Don’t Wait For Me….

Posted on February 22, 2013 by tootallfritz

Ever feel as free as a bird and not want to stop running? This doesn’t happen often and I’m so frequently strapped to my chaotic schedule that it can’t happen even if I am in fact feeling “free”. However, on Wednesday night, I just didn’t want to stop. I run with a group on WEDs, ended up a bit ahead and just didn’t stop at our normal spot. I was hoping everyone would go on home and not worry about me but of course, as I finally returned to my car, there they were awaiting my return. Ugh! I felt bad. I felt guilty. I’m sorry! In the future, please, don’t wait for me!

I’m a very random runner. I like to run fast. I like to run slow. I like to walk. I like to talk. I like to run far. I like to run short. I really, just like to run. Therefore, I am a wildcard so don’t wait for me.

I’ve been putting in a lot of treadmill miles this winter due to our frenzied family schedules. Therefore, when I actually get to hit the pavement and the wind isn’t trying to destroy me, I just want to run. Run free. Run for as long as I am able. So please, don’t wait for me.

I run a lot of solo miles. Actually most of my miles are solo. I run in the daylight. I run in the dark. I run country roads. I run city streets. I run trails. I run paths. I run the beach when I am able. So the thought of someone waiting for me is almost unimaginable because I spend so much time running alone. So let’s agree that in the future….. you don’t need to feel obligated to wait for me. I appreciate your concern. I appreciate your caring. I appreciate you. However, I don’t want to feel guilty. I don’t want to feel rushed. For once I want to feel free as if somebody isn’t actually ….. waiting on me. So please, don’t wait for me.

Have you ever ran a little extra and had a person, or two, awaiting your return? Super nice but makes you feel bad, right? 😦

** The Random Runner ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

Swim Analysis….

Posted on February 20, 2013 by tootallfritz

Well, last night was a totally new experience. While I have swam my entire life, I don’t lay claim to having any particular skills. I can swim for a long time but not particularly fast. I’ve been wanting to take a formal swim “lesson” for well over a year but apparently my work, life, family schedule isn’t very user friendly so it never worked out. However, last night MJ from TriSmart carved a notch out of her evening to help myself and a friend.

I won’t say that we were thrilled about going, quite the contrary. Initially, we were going to swim at the same time that TriSmart had a group swim and this was super intimidating for us. I have swam with TriSmart before but it wasn’t my fault, we “all” just happened to be at the same pool. It’s happened multiple times actually and its not fun. They do workouts and I just swim. Since their workouts are broken down into shorter segments where they work on one particular skill for a shorter period of time, they get a decent pace going. And they splash a lot of water around. And the rocking and rolling of the pool tidal waves make me want to stay as far away from them as possible so that I can “just” swim. The thought of jumping right into a group session where I was ALSO supposed to be getting individualized instruction, sounded less than ideal. Fortunately, MJ managed to get us an earlier slot and it was a much more relaxed atmosphere. Thanks, MJ!

We did a 100 yard (4 lengths of the pool, 25 yard = 1 length) time trial where my lack of swimming really showed in my poor endurance. I was 10 seconds faster on the first length vs the last. Oooops. Sorry about that! Actually that’s how I run too. I know, even splits are better. Boooooo!!!!

We did a 50 yard swim to test efficiency by determining how many strokes it took to get thru one length. Too many apparently. Therefore, I need to work on efficiency with the end goal being less strokes to cover the length of the pool verses those I used last night. How to get more efficient? Rotate more in the water and get that slipstream going!

We received lots of tips, like I should NOT hold my breath when I swim. 🙂 I don’t think that’s normal for me but I was nervous. I haven’t been in the pool since August. Plus, I really was holding my breath and “forgetting” to exhale while I was face down in the water.

I also managed to forget about my “rotation”, a skill that I worked on for probably 6 months prior to my first half ironman in 2008. I wasn’t reaching far enough and I also was not rotating my body enough in the water. As soon as it was mentioned, the light bulb popped on…..

I’ve previous worked on the reach and follow thru for long periods of time. I would have thought it to be ingrained in my memory but apparently not. In fact, I’m quite certain that I swam all year last year NOT reaching and NOT following thru with good rotation. I can see the lack of it here in this video that MJ shot:

I am also bringing my arms too far in front of my body. She wants them wider so as not to cross motion but continue the motion going forward. Lots to work on. Where to start? Ugh! The swim analysis comes with a workout so that I can start working on remembering what I “used to” know and also fix some of the things that I didn’t even know where wrong, like trying to swim with my arms wider in the water. Lots of fun ahead!

Have you have done a swim analysis? Would you think about it? We have a few more months before TRI season really takes off in the Midwest, so now is the time to hit the pool and correct some of the little flaws that might be weighing US down. 🙂

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

Registration Nightmare….

Posted on February 19, 2013 by tootallfritz

Up until this morning at 7am, I was absolutely certain that I was NOT going to register for the 2013 Chicago Marathon. It wasn’t going to happen. I wasn’t upset about it. I just wasn’t willing to commit until I got thru the Lansing Marathon to see how my foot took the abuse training regimen. No big deal. Then at 7am this morning, it hit me like a ton of bricks and I started “thinking” about it. Thinking about how sad I was last year to miss the marathon. Thinking about how much I love Chicago Marathon weekend. Thinking about how easy it is to just drive downtown the morning of the race, run and drive back home to my babies when I’m finished.

Well, I’m a better “doer” than “thinker” so by 7:05 am, I was browsing thru my old email folder looking for the alumni charity runner info that Ronald McDonald House Charities had sent me. By 7:30, my commitment form was signed and sent off to RMHC. Done. Or so I thought.

Little did I know that the charity runner registration process had changed since last year. RMHC no longer registered me (which had to be a total nightmare on their end) but instead, sent me a registration link and a code to register. This meant that I had to fight the fight with everyone else come noon. Now, I was ready and waiting at noon just like everyone else. I have a high powered cpu at work and it should have taken minutes to register but instead the link took me to a page that notified me that the site was currently “unavailable”.

Again, and again, and again. Sometimes, I’d get a bit of information entered, then click to the next screen to reveal the above message box. Two times, I made it all the way to the end and entered my charity code. The first time, it immediately took me to the “site is unavailable” screen, the second time, it acknowledged my code, then encouraged me to click “submit” to finalize my registration. It was at that time, it took me back to the “site is unavailable” screen. So am I in, or not? My friend Jill sent me this screen shot which she found under the “runner’s registered” section:

So I “think” I’m in although I have yet to get a confirmation email. Maybe, maybe not. I’m done stressing about it. If it’s meant to be, I’ll be running the streets of Chicago on October 13th. If not, I’ll go to Indy, or Detroit, or Milwaukee and run one of those much smaller but still amazing races. Enough is enough but I’m curious to see if I’m in or not! I truly love the Chicago Marathon. I think its worth the $$. Its worth the time and effort training in the summer heat. It’s worth it for me since its in my backyard!

How did you make out in the registration extravaganza today? Are YOU in?

Don’t forget, you can still register for the Lansing Half or Full Marathon with the $10 off coupon code: CHICAGO10. They have room for you!

** Good luck, no matter where you race! ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

Knuckle Lights Giveaway Winner & a Quick trip to the Great Smoky Mountains

Posted on February 18, 2013 by tootallfritz

So happy that the Knuckle Lights got such a great response. These really are a great product and one that I use all the time. In my opinion it’s the best lighting option available and I am a very happy customer!

The winner of the free pair of blue Knuckle Lights is #26, Mary Milella.

It looks like Mary is a local. Mary, do I know you? Come run with me!!!! 🙂

Mary, please email me at amanda@tootallfritz.com with your name and address so that I can get these Knuckle Lights to you ASAP. I want you and your friends to be safe!

** Happy SAFE Running ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

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The Price of the Bling…..

Posted on February 14, 2013 by tootallfritz

I think we are living in a “Bigger is Better” type society where some feel the need to constantly outdo, outlast, outspend. This mentality is starting to saturate the world of road racing. Somebody saw this coming. I guess, we should have seen it coming too since the size of local road races keep increasing on an annual basis. More and more people are coming to the running arena each and every day. This an amazing thing and I’m proud to be part of such a growing community but with size comes diversity. Each and every runner wants something different from their race experience .…. and big business is cashing in on those desires.

Big, Sparkly, Heavy Finisher Medals
Bands & Live Entertainment on course
Themed Races: Color, Mud, Chocolate, Wine, Beer, Women Specific
Finish Line Celebrations
Big Expos
Multiple Race Distance Options
Expensive SWAG: Sweatshirts, Jackets, Blankets

All of these “big, awesome, cool” things come with a price tag. Yes, your bling is costing YOU money and it’s costing me extra money too! I like to run. I like to race. I like to race a lot. However, now that we have commercialized road racing, the cost has gone up and some can’t afford these extra expenditures. And let’s be honest, what are we doing with all this shit? We are paying big money to clutter our house with advertisements of a race gone by. Yes, all that “stuff” they give us has their name on it. They are advertising every day right in our homes, in our offices, everywhere we go wearing their gear and when we keep looking triumphantly at the “bling”.

I’m not saying the bling is bad. I understand that some want/need that to motivate them. Whatever it takes to motivate you is a good thing. But please know that each time we sign up for one of these bigger/badder races, it comes with a cost. One that is beyond the initial financial obligation but more importantly, we are setting a precedent for the direction of future road racing. Think about what the bling means to you. Think about where you want road racing to be in 10 years. Think about who wins when we spend.

If you want to have access to some smaller races, with a lower price tag and less “stuff”, then don’t forget to throw some $$ toward these types of races this year. Otherwise they may not be there next year, or the year after, when you decided that you’ve already done that really big, really cool race that costs a ton of $$. Let your friends know that you are opting out of Big Race X this year in lieu of Small Race Y and I bet they will join you! The more the merrier right? That’s how big business got us in the first place but we can take it back and CHOOSE to support small races too. Try it. You might like it.

** Small Races are Cool Too ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

Knuckle Lights Review & Giveaway

Posted on February 13, 2013 by tootallfritz

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I was super excited to see a package on my doorstep from Knuckle Lights this week. I’ve talked about these ~~many, many times~~ before because they are very high up on my favorite things list. If you run in the dark, then get ready to be introduced to the MVP of illuminated running. Knuckle Lights:

My first “in the dark” runs were ~~a really long time ago~~ with my friend Lisa E, while I was in college. She was a teacher at a local high school which required her to be up and moving WAY before me. She would hit the pavement before the sun came up in order to knock out her run before starting the mom, wife, teacher duties. I’m not really sure why a young college student would get up early in the morning to run but it seemed like a good idea at the time and I obviously REALLY liked Lisa so that made it so much more sane. I would meet her at 5 am, we would stretch/run, then hit the gym when it opened at 6am to get in some StairMaster work before everyone else woke up. Then I would return to the dorm, shower and go back to bed. 🙂

Thinking back to those runs, I have fond memories. Friendship. Running. Stars. Fitness. Laughter. It’s no wonder that I don’t mind running in the dark now because I can just pretend I’m running with Lisa and look up at our favorite star for great memories. However, times have changed. My body has changed. I’m more fragile and my roads are darker than our illuminated college campus and the small college town where we ran. I also have developed a knack for stepping “off the road” or into potholes. I’ve rolled my ankle countless times. These Knuckle Lights have been a game changer for me. I am in love. I’ve been in love since my first pair, which I purchased several years ago. They are bright. They light the way. They take me anywhere I want to go regardless of the lighting conditions. They BRING the light.

The first pair that I purchased were the originals. Version 1, if you will. I bought them in yellow as a gender neutral color that the entire family could use. Definitely one of the best purchases I’ve ever made.

I use them for running & hiking and the family uses them outside at night for various reasons (mostly dog related). The kids frequently try to steal them to “play”. It is safe to say that they are a family item ~~that I try to hide away in my running bag~~. The yellow lights have taken me many places and recently made the trip to Ragnar FL Keys. No wimpy headlamp for me, I’ve got Knuckle Lights! Yes, they are approved for Ragnar nighttime running. In fact, here I am coming down a dark street in Miami with one of my lights.

Although the Knuckle Lights come as a pair, I frequently only take one light with me so that I have the other hand free. I don’t run with music and tend to be very cautious. I like a free hand to break a fall or be able to grab my pepper spray if necessary. One light provides a lot of light and I’m very comfortable running that way but everyone else I know uses both lights, all the time, for the full 90 Lumens of light (45 lumens for each light).

The lights slide over an open hand easily and they are very comfortable. There is an adjustable strap to snug up the fit if it isn’t initially perfect.

The second version of lights (in blue above) have a few upgrades. 1) There are now three light options: High, Low, & Blinking. Version 1 only had one setting, which is equivalent to the “low” on this new version. Yes, these newbies are actually brighter. I tested them out this morn taking both a new one and an old one for my morning run. There was a noticeable difference. 2) The strap is now a soft silicone verses the more rigid rubber from the first version. I remember them updating version one after some issues with the straps breaking. I’ve never had a problem with my strap at all but I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the soft silicone they use now. It just melted into my hand and I totally forgot about it. Great update! Worth upgrading!

I’m so happy to have found Knuckle Lights. They have been a game changer for me and have made my morning runs so much safer. I also use them on the trail for group runs at night. I love that they come in a pair so that I can share with other runners who don’t have lights!

If you would like an opportunity to win a pair of Knuckle Lights, please comment below and tell me how you light up your nighttime runs. You can also get one bonus entry for going to the Knuckle Lights Facebook page HERE and liking them. Please leave a separate comment below stating that you liked Knuckle Lights on Facebook and provide your facebook name for verification purposes. I will draw one winner for a set of BLUE Knuckle Lights ($39.99 value) via a random number generator on Monday, February 18th at noon. Good luck!

** Be Safe – Illuminate YOUR Run ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

Take a Breath…..

Posted on February 12, 2013 by tootallfritz

I notice that a lot of people are in a down cycle right now and many of them are feeling a bit guilty about it. If this is you, don’t feel guilty for taking care of yourself! I’m a firm believer that training cycles are healthy, good for your body as well as your mind. Most people need a down cycle to allow full recovery from a hard training/racing season. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule but MOST of us need to rest. Sleep. Veg. Take care of ourselves. This isn’t something that will happen over the course of a day, or a weekend, or even a week. A down cycle is a prescribed period of time where you specifically focus on different things in order to facilitate recovery.

Possibly train different muscles, hit a zumba or spin class at the gym, talk to a trainer to set up a strength workout specifically for you, swim a few laps in the pool, or maybe get up the courage to attend that yoga class that you have always wanted to try. Or maybe, just run for fun, at a relaxed pace.

Rest. Relax. Rejuvenate. Recover.

You’ll know when your recovery is complete. You’ll know when it’s time to return to a training plan. Or maybe, you’ll just get bored and need to return to a regular routine. No worries, the down cycle will not become permanent. You will not become lazy after a little time off. So enjoy it, without worries. That’s right, just take a breath and enjoy it.

Rest. Relax. Rejuvenate. Recover.

** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

Changing of the Mindset….

Posted on February 11, 2013 by tootallfritz

Last year at this time, I couldn’t run 5 miles on the treadmill. Seriously. I couldn’t. I would go down to the gym in my building and “think” that I was going to pound out some good miles at lunch and it never happened. If I were on the treadmill, I was running intervals or just wasting time. It was torture to be on that thing. Pure torture.

Things have changed a lot over the last year. As I “may” have mentioned, our personal schedules are beyond complex, work is insane, the kids are very active between school, extracurriculars & homework. Sleep is a luxury at times. More is being crammed into our lives each and every day, whether we like it or not. So I made the decision to purchase a treadmill last fall. At that time, the reason I did so was to be able to get my speed sessions in while at home. I can’t go to the track to run during daylight hours, hitting the gym at lunch is a luxury that would require me to pull myself away from my desk, and running fast in the dark on my country roads is just not safe. So, welcome home treadmill!

I can’t say that it was love at first run. We’ve had some snags. Initially the machine (which was new) was lazy and really didn’t want to work, at all. I must have gotten a “lemon” and it needed a lot of work, repair visits, and new parts to get up to speed. However, after a few repair visits, we are now running strong. Crossing my fingers that it continues.

In fact, last week, my non-treadmill-loving-self logged 39 run miles.

Out of those 39 run miles, 26 were on the treadmill. Yes, 26 treadmill miles. Is that a world record? Okay, probably not but it certainly is in my world.

MON – 4.75 treadmill miles of speed work, FRI – 5.05 treadmill miles of tempo, SAT – 16 treadmill miles of training. TTF record for sure!

What’s the difference between now and last year? It’s a changing of the mindset ~~and good tv shows streaming on Netflix~~. Apparently last year, I had more free time (Aby wasn’t playing volleyball and hubby wasn’t working EVERY Saturday). Now, if I’m going to run, and watch my kiddos, I have to hit the treadmill. If I want to go to Aby’s VB game, and run afterwards, I have to hit the treadmill. If I want be safe from dark & icy conditions, and still run, I have to hit the treadmill. All of sudden, you know what? I love that damn treadmill.

Source:

I know that treadmill miles are not ideal but the mill is letting me get in my miles, feel as if I’m going to be somewhat prepared to run a marathon on April 21st and still live my life. So not ideal, but I’ll take it. And once again, if there is a will, there is a way. I know that I did not have this same will last year at this time but it doesn’t matter cuz I have it now. So if you need me, I’ll be on the treadmill dreaming of being able to take it back outside sometime soon.

** Happy Running – Regardless Of How YOU Fit It In ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

Still Living Off the High…..

Posted on February 8, 2013 by tootallfritz

Some people like coffee, some people like energy drinks, some people jump out of bed and are ready to tackle the world without so much as a blink of an eye. What type of person are you?

Source:

Michael and I sleep in toasters and well …….Mick and Aby look more like Garfield above, which means they do what, sleep in a roasting oven? I think they could sleep/stay in bed until Michael or I quite literally pulled them out of their warm oven. Pre-Michael, their slow wake up habits were a huge benefit to my fitness. I could get up, dress, leave, run 20 miles and come home in time to make them breakfast. Upon my return, they would still be 1) sleeping or 2) “possibly” out of bed but in front of the tv/computer looking like two disheveled zombies. They never once looked at me like “where have you been” when I walked thru the door after a 20 miler cuz it wouldn’t occur to them to care as long as breakfast was soon forthcoming. Those were the easy days. Early morning runs. Early morning workouts, both during the week and on weekends. Yes, I would absolutely hop out of bed at 3:30 am to run 8 miles before Mick would leave for work at 5:15 am. It was easy that way and the bottom line is if you wanna run a marathon, it helps to long some miles. I just wanted to run (and still do!).

Now we have another person in the house who sleeps ready to pop out of that toaster at any given moment. This mom’s workout routine has been all jacked up for the last 2 years. This would be the point in time when the lil booger learned to climb out of his damn crib. My morning workouts are now sporadic because my lil man pops out of bed as soon as he hears me move. I honestly think he can subconsciously feel my heart beat and as soon as the BPMs go up, he knows its time to rise & shine. We go in spurts where I’ll get in some decent morning sessions, then we will go for a long time where he wakes up each and every morning before I’m even out of bed or dressed. Then I’ll have a period where I totally give up the early sessions because I get tired. Yes, tired. As in tired of fighting my lil man! I’ve been on that “tired” phase for a while. It’s not very convenient either cuz my workouts then have to be squished into my real life. This week was a bit hectic with 3 volleyball games, doc appts, major school projects and well, I never did squish in my tempo session yesterday. So the tempo fell to this morning. It was the only option. It was this morning or it would be skipped like last week. So how to deal with Mr. Micheal? Threats. Bribes. Begging. I told him if he got up this morn and heard the treadmill running to NOT come downstairs. No matter what. I threatened encouraged him to instead go get in bed with “sissy” and I’d come get him as soon as I was finished. Apparently he got up while I was plugged into the Walking Dead. Went to the top of the stairs. Screamed for me. Then screamed that he was going to get in sissy’s bed. Total win cuz God will never give me more than I can handle and apparently He also doesn’t want me to die running a marathon due to ill preparation. Thank you, Michael. Thank you, God.

What I realized after my tempo session this morn? Wow, do I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my morning workouts. I’ve been happy all day. Excited about life. Not dreading work. At peace. Traffic was GOOD this morning! It’s mid afternoon and I’m still living off the high. Thank you, Michael. Thank you, God. Thank you, Walking Dead for helping me nail that tempo session. Thank you, Run Less Run Faster for the training plan that pushes my limits while still letting me manage my life.

Last thing, I’m starting to realize that I can nail this marathon plan. I’m starting to believe that it just might be possible. I’m starting to believe that I’m copping out on my speed sessions and I can probably really do them if I just suck it up have the right thing on Netflix. If I can run the tempo session, I can run the speed session. I have the ability. I have the speed. I can do it. It will come together.

“If I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it, even if I may not have it at the beginning.” ― Mahatma Gandhi

** Happy Running ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

Barely Hanging On…..

Posted on February 6, 2013 by tootallfritz

I don’t know if I ever formally mentioned that I’m using the Run Less Run Faster book as a guideline for my training for the Lansing Marathon.

This book has a chart which gives you a target finish time of what THEY believe you should be able to run, with proper training, of course. It takes the “I wanna run X:XX:XX” out the equation when its right there in black and white that you can or cannot probably do it based on your current run times. After you figure out your goal pace/marathon finish time, then there are multiple training tables which plan your training. They also include a training plan for each of the Boston Marathon Qualifying standards. Although, I’m not necessarily looking for a BQ ~~because it seems impossible~~, I did select one of those plans because unlike the more generalized plans, it spells out each and every workout down to the pace you are “supposed to” run without any additional calculations necessary.

I won’t lie, this book is intimidating as all get out. The premise is to run 3 key runs each week: Speed, Tempo & Long Run, then add in two cross training days. I chose biking for my cross training since I’m on deck for a 70.3 triathlon in July. This 5 day plan works out well for my schedule because I can juggle the days, live my life, work, be a parent, be the “soccer mom”, and still not miss anything too important training wise. In fact, I have never ran all the miles on a normal plan so I was willing to change my focus a bit this time around from “just run the miles” to “let’s sharpen the focus”. I’m also not a person who wants a coach to whom I need to answer to but that doesn’t mean that I don’t like the idea of having a structured plan.

As intimidating as the plan is in regards to hitting the numbers, I was a bit surprised as to how easy the workouts were to understand. It is all spelled out for me and I just look at it on a day to day basis. If I can’t do my speed work on Monday, I just move it to Tuesday and look at the day on my chart for the workout details. I program my treadmill to the desired intervals and honestly, just try to hang on for as long as possible. The paces are NOT easy for me. Marathon training is not easy for me ~~which is why I do it~~. The paces, the plan, the training is a constant challenge. I have not yet nailed a speed or tempo session and I don’t know why but that doesn’t seem to bother me. I just keep on moving to the next workout as if I DID nail it and things are progressing. In fact, they are progressing in a positive manner. I “almost” nailed last night’s speed session. In fact, I nailed a good 75% of it. Progress in week 11 with a late start and a couple “rough” weeks. I can’t wait to see where I am on April 21st when I fight it out mentally & physically at the Lansing Marathon. I honestly do not believe that I will hit my predicted finish time for this marathon but I will be interested to see how close I come to their prediction. I have considered sliding back to the next slower BQ training plan but what fun is that? I don’t want to nail every workout but rather reach for it and keep trying to improve. So yes, I’m “in training” but I’m barely hanging on…… good thing I don’t go to the gym cuz I might scare someone.

Do you like to train within your comfort zone or do you try to push the limits? I’m sure if I had a coach instead of a book, they would back me down so that I could nail it and grow my level of confidence but I kinda like it this way because this is what I do for fun.