Snow, Snow & More Snow….

Posted on February 4, 2013 by tootallfritz

We knew going into the weekend that there was a possibility of snow and I think we were all ramping up mentally to get our miles in regardless of the weather. For me, I ended up with another split run with 9 miles inside on the treadmill and 9 miles outside in the snow. Due to the family’s current schedule, this will probably be how the majority of my long runs will occur as I train for the Lansing Marathon. It’s different but not necessarily bad. My main complaint not that I have any REAL reason to complain is that it takes so much more time. Normally while marathon training, I would be on the trail by 4:30 or 5 am and even a 20 miler would be over before Mick and Aby most people even have breakfast. Now it seems like it sucks up the majority of the day b/c I’m not just knocking the miles out but also doing other things during and between the indoor/outdoor sessions. Its okay, just different.

Treadmill “Run”Way Fashion – Tough Chik Toughie Half Zip which is super light and my new favorite shirt for bumming around the house. It didn’t even make it on the treadmill cuz I didn’t want to get it “dirty”. I actually ran in the Blood, Sweat, Sparkle shirt I picked up on sale from Team Sparkle. I didn’t love this tank. It was a “little” short on me and it didn’t fully cover my bra, plus was just too narrow up top for me. I think it’s going to Aby’s closet. Then the BIG thing, I tried the Redemption Shorts from Skirt Sports. I have been wanting at least one pair of shorts, particularly now that I’m running on the treadmill more. I don’t always feel like wearing compression shorts and I don’t necessarily want to overdress wear a skirt in my dining room “gym” so when I saw that Skirt Sports dropped a line of shorts, I jumped on board to try them out.

First, that’s obviously not my bum (below). I wasn’t that cute and shapely before children and well, things haven’t “improved” since. But I did like how the shorts fit on me (size medium – I wear an 8-10 in pants) and I was even satisfied with how they looked. When I initially got them, I ran around the dining room & kitchen (yes, we make laps thru the house on a frequent basis) and I was like “NO way”. I didn’t think they would work out. They rode up between my thighs. They were shorts, they “felt” like shorts and well, I don’t like shorts. However, I gave them a run on the treadmill. A decent run, 9 miles. And I didn’t hate them.

Once I warmed up, they stayed in place pretty well. I did still have to use the Mission Athletecare Anti-Chafe but overall, they were okay. I really liked how the spankies didn’t move. I didn’t have to adjust them. I just felt good with the way they “sat”. I did have to adjust the legs of the shorts a few times due the chub rub issue but overall, it was minimal and I didn’t have any real chafing. A little redness on the chub but not the normal “burn” that I remember from shorts. So I now own 2 pair of shorts, the multicolored ones I wore above, and the blue pair that the Skirts Sports model is so fabulously showing off. Not sure you’ll see me wearing them on the trail but maybe once I get used to them a bit. If you are a skirt wearer and hesitant to give them a try, my advice would be to try them. One pair. They aren’t cheap at $50 but I do think they are a good quality and the material is light and airy and won’t result in your having a wad of material squished up above the chub. I’m not sure you will love them but I also don’t think you will hate them. I personally won’t convert FROM the skirt but I like my options and these are super cute, which adds bonus points in my world.

The 9 miles on the treadmill in my Redemption Shorts were accompanied by the documentary, “My Run”. I ran for an hour and twenty five minutes at 6.4 mph (9:22) pace. It was a long time on the treadmill but the movie was a difference maker. If you have to run on the dreadmill and have the option of plugging into a Netflix ready device, it will change the game for you. I promise. The dreadmill and I are not friends. We are however, slowly learning to tolerate one another.

I was very anxious to take the last 9 miles outside, even though by the time I got out there it was blowing and snowing pretty good. The actual temp was 18 and the “feels like” temp was 5. It was cold. I struggled thru the snow. I struggled with the cold. My feet hurt. I was slower than slow. I contemplated going back home to the dreadmill. But I really loved the views.

Then Sunday was for fun. I got to go run with friends, as a light snow was falling. It totally made my day. 4.5 miles of running bliss.

Me, Susan & Nicole on the trail!

How were your weekend miles? Did you get out to play in the snow or stay in on the treadmill?

** Happy Running ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

How Bad Do We Want It?

Posted on February 1, 2013 by tootallfritz

I know all of you have been stalking the weather report trying to figure out when you will squeeze in your weekend long run. I admit, I too have taken a peak at the weekend forecast.

What’s even worse is that technology now tells us what the temp is really going to feel like on an hour by hour basis. So log onto AccuWeather and take a look for yourself.

According to this ever so accurate chart, tomorrow mid-morning to early afternoon is the best window. SOLD! I’ll take it.

Honestly, that was my only option so I’m not even sure why I looked. So I’ll be slugging out my miles tomorrow around 11am. What are you going to do? As I see it, if you are training for a spring race, there aren’t many options:

Run outside in the elements;
Run inside on the dreadmill;
Run on an indoor track if you have access to one; or,
Skip your long run.

So it comes down to how bad to you want it? How bad to I want it? How bad do WE want to get to our spring races and do the best we can possibly do on that given day?

You have choices. There is always a choice. You may not like the options but there are always choices. I hope that you choose to get outside this weekend and run your miles.

I’ll see you on the trail!

** Make It Happen ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

Your Pace or Mine?

Posted on January 31, 2013 by tootallfritz

It’s hard not to get all caught up in the numbers. How fast? How far? How many? How much? We let the numbers rule our life. We do live in a society where numbers and time play a crucial role.

However, what a particular number means for one will most definitely mean something entirely different to another. I see this all the time, one person unhappy with a time, or pace, that someone else would love to call their own. Another who is running a race that’s “only a 5K” while someone standing beside them has trained for months on the C25K program and is terrified of the distance.

Numbers are relative to the individual.

I encourage you, every once in awhile, to let go of the numbers. Maybe even leave your watch at home. Run “naked” (without technology) for the pure joy of it. Maybe pace a friend to a new PR, or spend time chatting everyone up at a group run rather than just racing ahead to nail a tempo or training run. I think you’ll find that spending a little time unplugged, running for the fun of it, or possibly helping out a friend will be just as rewarding as nailing your own run/race.

There is a time and pace for everyone. We may differ in our abilities but the smile we have when we accomplish a new goal or cross the finish line is the same. We are runners. Run united, if only for a little bit cuz sometimes, pace really doesn’t matter.

** Don’t Let the Numbers Ruin YOUR Day ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

Feeling Sluggish….

Posted on January 30, 2013 by tootallfritz

Anyone feeling sluggish as of late? I feel sluggish, slow, and unmotivated. I’m going thru the motions of training but am lacking the fire that usually pushes me to do my best. I don’t want to do my best. I don’t want to do anything. Oh yeah, I want to do ONE thing ……. EAT! While I normally eat a lot of this:

Right now, I only want to eat this:

Please add frosting to those brownies too! Hmmm…. I wonder why I feel sluggish and slow? No clue. Oh yeah, and its cold out so when I have my lunchtime salad, I sometimes add this (Cream of Chicken Florentine is my current fav):

With all this extra food, I can’t afford to miss a damn workout. In fact, I’m pretty sure I should be hitting it 2x a day! So yesterday when I went home and felt like crap I wanted to skip my bike session, I dug deep, told myself that even Wonder Woman has an off month day. So while I’ll probably never have a cool blue tint to my hair like Wonder Woman, I did manage to suck it up and kick myself in the ass to pull out a cross training workout. The stupid marathon plan called for a bike workout. And really, who doesn’t want to put in a few miles while watching Bob The Builder?

Then the Dr. Alexis plan called for wall sits, and toe/heel walks. Michael wanted to redeem himself over last week’s photo so I let him give it a shot. He actually did pretty well and got most of me in the photo. Once I did a little “sharpening” to clear some of the blur, it came out pretty good!

Bottom line, if you are feeling a little sluggish and unmotivated, look at what your putting in your mouth. If you eat crap, you’ll feel like crap and that perpetuates a cycle of laziness due to lack of energy. So I’m once again, sucking it up on the food front and plan to drop a “few of those extra calories”. Then hopefully I’ll start feeling a little more dedicated to my marathon plan. Hopefully. I know what to eat and I do well most of the time but once I fall off that wagon, its a long drop back to reality.

Is the cold putting you in a funk too? While I like running when its cooler, I have a harder time saying no to the comfort foods which totally stick to my ass me. I will do better.

** Saying NO to the Comfort Foods ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

15 Miles …. in the Snow

Posted on January 28, 2013 by tootallfritz

Week 13 of Lansing Marathon training closed out with a 15 miler. Actually, if we are going to be honest, it should have been 17 miles but I knew I was by no means ready for that so I improvised! As with all things in life, sometimes its more important to ~~cover your ass~~ improvise than it is to actually follow directions. The last three weeks have been slow due to Ragnar recovery, the flu and my bum foot. 15 miles was plenty.

As it is, my weekends tend to bear the brunt of any training and life schedule so by the time the weekend hits, I’m trying to make up for whatever I couldn’t fit into the normal work week. This week was no different, Friday night I hit the treadmill for a short speedier run, then did some core/strengthening work that the doc ordered. I was also trying to break in a new pair of Brooks Ravenna 3s that showed up on my door step last week.

Then Saturday was long run day; however, hubby had to work in the morning so the run was broken up into 3 segments. 5 miles on the treadmill ~~while screaming at the kiddos~~ at the designated training pace (9:15ish). Then hubby arrived home, I dried off and changed clothes to immediately head outside. I had 5 miles on deck with a buddy, we were close to my training pace of 9:15 but I was starting to die out cuz I apparently wasn’t fueled properly so lagged the last mile. I returned to my car to refuel only to realize I didn’t have any of my normal fuel, the AdvoCare Rehydrate Gel. I dug into my bag of tricks to find an alternate fueling option, then took off on my own for the last 5. By this time, I pretty much felt like crap. The 5 on the treadmill felt okay but I could tell I was dragging a little cuz it certainly wasn’t as easy as last week, the middle 5 felt tough on the snow covered path. Not a lot of snow but enough to screw up my already damaged foot strike.

And well, let’s just not talk about the last 5 or the fact that the alternate fueling option caused digestive distress which resulted in my having to abandon the trail in search for a bathroom. By the time I returned to my car, everything hurt including my pride. However, nothing could take away the fact that I still covered 15 miles, in the dead of winter, when I would have rather been huddled on the couch ~~drinking beer~~ cuddling my babies.

So it may not have been a marathon training win but it was still in the done column.

“Run”Way Fashion for a snowy day with temps in the low 20s: Athleta Reflective Relay Tights (in Tall), Under Armour Mock compression base layer, Brooks Infiniti Hybrid Windshirt (on sale for $62), regular socks with Brooks Ravenna 3s, lightweight Manzella Sprint Gloves & Athleta Base Miles headband.

As the temps decrease and the wind picks up, then I add more layers (pants over tights and tech shirts over base layer, possibly tall compression socks, hat in addition to headband) but this type of gear will get your thru most cold winter runs. Winter isn’t the time to skimp on good gear. You don’t need a lot, just a few key pieces, then wash them by hand & hang to dry for tomorrow!

Happy running, regardless of the mileage, don’t be afraid to get out and hit the trail even when the conditions aren’t perfect. Just take it easy so you don’t slip and if its icy instead of snowy, hit the streets or stay inside. Don’t mess with the ice or you’ll regret it ~~for months~~.

** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

Stressed or Exercise Induced ……

Posted on January 24, 2013 by tootallfritz

Last night, I returned to the trail to see if my foot was healing up or if my marathon training would need to take a backseat to further/new rehab. I have just over 12 weeks until the Lansing Marathon and while I’m confident I can nail a “finish it” type plan in 12 weeks, I really don’t have a lot of time to lollygag if I want to have a loftier goal. So back out I went after a little more than 24 pain free hours. I was certainly hoping that the shooting pains at the side of my heel left as quickly as they arrived. Sayonara pain cuz Ain’t Nobody Got Time For That!

Fortunately, it was Wednesday night so I had the F’N Running Club to distract me as I plowed down the snow covered trail.

My foot felt pretty decent. No shooting pains. A little discomfort but really I felt decent but I’m going to tell you what didn’t feel decent……..

But before I do, I’m going to drop a disclaimer in here:

If you are a dude, you may want to stop reading right now. If you are a woman who has not yet been blessed with children, then you need to 1) bookmark this post and come back about 2 weeks after you have your first child, when you have a “few” questions about the changes that have occurred to your body during the birthing process, and when your considering going out for your first postpartum run. I also ask the young ladies to please, 2) stop reading now cuz some things can’t be changed so no need to get your “panties in a bunch” at this point in your young blissful lives and maybe, just maybe you’ll be one of the lucky ones and this won’t be an issue for you.

Now that I only have you #MotherRunners on board ~~and everyone else who is dying of curiosity~~, let’s talk about what happens to a lot, and I do mean a lot of us mothers when we run. Stress Incontinence. Yes, I “sometimes” pee my pants when I run. This has been an inconvenience since Aby was born. Initially it was only a problem when I would jump on the trampoline, or cough, or sneeze, or dance. If I ran slow, I would sometimes get lucky and stay “dry” but if I ran fast, then well, it wasn’t good. Now this was back in the day before technical clothing became all the rage. Many of us were still running around in our OLD cotton tees that we had possessed since the beginning of time. This was before running skirts. This was a LOOOONNNNGGGG time ago. Okay, not so long ago but I was running primarily in the old style “bike shorts” and well, when you pee yourself in those things, people notice. Or at least I thought they did because I was self conscious! This would be the main reason why I owned one of the very first running skirts. “Water” running down your leg is much less noticeable than flooded bike shorts. Awesome, huh? Now you know the real reason as to why I own all those running skirts.

If you have been running with me for a while, then this isn’t much of a secret to you. If it’s nice out and I’m “leaking” a lot, I’ll run off trail to pee to try to limit further leakage. However, last night was a new event even for me, cuz it was cold. What happens when you are layered up, have tights on, then pants over and you are leaking “more than normal”. You have wet pants. Actually, wet pants that freeze. I must say, I don’t ever remember having frozen crotch syndrome. Awesome. I was so soaked that I had to throw my spibelt in the wash. Soaked from my hips to my shoes and no amount of wicking material can handle that. This really got me thinking about ~~how to get home without my car smelling like piss~~ other mother runners. I know they too have this same problem so I want to compile a list of “options” for all of us with Stress Incontinence.

First, if this is your problem too, go read this article on Exercise Induced Incontinence, aka Stress Incontinence. Good info.

Here are a few ideas as to how to handle the situation:

Kegel Exercises. First place to start. The doc will probably get you started on them during pregnancy and will recommend you keep them up ~~forever~~ to restrengthen your muscles postpartum. There is a TON of info on the KegelExercisesForWomen.com website, I encourage you to check out the link and the info. Why? This is why, the source being that amazing website which I just listed:

Why Do Kegel Exercises?
Often the pelvic floor muscles are weak which contributes to problems with losing urine. Doing the exercises correctly and regularly with resistance can strengthen the muscles. Stronger muscles lead to little or no urine loss for many women.

Wear a pad.
Keep the bladder empty. If I have any urine at all in my bladder, I normally leak. Yesterday, I drank a lot of water, drank coffee in the afternoon, and drove from downtown directly to the trail. The bathroom on the trail closed at 5pm. I didn’t make it in time and neglected to seek out another option. My fault. I’ll be more vigilant about this in the future.
Acupuncture may help in certain instances.
Hypnotherapy may help in certain instances.
Herbal remedies may help in certain instances but recommendations vary.
Medication is available for certain cases – talk to your doctor.
Surgery is available for certain cases – talk to your doctor.
Urethral Inserts are available for certain cases – talk to your doctor.
And when all else fails, buy some running skirts!

Do you have issues with on the run “leakage”? What do you do about the situation? Any inside info or do you just deal with it by not dealing with it like I have for so many years?

** Happy DRY Running ** Amanda – TooTallFritz

Midwinters Cruise 5K – 2013 & My Achilles Heel….

Posted on January 21, 2013 by tootallfritz

Each year in January, I look forward to a small 5K hosted by the Park Forest Running & Pancake Club, called the Midwinters Cruise. It’s the only race I normally do in the winter months and I run specifically to show support for my local runners. Its no secret that I like small, local races. It’s no secret that LOVE my local running clubs. Its no secret that I want to meet as many runners as possible. Its hard to show support and meet new people while sitting home cuddling my lil ones …… even if it is only 11 degrees with a negative wind-chill upon waking!

Kim, Nicki & I (in the middle) hauled it up and out to run in the cold!

Since I run this race each year, I’ve already “reviewed” it. If you want additional info, look to last year’s review HERE. The race has a cruise theme and a tropical vibe. Some runners and members of the hosting run club wear grass skirts, flower leis, and funky hats during the event. The rest of us were buttoned up to our chin trying to stay warm. The temps did rise to about 15 degrees prior to the 10:30 am start but the wind-chill was still a factor. No big deal, the course is a double loop so the direction changes quickly. If your cold one minute, just hang on and you will soon round a corner to find the wind at your back.

This event offers a few unique factors beside the tropical theme. They always offer a non-traditional SWAG item. This year it was gloves with their logo and you got to choose between black, red, blue and grey. I was feeling the red.

They have pancakes, breakfast sausage, coffee & Gatorade upon finishing. Then they present raffle prizes from local businesses and loads of age group awards so that as many people as possible walk away with something. This year the age group awards featured a sailboat. See Maggie from Mag Mile Runner with the award for her age group win here:

Good race. I’d recommend it to anyone. And if you are shy about running in the winter, this is a good place to start because you can wait inside until the very last minute. In fact the race officials will make a call and usher you out to the start. No need to worry about getting outside early in fear of missing the start. Once everyone hits the start line, the race begins promptly without much fuss. Run, then as soon as you are finished, you can head right back inside. Chip timing, easy parking, good food, great awards. Win, win!

This race didn’t exactly fit into my training schedule this year but I went to show my support. I had been having some shooting pains on the inside of my right heel so was a bit nervous about running. The pain just made its appearance on SAT and I only ran 4 of my 12 scheduled miles. I made sure to do a little warm up to see if it would hurt while running. It didn’t hurt so I headed to the start line. I took it out slow. No pain, hit the first corner and started speeding up a bit thinking I was fine but I wasn’t. I had an episode of the shooting/stabbing pain less than a half mile into the race. I hopped a couple steps and hit the grass to walk it off. The funny thing is the pain leaves as quickly as it comes. It doesn’t last, then I think I’m fine …… so I started running again ….. slowly. No pain. Then it hit again at the mile mark. I must say, I’ve never been so happy to have a looped course for a race route! I just jogged back to the start area and stepped off the course without doing my second loop. Yep, I took a DNF in a 5K. Not so awesome but apparently it wasn’t my day. It has not been fun rehabbing the posterior tibialis tendon, which I tore on June 2nd (2012), and the fact that this shooting/stabbing pain is in the exact spot as where I felt the “pop” of that tendon previously made my decision easy. I decided to err on the side of caution.

Meanwhile, Dr. Alexis was busy tearing up the race course and ended up winning the overall female award. Great job, Doc! Did you enjoy the pancakes? Can I see the trophy? Wonderful! Now can you look at my foot? I mean, it’s not like it’s YOUR day off or anything, right? And thanks, Maggie for catching the Doc in action!

I ended up in her office first thing this morn. It’s kinda a mystery as to what I did cuz I didn’t “do” anything. It doesn’t hurt when I run or walk; I just get these random shooting pains that are unbelievably painful but also very brief. My sensitivity is where the Achilles tendon attaches to the inside of my heel bone. She did a few therapies & taped me up:

I went to work and have been enjoying the random shooting pains all day. Then my foot started to go numb, then my calf started to go numb & now the back and sides of my knee are in the pins & needle stages of numbness ….. what’s next? I keep getting up, stretching, and holding the numbness at bay but I’ll be honest, I’m a “bit” nervous. Hmmm…. how’s this one going to turn out and can we finish it soon so I can get back to my training plan?!?!?! Pretty please? I have a marathon to run!!!

** Happy Running & Racing ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

How To Choose The Right Marathon……

Posted on January 19, 2013 by tootallfritz

You’ve decided to run a marathon but you’re just not sure how to pick the right one? Well, if you have plenty of time, plenty of money and kids don’t affect your decision, the options are endless. You can literally go ANYWHERE and run a marathon. However most of us just go where our friends go. If you are part of a local run club or you have a training partner, ask them …… oh wait, you probably won’t have to ask, they will tell you! If you sign up for the race they are running then you can train together. Slugging out long miles with a friend will keep you on the plan and accountable! Win, win!

If it’s just not that easy, then here are a few tips:

Look at the family calendar and the schedules of your kiddos. Most schools schedule the same major events for the same weekend every year. This makes trying to plan your life a little bit easier. If you want to run a spring marathon and your 11 year old daughter (okay mine!) runs track & field, then avoid picking a Saturday marathon because you won’t be running but instead sitting in the bleachers on the track watching the conference track meet while all your friends are running the Illinois Marathon. So figure out the time frame of when you want to run, and if you have a SAT/SUN preference.
Is $$$ an issue? If money is an issue, then try to avoid the big races: World Marathon Majors (Chicago, New York, Boston, Berlin, London and the newly added Tokyo), big city marathons that have to shut down the entire city using half of their emergency & police personnel to support the race and also races with a popular name with a series of races in just about every city. Remember a big name race that offers bands at every corner has to pay for that and they will pass the cost to you. If you want to go cheap, go small.
Boston Qualifier – I know that Boston is all the rage and a major accomplishment but if you want the elusive BQ, then think about the race you pick seriously. Sometimes smaller is better for these things. The fewer people in a race, the fewer people to maneuver around, the fewer people at aid stations and just possibly fewer distractions. You can still BQ at a big race too but check to see if there is a corral system to get you into a good position at the start to avoid a lot of traffic.
Spectator Support – What kind of marathon experience do you want? Do you want a million people throughout the course cheering for you? Or would you just like to run your 26.2 in peace, look at the scenery and concentrate on the task at hand? There is a different answer for everyone and you probably are already drawn to one or the other.
Who’s going to watch the kids? If you have to take the kiddos to Grandma’s before you run, then pick a race by Grandma’s house. I do this ALL the time. I actually check with my mother before I register for a big race. I make sure she is available, interested and willing to either watch my Monster Man or drag him & Aby to the race to be my cheer section. I don’t really need anything other than for her to manage my little “angels” but usually give her a couple of options of how it can happen. I want her to have the best experience possible since she is doing me a huge favor so I get her involved in the planning process. Thanks, Mom! I love you and REALLY appreciate your being my #1 supporter!
Travel Plans – We all browse the list of the best and most beautiful races via various websites and magazines but do you want to travel for a race or not? A destination race, particularly for a marathon, requires a bit of planning. If it’s something you are seriously considering, look at the local weather for the time frame in question, think about the foods in the area and how they will fuel you for the race and think about how you want to spend your time. If you get there early to acclimate to the area for the race, then be careful with the pre-race foods since you will most likely be eating out more than normal. If you want to stay after the race, then consider how you “might” feel after a marathon and keep the post race planning to a minimum. Also, pick an area that has decent medical care in case, heaven forbid, you need medial assistance before, during or after the race. Be smart.
Once you’ve thought about some of the above, have a time frame in mind then start doing some research. One of my favorite websites is MarathonGuide. This website has a very thorough calendar for both US and International races, has runner reviews of each race, registration & event details, results, advice, and news on major races around the world. Great resource!

Now that you have figured out where YOU want to race, go ahead and try to recruit all your friends cuz we all know that the more people you know in a race, the better the experience. The more the merrier, right?

Good luck! Let me know which race you pick and if you still can’t decided, then feel free to come to the Lansing Marathon and run with me on April 21st! Yes, the $10 off code: CHICAGO10 is still valid. Register HERE.

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

How To Train For a Marathon…..

Posted on January 18, 2013 by tootallfritz

A marathon is something that some hold sacred while others toss the word around like it’s nothing, no big deal. The truth, it is a big deal. It is a big undertaking. It is a commitment. I know I’ve talked about the marathon, and what you can expect, in my Interested or Committed post. However, I wanted to revisit it again to put a fresh spin on it since the spring marathon season is staring us down.

mar·a·thon

1. long-distance race: a long-distance footrace run over a distance of 42.195 km (26 mi 385 yds)

2. difficult undertaking: a lengthy and difficult task, event, or activity

3. endurance test: a test of endurance, especially in a competition

If you want to run a spring marathon, or any marathon, you first need to commit. This means registering. If this is your first time, or you “possibly” have had a bad experience in the past, then I understand your ~~fear~~ hesitation but really put your money where your mouth is and all of a sudden it will become real.

$$ Spent = Commitment

After you blew the money on the registration, now get on your favorite social media account and tell the world. Yes, tell everyone you know that you registered for a marathon! Be proud and soak up that moment when everyone says your ~~crazy~~ amazing. This will make you accountable.

Public Announcement = ~~Fear of Public Humiliation~~ Accountability

Now that you are committed & accountable, it’s time to think about training. There are a bunch of plans available. You can spend as much or as little as you want. Some people go directly to a coach but most start browsing the net. Three tried and true options for training plans:

Hal Higdon – By far the most popular source for training plans. Free. Easy to use. Variety of training options. 18 weeks of ~~hell~~ fun. I’ve used a variety of his plans on numerous occasions. I always have the promised outcome, a finish. Win, Win.
Train Like a Mother: How To Get Across Any Finish Line – and Not Lose Your Family, Job or Sanity – Very popular with the #MotherRunners. $9.99 for the book which includes 9 training plans for all distances for beginners and advanced runners alike. Entertaining. Not all about running. Catchy title.
Run Less Run Faster – A Runners World publication. $11-16 for the book. Popular with injury prone runners. Three key runs per week. Detailed training plans for each of the Boston Qualifying times. Challenging. Encourages 2 cross training days and provides specified workouts for various cross training activities. Detailed strength & stretching plans.

Training Plan = Success

You’ve spent your $$, you’ve told your friends, you picked a plan. It’s easy from here on out. Just follow the plan and trust in your training. Don’t freak out if you miss a workout here or there because you do still need to maintain your REAL LIFE. However, for the most part, be a task master and just do what it says. Follow along week by week and don’t peak to far ahead so that you aren’t overwhelmed. Clean up your food intake cuz it’s possible the training will make you ~~feel as if your starving~~ extra hungry. If you don’t have the metabolism ~~or mileage~~ of Marathon Mike, don’t eat ice cream for lunch like he does ….. won’t work for you, or me! Keep your food intake clean by drinking your water, eating your fruits & veggies, and focusing on lean proteins and whole grains. Oh yeah, and alcohol will dehydrate you.

Balanced Diet = Healthy Weight

The last, and possibly most important, ingredient in successfully training for a marathon is rest. Don’t be crazy; get some sleep. Your body will be doing amazing things. It repairs while you sleep. So if you want to be as successful as possible, you might need a few extra ZZZZZZs. Don’t feel bad about it. Sleep.

Rest = Repair

I could go on forever but I won’t.

Any other tips you want to share about marathon training?

** Happy Training ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

Ragnar FL Keys …… In Photos

Posted on January 16, 2013 by tootallfritz

2013 Ragnar – Florida Keys – Part III – END

This will be my last Ragnar FL Keys post. I stalled a bit, waiting for everyone to upload their photos, plus work & life, then the stomach flu. Good times. But the last things I wanted to leave with you about Ragnar were some of the images. The good times, tough times, and the beauty all wrapped up on one final post

The Course Map – Miami, FL to the southernmost tip of the US, Keywest, FL

The Start:

So much of the race was cloaked in darkeness and pics were difficult. Or if we did get pics, the photo just shows reflective gear.

The times we weren’t cloaked in darkness, we were riding or waiting in the van. Oh wait, it’s still dark in this one too! Teammate and fellow Team Tough Chik member, Toni & myself.

But there were stolen moments of peace and tranquility just steps away.

New “In Real Life” friendships forged with fellow Team Tough Chik members that are spread throughout the US and world. Photo on the right has 4 Tough Chiks: Myself in my team gear, Kristi (in green), Kim (bottom in yellow) and Toni (in grey).

Lots of bridges, water & palms swaying in the gentle breeze.

One shot of me running in the daylight. Please notice my red Aspaeris Pivot Shorts peaking out from my skirt.

Ragnar Keys_ me hand off

And finally, the finish. By the beach. 200 miles ran. Whatever pace we could manage. Done.

My girl Angela & I at the finish. She’s the reason I went all the way to FL for this adventure. Love you, Ang!

Thanks to our amazing sponsors!

Aspaeris Pivot Shorts – I heard a million times that the team didn’t think they could have done it without you. Almost everyone acknowledge that you held us together when we didn’t have a lot left in the tank. We ran hard, ran extra miles, gave everything we had and you held us together. Thank you!

ShowerPill – What to say? I have never been so gross and nasty for such a long period in my entire life. After each run, I used a ShowerPill wipe immediately upon finishing to try to wipe away some of the nastiness. Each time, I was happy and soooooo very thankful that you came on board with us. I’ll spare you the nasty photos of the wipes in use cuz they are really nasty but leave you with the knowledge that everyone on the team was thankful for your product! Dear readers, I leave you with a not so subliminal notion that you probably want to go get some of these, right now. Shop HERE:

Family Fan Club – I’m a major fan! They totally hooked us up with shirts and window decals. They made our job so much easier because we only needed to add a few things to our windows and we were ready to run. Lots of vans had fancy art work, etc. that was all washed off during a down pour. Not us. Our decals never moved. They were super easy to apply and then they peeled off easy & clean! Plus my favorite part is that they didn’t obstruct our vision from inside the van. Win, Win!!!