A Class Act …… Run Disney

Posted on January 13, 2013 by tootallfritz

I am blessed to know runners of all shapes, sizes and levels of ability. I can look one direction and say hello to a low 3 hour marathoner, then another and greet a 6.5 to 7 hour runner. This is specifically why I love running so much, it’s for anyone who WANTS to do it. Not many sports can say the same but running, yes, we take anyone, regardless of pace. A little desire & motivation to haul your bum out the door and you too can be a runner. That makes me proud to be part of such a diverse group.

Run events are a lot like people. We have good ones and bad ones. Some make me ashamed to have been swept up into the hoopla and actually have participated, others make me smile. Very few leave me thinking that they provided a classy event, cared A LOT about their runners and delivered exactly what they promised in a race experience.

If you run or even know any runners, then you may have heard about a “little” event taking place this weekend at “The Happiest Place on Earth”…… Walt Disney World, Orlando, FL. The mega travel/media/PR/experience agency RunDisney sells a very magical weekend for runners. They even offer special gifts for booking your race & travel experience thru them. So if you plan to “run” Disney, then don’t forget to just go to the people who know it best and book thru them so you get all the available goodies!

I must say that I have never even considered “running” Disney. For the last several years I have seen so many ladies running off to Disney for their dream “run”cation. They go alone, or with girlfriends, some take the family but most just go to experience their favorite thing in the “most magical place on earth”. It always made me chuckle cuz to be honest, I wouldn’t go within a 100 mile radius of Orlando ever again if it weren’t for the kids. Disney to me does not mean magic, or fun, or romance, or girls getaway but instead …… standing in lines, in horrid heat and melting the day away …. all while be pawed by a toddler who is intimidated by the insane crowds but who doesn’t want to miss a thing. My fun at Disney comes from watching the kiddos light up with excitement when something on screen becomes reality.

Seeing the characters/actors take the time to talk to the little ones and give them the magical experience that we so dearly wanted for them. (Aby – Disneyland, Sept 2004)

I don’t think of Disney as an adult destination and therefore would never think to go “run” Disney for fun. However, a few things I’ve heard as of late, have made me think otherwise. When I was at Ragnar one of my teammates, a man, kept saying that the Disney Marathon was the BEST.RACE.EVER. He kept referring to the marathon as the best of the best. I thought that to be odd. Then I kept seeing everyone heading down to Orlando for their dream “run”cation and it was the same, loads of excitement and very happy people. Now these are also people who paid a very high price tag for their race weekend between flights, hotels, and entry fees. I was hoping that RunDisney would be able to provide half the race for the hype; I just wasn’t sure they would be able to pull it off but I was watching. I’ve been watching all weekend via instagram, twitter, facebook & various message boards. Looking for the one person who was going to tell it like it was ….. or maybe tell it like I expected it to be, that this was just one more race where the hype did not live up to reality. However, I haven’t seen it. The very opposite in fact.

The thing that actually sold me that maybe RunDisney was actually worthy of the rep, the hype and “possibly” even the price tag was when a friend of mine had to call it quits during the marathon today, at Mile 15 due to foot pain. She is scheduled for surgery in the upcoming weeks but went to “run” Disney as her last hurrah before having to take an undeterminable amount of time off running. Yes, she probably should have stayed home but I think she did exactly what all the rest of us would have done. She went with the intent to just enjoy the experience regardless of however long it took her to complete the journey. Pain unfortunately took her out of this game. She wanted to finish, her body wouldn’t allow it. She stopped at Mile 15 and according to her,

“They radioed for a car and it was there in seconds. I was taken to the car park at the finish. Four medics met me, along with a lady with my medal. They put a space blanket around me, wrapped me in ice and gave me my medal. They also gave me snacks, drinks and took me to a shaded tent. They could not have been nicer”. See Jenny G below with her medal and also icing her feet in her Disney gear check bag.

She also described amazing volunteers who offered sunscreen, Tylenol & Vaseline in the corrals as they awaited the start. Then BioFreeze, Tylenol & Vaseline throughout as on course support.

I’ve heard lots of stories about races this year. Some races didn’t have enough medals to cover all the participants and those at the back of the pack left empty handed. Other races were super stingy with their medals and not wanting to give them to participants who didn’t make the time cut-off. Stories like those make me cringe. I’m an equal opportunity runner and think that everyone who covers the distance deserves the “bling”. It means more to some than it does others. In fact, some people identify their success with the bling they bring home. It lessens the accomplishment for them if they don’t have that to show for their effort. So I was beyond impressed that the RunDisney officials not only gave her a medal, when she didn’t necessarily even expect one, but also for just being there. For being fast and making her feel important at a point when she was not only tired and hurting but also super sad about not being able to make it the finish under her own power. From my friend, myself and all the countless people who have had an amazing experience “running” Disney today or at any point in the past. Thank you, Thank You, THANK YOU!

I officially give RunDisney a big THUMBS UP for being an upstanding organization. Congrats RunDisney, you are officially on my radar.

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

2013 …. What Lies Ahead

Posted on January 10, 2013 by tootallfritz

Since it’s been all Ragnar for quite some time, I thought I would take a break ~~just for now~~ and instead pin down a few 2013 goals. Better late than never, right?

I have a few general goals that I will focus on for the entire year. And remember, I roll with the K.I.S.S. principle. Nothing too complicated, just simple but challenging goals.

Run 1000 miles – Although this seems like a no brainer, things happen, life happens and I don’t want to neglect my life in order to rack up run miles. 1000 miles is challenging, coming in at just under 20 miles a week, but also reasonable if I remain ~~uninjured~~ on the fitness wagon.
Bike 2000 miles – Now this one may seem a little “Coo-Coo” but I biked almost 1000 miles this year and let’s just say that I didn’t give it a full effort. I want to log miles every week of the year from here on out ~~regardless of if TRI season is in session~~.
Swim – Okay, I’m not ready to step in the pool yet…..still in denial here.
Strength Train & Stretch – 2x per week. This will be the first to be dropped. I’m already worried about my schedule. But this is the “goal”. It won’t happen if it doesn’t even make the list, right?
Drink 2 liters of water daily.
Consume 5-7 servings of fruits & veggies daily.
Be happy and have a positive attitude!

After the “general” goals, I then broke my training and race schedule into three parts: Spring, Summer, Fall. Each session having one goal race. One focus. Everything else will be for fun or quite possibly just not exist. I’ve come to realize that with Aby in 3 sports per year, plus a toddler at home, our time is no longer our own. I want Aby to be successful. I want to support her in every way, which includes being at every race/game. I’m not willing to sacrifice being her biggest supporter in order to once again, “log miles”. For me, that means less racing, fewer “fun” miles, more focus oriented training.

Between each session, I will rest and recover. For example, this week, I’m doing ~~nothing~~ resting and focusing on non-impact activities to freshen up from Ragnar. The bottom line is that “most” of us can’t just keep going without some downtime or we will get hurt or burnt out. I know that there is an exception to every rule, ~~Susan M~~, but most of us mere mortals need to rest. I also find that as I get “older”, I have to be smarter about recovery. Maybe because I’ve been doing this for most of my life? ~~Yes, that’s a “reality bites” admission.~~ Maybe because I’m not a ~~sprinter~~ youngin’ anymore? I now focus on training smarter, not harder and utilize tools like Post Workout Recovery, ice baths and massage sticks to just be able to ~~walk~~ recover for the next workout.

Spring Session – Goal Race – Lansing Marathon – April 21, 2013

If you haven’t heard that I’m running the Lansing Marathon, then this is the first time you’ve stumbled on this blog cuz I’ve talked about it, given away a prize pack and basically tried to recruit everyone, and anyone, who runs to join me. Don’t feel bad if I haven’t hit you up YET cuz I’ll get you eventually. 🙂 If you would like to join me in Lansing for the full, half, marathon relay or 5K, please feel free to use the $10 off discount code CHICAGO10 and click HERE to register. You know a girl doesn’t like to run alone and I certainly hope to see YOU there!

Summer Session – Goal Race – Ironman 70.3 Racine – July 21, 2013

My TRI season last year didn’t go well. Ironman 70.3 Muncie was shorted due to the ridiculous heat (my report HERE) plus a tendon in my foot was torn so I couldn’t run, or finish. I went with the intention to DNF. I succeeded in acquiring my first DNF but it was not my favorite venue. My second, and final, 70.3 of the year was going to be the Great Illini Challenge (my report HERE) but that race was called off due to the ~~possibility~~ probability of severe weather. Completed triathlons in 2012 = Zero. This year will be better.

Fall Session – Goal Race – TBD

I know many have their entire year planned but I’m keeping the fall schedule open. This tends to be my fastest time of year. I love the weather, I love the speed that my base mileage brings, I love to race. However, the prior two sessions will dictate what Fall of 2013 will bring. I’ve tossed around adding in another marathon but I need to see how my health is and how I am sitting mentally. I may just ~~sit on the couch and snuggle my baby~~ run a half and some shorter races to take advantage of the speed. Plus, if I’ve nailed some of my previous goal races, I’ll be cycling down rather than up. Only time will tell. I love a good mystery!!

Have you solidified a couple goals for 2013? Do you have the entire year planned or are you okay with a couple question marks?

** Happy Running ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

Ragnar Florida Keys…..Thru My Eyes

Posted on January 8, 2013 by tootallfritz

2013 Ragnar – Florida Keys – Part II

When I signed on to join a 12 person team for the Ragnar Florida Keys race, I knew that I was signing on for a “train wreck”, so to speak. I knew that everyone was expecting fun, fun, fun but I also knew that a different type of “fun” would be the reality. If you aren’t a person who can kinda “roll with the punches” then this may not be an event for you. The team members and the personalities of the team can either make or break the event. A good group of team members will get you to the finish as smoothly as possible. A bad group, well…. I don’t even want to think of how that would go down. As I said, I had a good team and we made it to the finish.

Ragnar Keys_team at finish

We started with 12 team members and were quickly down to 10. The ability of this team to “roll with the punches” meant that it was an inconvenience losing a couple people, but no big thing in reality. We divided up the remaining miles and just planned to do what we came to do …… run. We moved toward the finish, as efficiently as possible, one leg at a time. No big thing, we came to run.

Running a long distance relay, with 9 other people means that you hurry up and wait. We were either waiting to run, waiting for another runner to get ready, waiting for another runner to come in, waiting to check on & offer support to another runner, waiting for the other van to move thru their legs, waiting in traffic, waiting to get some food, waiting to get some sleep……… waiting. Hurry up and wait. No big thing, we came to run.

When you do get to run, it’s not like a traditional race where you are surrounded by 500 to 40,000 of your very best friends but rather similar to a training run where you are out there, quite often all alone, slugging out the miles.

It’s solitary. Sometimes along a lonely stretch of highway. Sometimes along a beautiful bridge. Sometimes picking your way along a gravel road beside a canal with gators. Sometimes in town, in the dark, trekking sidewalks, fighting off ~~a pimp and his ho~~ pedestrian traffic. Sometimes on a desolate trail or path thru migrant worker fields where they shoot fireworks at you “for fun”. No big thing, we came to run.

The SWAG for this event was average and included some fueling options (cliff shot blocks and a few other options that I didn’t really look at cuz I brought my own Rehydrate Gel), a Leslie Jordan tech tee & a Ragnar tattoo. No big thing, we came to run.

At the finish line we received a Ragnar 2013 sticker and our medal, which happens to be a handy bottle opener. ~~I have already used it to open a “few” Corona Lights.~~ Cool but nothing too exciting. No big thing, we came to run.

Side note……the bottle opener medal is actually a VERY cool thing to me. I don’t display or hang my medals and this is actually something I will use on a frequent basis. However, others might not get the same type of “use” out of it that I will and therefore may not get as excited over it as me. Personally, I’d run another 200 miles just for this medal/church key to have a friend which I could throw in the boat. 🙂

There was a finish line party. We all received a free beer. There were a few vendors and a place to purchase food & beer. The party was on the beach. Cool but nothing too exciting. No big thing, we came to run.

Ragnar is a runner’s race. Its a self supported event where you (and your vanmates) need to take care of everything from start to finish. If you expect a party and a lot of hoopla, you might be disappointed. If you come to run, then you will be thrilled and elated at the finish to have completed an amazing adventure.

** Happy Running ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

Ragnar Florida Keys….. The Good, The Bad & The Ugly….

Posted on January 7, 2013 by tootallfritz

2013 Ragnar – Florida Keys – Part I

This first Ragnar post is going to be a highlight of the good, the bad & the ugly aspects of our Ragnar adventure. As I always say, “respect the distance”. If you consider a particular race or event “easy”, then run harder. It’s totally up to you to make each and every outing your own and get out of it as much as possible. I also encourage you to respect your fellow runners and understand that something that may be easy for one, may be an epic adventure for another. Respect the distance. Respect your comrades in adventure. Respect the adventure itself and that is when you will walk away with the fullest experience.

2013 Ragnar – Florida Keys – Team 2 Bros & 10 Does – THE GOOD

Amazing team – I got so lucky. I only knew a few members of the team going in and I totally lucked out. All the members of the team were great. The team worked together to support one another. We took the “divide & conquer” approach and worked our way to the finish line, TOGETHER.
No pain. I am happy to say that although I’m a bit “sore”, I had zero foot pain during, or after, the event. The terrain was rough or slanted in many parts and I just carefully picked my way thru the bad spots, to avoid additional stress on my foot. It worked.
The maps, signs, directions were very accurate. We didn’t have any problems getting where we were going. This was a very point to point route. Super easy.
No Gator or Snake attacks. Although we saw a few gators staring at our crazy adventure as we picked our way along a canal in the Everglades, I’m pretty sure they were scared of us cuz we were so ~~bad ass~~ tough.
Glow Sticks. A team member brought us all Glow bracelets which we laced into our shoes. Awesome. Made my day.
Amazing sponsors! Our shirts and decals from Family Fan Club were awesome! Everyone loved the window decals. They were attractive, easy to use, stayed on and peeled back off with ease. Super cool! The shirts were light and airy in the nasty heat & humidity. The Aspaeris Pivot Shorts literally HELD US TOGETHER thru our legs. Everyone loved the compression for both running and recovery. I had a pair on non-stop for the last 30 hours of our adventure. And God Bless, ShowerPill. I can’t even possibly begin to say how much the ShowerPill athletic wipes saved us. I have never been so hot, sweaty, disgusting after a run and not had access to a shower. I used a ShowePill wipe after each leg (4x), and each time felt refreshed and clean. I would never have made it thru without these and the other team members LOVED them too.
We finished. All of our miles. No leapfrogging. We made to the finish, all by ourselves by helping each other.

2013 Ragnar – Florida Keys – Team 2 Bros & 10 Does – THE BAD

Little to NO sleep. The majority of the time we were either running, supporting a runner, or driving to the next exchange. When our van had some down time, while the other van was running, we had to leapfrog them to get to the major exchange where we would pick back up. The major exchanges would have a few vendors, food, indoor bathrooms and public showers. Some slept outside in the heat just to get a little rest. Those of us unwilling to sleep on the ground in the heat, walked around, or hung out in the vans. The van space was very limited so not much chance to stretch out. We slept for short intervals but nothing restful or mentionable. Pretty much as soon as anyone fell asleep someone would get into or out of the van or something would happen to awaken them.
Little to NO real food. With this being a long distance running event, we had to be very careful about food intake. I tried to just focus on foods that would keep me fueled and hydrated without overeating. So I mostly ate: bananas, Nutrigrain bars, pickles, peanut butter, almonds & pretzels. I did have a few protein bars, one chicken breast, a Skor candy bar & a glazed donut. Had to keep the sugar, carb and salt intake up to avoid a crash. I also used a Post Workout Recovery drink after each run leg, plus a Rehydrate Gel (or two) on each leg. I Sparked for energy and drank Rehydrate. It worked.
The darkness. Wow, does it get dark. It seemed like over half the event took place in the dark. I’m used to running in the dark but I also run the same roads or trails, in the same area, every time. I know the holes and rough areas of the road before I get to them. I have the roads memorized. Not the case for Ragnar. Headlamps and Knuckle Lights lit the way but the glow only went so far. We ran by feel as much as by sight, constantly pushing forward at whatever pace we could manage.

2013 Ragnar – Florida Keys – Team 2 Bros & 10 Does – THE UGLY

Runner 2 – Leg 1 – Accosted by a man and a women in a poor area of Miami. Scared the crap out of her. The women was tugging at our runner. Another runner came up from behind and helped get her away. Was it dangerous? Who knows but it was scary and it was the very beginning of our adventure.
Van 2 had a dead batter at the first major exchange, where they began running. We helped jump their car battery & then fire rescue came to help.
Runner 12 – Leg 1 – Spiral Fracture to the Tibia (shin bone). She went to the ER with 2 of our other runners to help her. One runner came back to finish the relay. Runner 12 was set up for surgery before the FL hospital realized they weren’t capable of handling it. The hospital then casted her entire leg from foot to upper thigh and sent her home for consult with an orthopedic surgeon. Let’s all send our well wishes and cheers for speedy recovery to Runner 12!! This situation left us with 10 runners.
Runner 1 – ME – Leg 2 – I was running a deserted trail between farm fields and someone shot a firework at me. There was no question that “someone” was aiming for me cuz it only missed me by about a foot and was in the area of my mid back. It did NOT come from the air. Being from Chicago, when there is trouble, you don’t look around and ask WTF, you put your head down and run faster. That’s exactly what I did. No time for questions, I just kept moving. I was all the way back to the exchange and someone noticed that I actually had black soot on my arm. Good times.
The heat & humidity. No one is responsible for the weather. You get what you get and you don’t throw a fit. It wasn’t pleasant. It made the adventures so much harder but we once again, put our head down and ran and tried not to complain ~~too much~~. We focused on hydration, made sure our teammates were hydrating & fueling and just moving toward the finish. Most of the time the runners on the side of the road running, looked very bad. There were lots of emergencies from heat related matters. Our van had a physician’s assistant and a nurse so we helped several people along the way. Two that they helped had to be taken by ambulance, one they got going again until he could make it back to his van. Crazy weather, leads to crazy, erratic running.

Over all, an amazing experience. I personally covered 21 miles at an average pace of 9:14 min/mile. That pace is NOT at all indicative of effort. Myself, in addition to every runner on the team, ran our hearts out. It was an all out battle of the heart to the finish. Each and every runner did what they had to do to move us close to the finish. We didn’t go fast, we just kept moving. Some had to pick up an extra leg to cover the runners we lost. No complaints. We just focused on the finish. An absolute adventure that I’m proud to have shared with my team.

** Happy Running ** Amanda – TooTallFritz

Twas the Night Before Ragnar Keys….

Posted on January 3, 2013 by tootallfritz

Twas the night before Ragnar Keys, and all thru the hotel,

Vanmates were laughing and scurrying about,

Backpacks and duffels were stuffed to the brim,

In hopes that nothing important fell dim.

****

With a 3am wake up, and a 5am start

All know that sleep will be scarce.

TTF sleeps in her run clothes to save some time

and dream of the chaos that is soon to be alive.

****

Six runners per van, two vans per team,

All with 200 miles to be ran.

No sleep or showers , or real food for fuel.

May lead to a stench and crankiness too.

****

All this for fun and a bit of adventure,

To up the ante for this new year’s tenure.

So think happy thoughts and enjoy the run,

Because soon the tales will start to be spun.

I’ll be back soon…..off to run this little relay from Maimi to the FL Keys! Whooooop!!!!!

** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

Lansing Marathon Prize Pack WINNER

Posted on January 2, 2013 by tootallfritz

The winner of the Lansing Marathon Prize Pack is #30.

Who is #30? Kim Bauer!!!

Congratulations, Kim! You just won a free entry to the race of your choice (please run the marathon with me!!), in addition to a free training plan and a free copy of the e-book, Aurora.

Please email me so we can talk and arrange your registration, plus delivery of your training plan and e-book.

For the rest of us, the early bird pricing is still valid ($95 for the full & $60 for the half) up until January 8th, so take advantage of the $10 discount prior to the price increase! Register HERE using the coupon code: CHICAGO10

108 days until the Lansing Marathon!!

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

My Thanks to 2012

Posted on January 1, 2013 by tootallfritz

Although, we never know what a new year will bring, it is easy to look back at the stats of the year gone by and give appreciation for what we were able to conquer.

1018 Miles Ran:

907 Miles Cycled:

12 – 5Ks
1 – 4 miler
1 – 8K
1 – 6 miler (part of a 10 mile event)
2 – Half Marathons
1 – Duathlon (relay team – Aby ran for me)
1 – Half Iron event downgraded to an Olympic (due to weather) (bike/swim only due to injury)
1 – 60 mile bike event
2 – 5K DNS (due to injury)
1 – Half Marathon DNS (due to injury)
1 – Marathon DNS (due to injury)
1 – Ultra Relay DNS (due to injury)
1 Half Iron cancelled (due to weather)

I must say this has been the strangest year I’ve had in a long time. I have never had a DNS prior to 2012. I have never had an event downgraded to a lesser distance. I have never had an event cancelled. I have never had to deal with such a lengthy injury. I have never had an injury (as an adult) which totally took me out. But I handled it all. Learned a lot. And it has made me even more ready to tackle 2013.

Some people are constantly looking & searching for the next best thing. They want each year to be bigger and better. I, however, just strive for a good year, with good health, and good friends. I feel lucky to be out there just slugging out the miles with everyone else, regardless of pace or distance. I am thankful for the time. I am thankful for the ability. I am thankful for the experience which just allows me to appreciate my desire to keep running after all this time. I’m not settling. I’m just thankful.

** Give Thanks For Your Blessings ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

Lansing Marathon Prize Pack & Giveaway

Posted on December 30, 2012 by tootallfritz

Two more days in 2012 and then we will be counting down to the New Year and a fresh start. What are your goals for 2013? Have you thought about what you want to do, where you want to go and which direction you plan to take your fitness?

For me, the next step in regaining my fitness is building my miles in order to be the fastest I can possibly be at the Shamrock Shuffle 8K in Chicago on April 7th. I’m always the fastest in the weeks leading up to a marathon and for several months after…..quite possibly because my mind is trained as much as my body. I want to run fast on April 7th so I picked a spring marathon. The Lansing Marathon in Lansing, MI. April 21, 2013.

Exactly 111 days from today. Plenty of time.

The Lansing Marathon offers a multitude of races: Marathon, Half Marathon, Marathon Relay, 5K, & a kids race. The race director promises an excellent race:

The course is flat, fast, scenic and varied with both city and country terrain. The course is USATF certified and the marathon course is a Boston qualifier. There is great on course support with lots of tremendous volunteers and outstanding, lively spectators. Excellent fluid stations and an exciting finish right in front of the State Capitol building. Terrific post-race food and beer. Great medical support on course, too.

If you are looking for a BQ, or a PR at the Half Marathon distance, this might be the race for you. It will be small, flat and fast!

The race also partners with The Lansing Moves the World Foundation.

Lansing Moves the World (LMW), coordinates an “ACE” Program for kids in Lansing schools, community centers, and at Lansing Boys and Girls Club. This project promotes coordination, agility, movement skills, stability, running speed, teamwork, and overall fitness and also has emphases on community involvement and educational advancement. ACE stands for Activity, Community, and Education.

LMW coordinates the activity of elite Kenyan runners. When the Kenyan elites are in Lansing, they help with the ACE program and plant trees. When they are back home in Kenya, the help with our kids in the troubled Tana River District and also plant trees in de-forested areas of Kenya. We call Lansing the 24/7 marathon; we are trying to help children, somewhere in the world, around the clock. Details about LMW are at HERE.

Lansing Marathon Prize Pack Giveaway

One free entry to the Lansing Marathon race of choice;
A free training plan for either the full or half marathon ($39 value);
A free e-copy of the training book, Aurora ($19.95 value).

If you would like to be entered to win the giveaway package 1) “like” the Lansing Marathon on Facebook HERE and leave a comment below telling me you did so, including the name under which you liked them so that I can verify. 2) A second entry will be given for anyone who likes the Lansing Moves the World (charity) Facebook page HERE, please leave a separate comment telling me you liked LMW. 3) A bonus entry will be given if you share the giveaway via social media or a blog. Please tag TooTallFritz while sharing so that I see it, and yes, please leave a separate comment for each share.

A winner will be drawn on Wednesday, January 2, 2013 at noon (12pm). This is a quickie so that I can make the announcement prior to my departure for Ragnar FL. This will also allow everyone time to use the discount code before the price increase in Jan 8th.

Did I mention a discount code? Yes! The Lansing Marathon has generously offered a $10 discount code! The early bird pricing is still valid ($95 for the full & $60 for the half) up until January 8th, so take advantage of the $10 discount prior to the price increase! Register HERE using the coupon code: CHICAGO10

I look forward to seeing you in Lansing! This is going to be an amazing race and I hope to see a lot of friendly faces!

** Happy Running ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

Spring Fever…. already?

Posted on December 29, 2012 by tootallfritz

As the we countdown to the end of the year, it is also a countdown for early bird registration to a lot of major spring races. And while spring means spring cleaning, sweet weather, budding flowers & March Madness to some, as a runner, we are thinking about our race calendar. Specifically, do we schedule a spring marathon or not? Normally, I would be coming off an amazing fall racing season so the answer for me would be NOT. However, 2012, while absolutely amazing, was not so amazing on the running/racing front. Therefore, I too am stalking the spring marathon calendar. And I found one.

The Lansing Marathon. April 21, 2013. Multiple events: 5K, Half Marathon, Marathon Relay, Kids Race and Marathon. Charity component: Lansing Moves the World Foundation. Close to Chicago, Ft Wayne & Indy.

More details to come but before you get swept away in registering for something this weekend before the possible price jump, take a look at the Lansing Marathon. That’s where I’ll be and I’d love to see a few of you there too!

More details to come. A free entry & prize pack to the Lansing Marathon is also on its way. Hmmm…..maybe I’ll see you in Lansing this spring?

** Happy Running ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

Stronger…..

Posted on December 28, 2012 by tootallfritz

Next week, on the 2nd, it will be 7 months since I tore the tendon in my foot. I can just now …..finally…… say that I’m feeling stronger. Not stronger than I was before the injury but strong enough. I’m strong enough to make the run for Ragnar FL Keys with a full 12 person team. I’m strong enough to run at least one 10 mile “long” run every weekend. I’m strong enough to run a few hills. I’m strong enough to start pushing the pace when I have fresh legs. I’m strong enough to start thinking about the future and how I will achieve new goals for 2013. I’m strong enough to let go of the injury. I’m strong enough to be confident in my rehab. I’m strong enough to once again believe that dreams are possible.

Part of the process for me was giving myself 100% to rehab. I needed help and my foot wasn’t the only issue,. It was just the result of a lot of other “little” things being neglected for so long. I still rehab once a week, whether I should still call it rehab, I know not, but I go in to be tortured once a week. My foot is still a major issue although, it generally only hurts now after a period of immobility. Mornings are not good.

Another big part of recovery was/is about being honest. Being honest with myself. Being honest with Dr. Alexis ~~even when it didn’t/doesn’t make her happy~~. Being honest about the pain. Being honest about what was working. Being honest about what wasn’t working.

I also had to be brave and have blind faith in the rehab.

Be Brave

I had to believe. I had to believe that it would work. I had to believe that the doc knew what she was doing. I had to believe that I would run again. I had to believe that the doc was on MY side and WANTED ME TO RUN AGAIN. I had to believe.

Fortunately, it’s easy for me to believe. Running has always been a part of me for as long as I can remember. I had a few short years where I lost my way but that was a few years over the course of my entire life. I am a runner. Nobody can take that away. It doesn’t matter if I run fast or slow. I am a runner. It doesn’t matter if I cast running to the side for a few years. I am a runner. It doesn’t matter if I’m injured or healthy. I am a runner. It doesn’t matter if I’m overweight or ideal weight. I am a runner. It doesn’t matter if I race or just lollygag on the trails for fun. I am a runner. There was never a doubt in my mind ……. I knew I would come back to run again. I am a runner. Nobody can take that away.

I’m stronger now. Strong enough to run.

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

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