint + Max Ring Rows. Rest 1:30, repeat x3. Working on anaerobic threshold. Short burst of intensity to exhaustion and it worked. I couldn’t breath after pushing the sled. And I could barely pull myself up for the ring rows. Plus they wanted us super low on the ring rows so it was even harder. Sled image first, we used one 25# plate and that was plenty. I liked this graphic because the lady is pulling her knees up high (like a sprint), which was what we were supposed to be doing. Ring Rows second, old pic of me at CrossFit New Lenox when I was thinner and stronger. We were lower today, or supposed to be closer to the ground with out feet out further. Tough.

And that’s a wrap for Week 2. So far, I’m super happy. This is definitely different than what I did at CF New Lenox but it’s good. The current Endurance course is like a cross between personal training, physical therapy and CrossFit. We are spending a lot of time now trying to get critical movements to become second nature as our muscles build memory. After that we can build with more skills, or add onto the basic skills for more complex movements. I look forward to where we are headed! How about you? Crossfit? Love it or Leave it?

** Trying to Get Strong (AGAIN) ** Amanda – TooTallFritz

Winner of the Spartan Race Giveaway!

Posted on December 9, 2015 by tootallfritz

Lots of interest in the Spartan Race(s)! I love how they have brought another dimension to running, racing and fitness events in general. Thank you, Spartan Races!!!

The winner of this giveaway was selected by a random number generator. Who was randomly picked?

#57 – Christina VanDerWerff!! Christina please email me at amanda@tootallfritz.com with your Twitter handle so that I can verify that you follow me on Twitter. That was your winner entry! Then we’ll get you set up with a FREE Spartan Race!! WhoooHoooo!! Congrats!

For the rest of us, we can register for any Spartan Race HERE.

I strongly encourage everyone to start planning for 2016 so that you have something to work toward and a reason to get off the couch this winter! It’s a huge incentive knowing that there is a big race looming on the calendar as soon as the snow melts. Trust me on this one. Smile

Feel free to enter my giveaway for the 2016 Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon or Half HERE. Drawing for the Flying Pig entry will be next WED (12/16/15).

** Happy Running & Racing ** Amanda – TooTallFritz

Flying Pig Marathon (or Half) FREE Entry Giveaway – 2016

Posted on December 8, 2015 by tootallfritz

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Year after year, there are a few races that I hear about time and time again. It’s not because they are fast & flat and everyone crushes their PR. It’s because the race offers more than a course of 13.1 or 26.2 miles but also an EXPERIENCE. Flying Pig is one such race. I’ve been asked a 100 times if I’ve ran Flying Pig. My answer has always been, “no”. But that’s about to change, because I’m headed to the Flying Pig Marathon for 2016 and I want YOU to join me!

The 2016 theme is “Oinked For Life” where we are encouraged to fly with the pigs cuz they put the “fun in run”. Flying Pig is known for a fun filled weekend with events for the entire family. It’s also a big fundraiser for local charities hosting the Piggest Raffle Ever & Pig Drop to start off the weekend in style! Can’t wait, I’ve never been to a Pig Drop!

They’ve also joined a fast growing trend where races offer some sort of “challenge” which results in extra bling, swag or rewards for participating in more than the main event. The Flying Pig is all about getting everyone involved in the activities in and around the community for the entire weekend. This year, there will be both a 3 Way Challenge (10K, 5K & Half Marathon) and a 4 Way Challenge (10K & 5K & Marathon). Or you can do either Challenge “with Extra Cheese” and toss in the Little Kings Mile on Friday Night. As an added incentive to walk or run the Little Kings Mile, the Pig Drop is at the Little Kings after party and I know you don’t want to miss that! Additional details from the website below:

3-Way / 4-Way Challenge with Extra Cheese

You’ve asked for a new challenge at the Flying Pig, so we’ve come up with a new, fun series within Flying Pig weekend: The 3-Way and 4-Way Challenge with Extra Cheese! It combines the Skyline Chili 3-Way (Toyota 10K, Tri State Running Company 5K and the half marathon) and 4-Way (10K, 5K and full marathon) with a twist—the Little Kings Mile on Friday night of Flying Pig weekend!

Skyline Chili 3-Way and 4-Way Challenge with Extra Cheese finishers will receive additional premiums for their great achievements, including a 3-Way/4-Way finisher’s shirt, an additional 3-Way/4-Way Challenge finisher’s medal, and a plaque to display all five event medals. Start your Flying Pig experience a day early, and be one of the first to sign up for the 3-Way or 4-Way Challenge with Extra Cheese!

So if you are in it for the bling and swag, then sign up for the 3 or 4-Way Challenge “with Extra Cheese”! I’m certainly looking at my schedule to see how much fun I can fit into one weekend! I’ll definitely be running the marathon, hopefully one of the challenges too.

The 2016 finishers medal has not yet been unveiled but here is the 2015 version for marathon finishers. Cute!

It all sounds super cool, right? Okay, let’s get you set up to win a FREE entry into the half or full Flying Pig marathon on Sunday, May 1, 2016. If you are interested in being entered into the drawing, please comment below (one point). If you REALLY want to win, then you can get additional entries by jumping thru a few hoops (listed below). Just let me know in the comments what actions you preformed so I can allot you the proper amount of entries.

Comment Below – Required – 1 Entry
Like the TooTallFritz Facebook page HERE – 1 Entry
Like the Flying Pig Facebook page HERE – 1 Entry
Follow TooTallFritz on Twitter HERE – 1 Entry
Follow Flying Pig on Twitter HERE – 1 Entry
Follow TooTallFritz on Instagram HERE – 1 Entry
Follow Flying Pig on Instagram HERE – 1 Entry

Total of 7 entries available for this giveaway. Let me know in the comments what to credit you. Note: it’s a freebie if you already follow me or the Flying Pig Marathon on any of our social media channels. Smile Giveaway goes from now until December 16, 2015 at noon CST. Good luck!!

** Let’s Fly With The Pigs ** Amanda – TooTallFritz

CrossFit Endurance–Week 1

Posted on December 4, 2015 by tootallfritz

Tuesday, December 1st was my first day back to CrossFit in a VERY long time.

According to CrossFit.com:

CrossFit is defined as that which optimizes fitness (constantly varied functional movements performed at relatively high intensity). CrossFit is also the community that spontaneously arises when people do these workouts together. In fact, the communal aspect of CrossFit is a key component of why it’s so effective.

I’m currently in a CF Endurance class at CrossFit Tactical Strength in Ft Wayne, IN. According to CrossFitEndurance.com:

CrossFit Endurance is an endurance sports training program dedicated to improving performance, fitness and endurance sports potential. We inspire, coach, and provide our community with the most aggressive and proven fundamentals of sports science, exercise physiology, nutrition, and athletic training protocols.

The difference between a traditional CF course and an Endurance course is all about fundamentals. The Endurance class spends a lot of time on stretching, trying to activate muscles, think glutes & hamstrings, that are dormant in the bodies of most endurance athletes. We focus on movement and doing things correctly. We spend more time talking and practicing moves verses just banging out WODs. Ultimately, the endurance based CF class will not only increase strength but focus on reducing volume of endurance based training while increasing the quality of workouts. It’s a process. Strength, nutrition & flexibility seem to be key to our impending success. I hope you’ll follow along and see how CF Endurance impacts my running and triathlon adventures in 2016.

Week 1, TUE 5:30a Class

Brand new class. Fresh group of endurance athletes ready to get strong! From left: Me, Amy, Sheryl, Adella, Jaime & Brandy.

Warm Up:

1) Plank Series: Front Plank, Superman, Side Plank Left, Side Plank Right. Hold each for 10 seconds, rotate to next move. 3-4 rotations. Week 1 was rough for me, even the warm-ups. I have shaky arm syndrome from being weak.

2) Hip Distraction – Let’s open up those hips and stretch the glutes and hamstrings. We were instructed to hold the stretch on each hip for 2-3 minutes. It takes 2 minutes for a change to occur in how our muscles work. Apparently, if we hold for a minimum of 2 minutes we create a new muscle memory. I can’t say one way or another because our version of this stretch had our back knee on the ground and both of my knees are injured from falling a couple weeks ago. So I tried to do this but couldn’t hold it very long because I couldn’t tolerate the pressure on my knee(s). I like the version in the picture and will try this next time.

Accessory Work (Kinda like Physical Therapy for all of us laymen) – Banded Hip Bridges – 3 sets of 10-15. We did it without additional weight.

Skill/Strength: Air Squat & Box Squat. A silly thing like a squat and we spent a lot of time on it this week. Being a long time endurance athlete, it’s hard for my glutes & hamstrings to activate. Spent a lot of time on proper positioning and getting our form correct.

Metabolic Conditioning – Mostly anaerobic for us since we get enough aerobic condition from the run, bike, swim. Tabata (4 minutes – 8 rounds, 20 seconds on, 10 seconds rest, repeat x8) – Rowing for Calories, Pushups. One group was rowing for the 8 rounds, other group did Pushups. Then we switched.

Week 1, THUR 5:30a Class

Warm Up: 1) Plank Series (Front Plank, Superman, Left Side Plank, Right Side Plank) 3-4 rounds of 10 seconds each. 2) Banded Walk with Squat. Once again building on that squat.

Skill/Strength: Deadlift (first image) & Push Press with Kettlebell (second image)

Metabolic Conditioning (WOD for normal CrossFitters): 21-15-9 Reps for Time of Kettlebell Deadlifts, Kettlebell Push Press & Situps. 3 rounds, 21 of each move the first round, 15 of each second round, 9 of each last round.

Accessory: GHD (Glutes Hamstring Developer) Hold. This was super hard for me. I have zero core strength and all my weight was on low my quads. It hurt. I didn’t do very well with it.

That’s a wrap for Week 1! I learned some new moves. I was humbled by how weak my body has become. And I realized exactly how damaged my poor knees are from the fall. I’m in rough shape right now. But onward & upward, right?

**Disclaimer – I write about my workouts for informational purposes. I personally need to do CrossFit & High Intensity workouts in a gym/box with supervision so that my movements are monitored to avoid injury. In the past, people have suggested that these moves are easy enough to do at home. Not for me. I share my journey with you so that you can see what these programs are like and have the courage to try them for yourself if you have an interest. Under the supervision of a trained professional. If you attend a CF class and are not constantly being hounded about your form and movement then 1) you are perfect or 2) your CF instructor doesn’t care about your safety. Please keep that in mind. I’ve had good luck with the facilities that I have attended but I’ve also heard horror stories about CF in general. Make sure your instructor cares about you and helps you to avoid injury thru proper movement and form.

** Working on Strength & Conditioning ** Amanda – TooTallFritz

A Return to CrossFit ….

Posted on December 3, 2015 by tootallfritz

Call this a week of new beginnings. It’s been approximately 612 days since my last CrossFit session. My CrossFit days came to a screeching halt in the Spring of 2014 as we learned that we were moving from IL to IN. Hubby had received a very sudden job offer for a position that I believe he had been interviewing on for over 7 months. We had about 2 days to decide if he should take it. Then we had another 2 weeks of mania before he left to start the new job, 200 miles away from where we lived in IL. It was a crazy time and to be honest, I still am not sure I’m settled in Indiana. Although I love the new area and being close to my family and old HS friends, it’s been nothing but a long period of adjustment, struggle and pure chaos, which is far from over. It hasn’t been fun but I’ve made a real effort to get back to basics and focus on my food, weight and regain my lost strength (both physically & emotionally). That’s what I focus on each day. I make the choice to eat well and be strong.

I’ve been looking for a CrossFit Endurance type program since I moved in August 2014. But it wasn’t that easy. The area I’ve moved to is much smaller. I’m now in a suburb of Ft Wayne, Indiana NOT Chicago. Slightly different market. There are very few CF boxes here and only one CF Endurance program within a 40 mile radius. That Endurance program was a cruise from where I live AND it’s an evening class. As a wife and mother with a full time J.O.B, evening classes don’t really happen for me. Ever.

So I visited a couple CF “boxes” (AKA “gyms”) looking for a CF class somewhat close to my new home. It didn’t go well. One box owner told me I was out of shape, overweight, and due to my history of injuries, I would need to be personally trained before I could possibly even go to one of their CF classes. Great. I knew all that but couldn’t afford a personal trainer or a bigger wound to my already damaged self esteem. So I tried to do home based CF workouts. I talked to some of the trainers at my local YMCA to see if we could get some CF equipment at the Y. I was making an effort but ultimately failing because I wasn’t even sure if I was doing the CF moves correctly. I knew I needed to regain my strength. I wanted to do Strict Presses, Push Presses and Dead Lifts, etc but I didn’t have anyone watching to make sure I wasn’t screwing things up. So I basically gave up til recently when I once again started searching for options. And bingo, one of the CF gyms had just moved to the north side of Ft Wayne.

513 Incentive Drive, Ft Wayne, IN * (260) 310-5360 * anthonyshefferly@gmail.com

I went for a visit. Can’t say I had a ton of hope. We still haven’t managed to sell our IL house and things are not good for us financially. I pretty much assumed that I couldn’t afford anything they were offering. But looking and talking are free, right?

Long story short, we set up a CrossFit Endurance Class on Tuesdays & Thursdays at 5:30am. Offering a one month trial period for December 2015. Very low cost (almost free). Trial period for any runner, triathlete, endurance athlete who may be interested in seeing if this is something they want to pursue. Trial period for CF Tactical Strength to see if an Endurance class will work for them and if there is a real interest/need for this type of class.

December 1st was our first class. Stay tuned for more info on my first week back to CrossFit tomorrow!

P.S. ….. Don’t forget to enter my giveaway for a FREE Entry to a Spartan Race of your choosing. Go HERE to enter!

** Happy Running & Enduring WHATEVER Your Heart Desires ** Amanda – TooTallFritz

Spartan Race FREE Entry Giveaway!

Posted on December 2, 2015 by tootallfritz

As 2015 is coming to a close I think most of us are looking back at our year and trying to decide on a bit of direction for 2016. Some of us may be tired of training. Some of us may be looking for a new direction. Others have just moved into beast mode. How about you? Where would you like to go in 2016? Need a new challenge? How would YOU like to become a Spartan?

I have ONE free entry to give away to a Spartan Race of YOUR choice, anywhere within the continental US!!! The Reebok Spartan Races have been around for years. It is one of the few obstacle course races which offer events for the whole family: kids, those just starting on their fitness journey, and those of you who are a bit more serious. Something for everyone and that’s what I like about this race series! More official info, from the Spartan Races website, below:

Spartan Race™

World’s Best Obstacle Race. Period.

Born in the scenic hills of Vermont, Spartan Race was created to bring the excitement of obstacle racing to spectators and athletes alike. That means you.

Spartan Race is a true adventure that anyone can do, and everyone should try. With course lengths of 3+miles (Sprint), 8+miles, (Super) and 12+miles (Beast) each course is filled with mud, water, and signature obstacles designed to help you discover your inner Spartan. Athletes of all fitness levels will enjoy participating in a Spartan Race and the feeling of accomplishment that comes at the finish line.

Spartan Race even has events for kids. We believe that fitness and adventure should involve the whole family. Come out and watch your kids run, jump, and climb like children were meant to do all in their own Spartan Kids race.

For those that want a more team based experience Spartan Race has the Hurricane Heat and for the truly adventurous the Hurricane Heat 12 Hour. The Hurricane Heat takes you out of the individual role and has you work with a group of complete strangers to complete tasks designed to bring you together as a team.

So if you are starting to load your calendar for 2016, I recommend trying something different. Something fun. Something to force you to work on both strength & endurance. Something that will move you beyond your comfort zone. Something that will challenge you.

If you are interested in being entered into the drawing for the FREE ENTRY to a Spartan Race of your choosing, please comment below (one point). If you REALLY want to win, then you can get additional entries by jumping thru a few hoops (listed below). Just let me know in the comments what actions you preformed so I can allot you the proper amount of entries.

Comment Below – Required – 1 Entry
Like the TooTallFritz Facebook page HERE – 1 Entry
Like the Spartan Races Facebook page HERE – 1 Entry
Follow TooTallFritz on Twitter HERE – 1 Entry
Follow Spartan Races on Twitter HERE – 1 Entry
Follow TooTallFritz on Instagram HERE – 1 Entry
Follow Spartan Races on Twitter HERE – 1 Entry

Total of 7 entries available for this giveaway. Let me know in the comments what to credit you. Note: it’s a freebie if you already follow me or Spartan Races on any of our social media channels. Smile Giveaway goes from now until December 9, 2015 at noon CST. Good luck!!

** Let’s Step Out of Our Comfort Zone ** Amanda – TooTallFritz

Happy Thanksgiving & Let’s #OptOutside for Black Friday

Posted on November 26, 2015 by tootallfritz

Hey, all! The holidays are a wonderful time of year, full of traditions. Some of us start our day with a local Turkey Trot while others are already warming the kitchen with the smell of homemade pumpkin pie. I want to wish each and every one of you a joyous Thanksgiving! I’ll be thinking of you all and hoping that you are surrounded by friends, family and someone who loves you!

The holidays are full of tradition. When I lived in IL, I would always host a Black Friday run at Waterfall Glen. There wasn’t a hashtag for #OptOutside. There wasn’t a big corporation behind the movement to get people outside. Nobody was talking about health, wellness, fitness, friends or family on Black Friday. No, they gave their thanks on Thursday and moved on to retail madness on Black Friday. Some big retail chains are saying NO this year. REI in particular started the push to #OptOutside for Black Friday by giving all of their employees the day off with pay. Many other retailers has followed suit. I encourage all of you to #OptOutside for Black Friday. Let’s wait for Cyber Monday to get all those amazing deals for our little angels, from the comfort of our home, where we can shop in our PJs. That’s what I’ll be doing.

If you need a place to go on Black Friday to #OptOutside, I’ll be leading a group run at Pokagon State Park, in Angola, IN. Details HERE. If you don’t want to follow me, then you can follow Lilo. She promises an AMAAHHHZING trail run! Or if you aren’t close to us, then REI has a link HERE to find a place to #OptOutside.

** Let’s Hit The Trails With Lilo & #OptOutside on Black Friday ** Amanda – TooTallFritz

Route 66 Marathon Race Review & Where NOT to Stay in Tulsa

Posted on November 25, 2015 by tootallfritz

The Route 66 Marathon is in the done column & so is the great state of Oklahoma! This was my 25th marathon and the 15th state in my quest to run a marathon in every state. In order to be totally honest, when ~~Judy talked us into Rt 66~~ we signed up, I didn’t exactly know where Tulsa, OK was on the map. So I think I asked a few questions before pulling the registration lever: 1) Can we drive there? 2) It’s the weekend before Thanksgiving, can Julie get time off from her retail J.O.B.? 3) Is anyone else running? Turns out EVERYONE was running, so it was a done deal. We went to Tulsa, Oklahoma with 2000 other Marathon Maniacs, Half Fanatics & 50 States Club members. I’m in the back. Don’t worry, I can’t see me either. Smile

Tulsa was a 12 hour drive from Auburn, IN. Takes longer when you have car trouble and have to stop every 2 seconds to turn off the car to reset the code and/or try to find a dealership with an open service department, in God’s Country, on a weekend. Yeah, that happened but we finally rolled into Tulsa early Saturday afternoon. Tulsa is in the north east corner of the Panhandle State. Hello, Oklahoma!

I was scheduled to be part of a Blogger Forum at the expo Saturday afternoon. We made it in time for that and I got to meet some other bloggers and hear some great stories about running, blogging and life. From left to right: Esther, Jim, Joules, Angela & me.

The expo was a decent size but packet pick up was crowded and the computers went down causing long lines and some crabby runners. Sad smile Fortunately, we were in and out of the expo pretty quickly.

We hit some key booths: Garmin & Gypsy Runner (cuz Amy runs a lot of the same races that we do, so we are totally BFFs, right?), then on to the hotel and dinner.

Normally, I try to keep things positive and upbeat but from runner to runner, I feel the need to share. If you are planning to run this race next year, I’ll tell you where NOT to stay. The Holiday Inn Express & Suites Tulsa WEST – Sand Springs, 101 West Marrow Road, Sand Springs, OK. Although we had called BEFORE we booked a reservation and were guaranteed late checkout, the manager did not honor that request when we checked in on race weekend. And she was rude. We were told to get our stuff out of the room on race morning, then come back after the marathon and she would check to see if they had a DIRTY room they had not yet cleaned. IF she could find a dirty room, then maybe she would let us shower there. Yeah, that didn’t happen. I don’t want to shower in a dirty room where I don’t even know the former occupants. This was a very unpleasant experience and now I’ve removed the Holiday Inn & Holiday Inn Express from my list of acceptable hotels. I run a lot of races. I travel for running, work and leisure and I have to admit that most places we stay are very accommodating. Nobody has ever rudely sent me on my way, without a shower, for a 12+ hour drive, after running for 4-5 hours. And hopefully this will never happen again. We had multiple friends who had a great experience at the Double Tree, 616 W. Seventh Street, Tulsa, OK. Do yourself a favor and stay there instead.

Onto the race itself. Very cold morning. Race start and finish were in two separate locations but there were shuttles between those spots. Win!! We were underdressed and froze our bums off awaiting the race start. But once the race started it was worth the wait. There were starting corrals with very strict watchers making sure everyone was in their correct place. 5 minutes between corral starts. Each corral was sent off in a flurry of confetti.

As always the first 3-4+ miles were super crowded, although for once, I didn’t have to run around a lot of walkers who started ahead of me. But the streets were narrow and I wouldn’t so much see the hills we were running but rather feel the momentum going up or down. It was a strange feeling but a cool one. The course was beautiful and a perfect highlight reel of Tulsa: Cascia Hall, Woodward Park, Rt 66 Pedestrian Bridge, University of Tulsa & amazing neighborhoods that were both pet & kid friendly. It looked like an awesome place to live with so many houses showcasing lots of unique character.

Bands. Lots of bands. The Rock N Roll series has NOTHING on The Rt 66 Marathon. Nothing. I heard more live music in this race than I’ve heard in all of my combined races this year. Everything from Folk to Gospel to Rock to Bongo drums (we saw that guy 5x, he was committed to us in a HUGE way). Great show, Tulsa, really great.

Community support! Wow. Marathons take a long time. This one took me personally FOREVER to run. The community was out in full force, even in the chilly temps, with kids, dogs, food, drinks, jello shots, mimosas, beer shots, and even offering therapeutic rollers for those of us who had gotten a “little” stiff from the hills.

Hills? Did I say hills? Yes. Lots of hills. More than I had expected and I didn’t fare very well on them either. Without going into all the ~~bloody~~ gory details, I fell last week while running and managed to mess myself up pretty good. Well, I didn’t really know how messed up I was til I started hitting those hills. Apparently I did more than bloody myself in the fall. My hips are WAY out of line now and I stretched some of the muscles around my right hip and left knee. So I was a hurting momma in Tulsa on Sunday and to be honest, had it not been for my BRF, Julie, I would have quit. I almost quit anyhow. But she “carried” me thru and stayed with me even though she could have ran so much faster.

So, did we take the detour? Heck yeah!. The Rt 66 Marathon offers a Center of the Universe detour. It adds 0.3 miles to your marathon and you get a cool looking coin for taking the challenge. DONE!

And we finished. Cool medal. Cool after party. The Marathon Maniacs had their own special Maniac Corner where we traded in our medals for special Marathon Maniac medals. Super cool. This really is a must do marathon if you are a Maniac. It’s a GREAT race with lots of support from the race volunteers, the local law enforcement and the community. And THAT’s what makes for a great marathon. Julie, Judy & Me in Maniac Corner cuz we are definitely some sort of maniacs.

Thumbs up for Tulsa & the Route 66 Marathon!

** Rock the Route at Rt 66** Amanda – TooTallFritz

How to Stay Motivated Thru The Winter

Posted on November 17, 2015 by tootallfritz

I can already see it. It’s happening to my group runners at the YMCA of DeKalb County and it’s happening to some of my friends. The Winter Blues are moving in and the snow has yet to fly in NE Indiana.

I know that the time change put a real damper on things. It seems like it’s dark ALL THE TIME now. But that doesn’t mean that we give up until spring. As always, let’s focus and make a plan to combat those winter blues!! First, consider trying a new fitness activity or class. Use the winter months to get stronger, leaner and even more amazing. Make this winter YOUR B*TCH.

I’m taking #1 to heart this year! I’ll be starting a CrossFit Endurance class on December 1st. Tuesday & Thursdays @ 5:30am. Feel free to join me if you are local and want to make 2016 your best year to date! I’m going to get strong AND stay ahead of those winter blues!!!

CrossFit Tactical Strength
513 Incentive Drive, Ft Wayne, IN 46825
(260) 310-5360

Second, I think it’s important to not only do some different activities during the winter months but reconnect with what you really love. For me, running is my game. I love it. But pounding the pavement gets BORING. So I really try to mix it up in the fall and winter months. The way I do that is by hitting the trails. I leave my music at home. Grab my 4 legged running partner and we run. If I get tired, we walk. If a hill is too steep we walk. I don’t have a mileage goal, we just run and enjoy the amazing environment. Bonus: the trees provide a wind break on those blustery days! Secret: Running in the fresh fallen snow is invigorating and gives a sense of peace.

Third, don’t go too long without a real plan. I know you just killed your fall races. Nailed some amazing goals, maybe even got the big BQ. Bask in the glory! Take some time off! Put your feet up in the recliner and cuddle the little ones. And then figure out what’s next so that you have a definitive point to get back to work. I find that putting a spring marathon on my calendar keeps me honest thru the winter months. I can be lazy like anyone but sometimes I need a reason to get my butt out in the cold to move my body. My 2016 Spring Marathon will be the Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon. May 1st, 2016. Far enough ahead that I get some down time. Close enough that I don’t get lazy.

Think about how you want your winter to look this year. Think about what strides you would like to make while others are spending time in hibernation. Think about the goals you have on board for 2016 and how you can get one step closer by focusing on improving yourself in the off season!

After the Thanksgiving holiday, I’ll talk more about CrossFit Endurance and how to train for the Flying Pig Marathon DURING THE WINTER. For now, I’m pretty focused on the Route 66 Marathon this weekend and the fact that I’m speaking on the blogger panel Saturday at 3pm, Expo Stage. If you are at Rt 66 this weekend, find me and tell me how you plan to make this winter YOUR B*TCH.

** Stay Motivated THIS Winter ** Amanda – TooTallFritz

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3-Way / 4-Way Challenge with Extra Cheese

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