5 Days until Ironman Muncie 70.3 & My First DNF

Posted on July 2, 2012 by tootallfritz

As we all know, I took some chances this year and entered some big name expensive races which I normally avoid. Ironically, I won’t be running the Chicago Rock N Roll Half due to the tear in the tendon in my foot and although I plan to participate in Ironman Muncie 70.3 on Saturday, I will have to DNF (Did Not Finish) due to my inability to start/complete the run.

5 days out from a half iron event, I’ve never felt so unprepared. My swimming is okay. I’m not fast but can certainly cover the distance with or without a wetsuit. Of course, I’d like a cold front to come thru and cool off the Prairie Creek Reservoir so that water temps are wetsuit legal and I can feel fast and free as the wetsuit corrects the imperfections in my form. But regardless, the swimming will be the easy part on Saturday.

As for the bike, OUCH, it’s gonna hurt. I knew upon registering for this race back in April that it would be a real push to be in good enough shape to ride the 56 miles well this early in the season. The way my schedule works out, time to ride is a real luxury. I have ridden way more miles on the trainer this month than ever before in my life. I’ve ridden outside, maybe 100 miles this year. OUCH, this is gonna hurt.

Source: Stuart McMillen

I’m obviously looking at a less than ideal situation. Since I’m already planning to DNF, and I’m not really ready to kill the 56 miles on the bike, you might ask why I’m even going? Because I can! I can cover the 56 miles even if I do shed a few tears. I can learn from this experience and move forward with more knowledge as a TRI athlete and I’ll be one step closer to being a better cyclist. I will get to experience the Ironman atmosphere to see if it is one which I want to spend my money on try again. The $250 race fee is non-refundable so I’m going to go and do what I can do and walk away with the satisfaction that I didn’t give in and quit when I had so many excuses as to why it would have been “ok” to sit this one out. And really, after I finish the swim & bike on Saturday, I can officially consider myself 33.33% of an Ironman. Think they have a tat for that? A pretty design for 57.2? No, I didn’t complete the 70.3 this time, no I didn’t even consider the 140.6. Just 57.2 for me!

The 57.2 would forever represent courage to step outside the safety zone. Courage to do what you can do in any situation. Courage to push your limits. Courage to TRI even when you know you could use a few more months of training today may not be your best day. So I’m heading to Muncie to do what I can do, and on Saturday that will be swimming and biking at the best of the ability I currently possess……..for 57.2 miles of pure hell bliss.

Would you go to a race even if you knew you would need to DNF? This is certainly a first for me and it just seems strange.

**Keep TRIing! ** Amanda – TooTallFritz ** amanda@tootallfritz.com

Friday Fundays…..

Posted on July 1, 2012 by tootallfritz

I haven’t been blogging too much about my Friday Funday’s because this has been a crazy month. For the first time in my life, since I was 16, I have a summer of Friday Fundays that do not include working. Initially when I bargained this into my schedule, the plan was to use the early Friday mornings for my long bike miles, then have over half the day to spend with the kiddos taking them on “field trips” a couple times a month, just hanging by the pool or heading to the lake early on Fridays. As we know, life doesn’t always deliver per our written request. Yes, I’ve had my June Friday’s off work but I have spent an inordinate part of each Friday training, working on rehab, doc appointments or running errands. Planning fail. We went on one field trip during June and that was with Michael’s school. Goal of two field trips per month fail.

Since the indoor pools are on summer vacation schedule, getting in swim time has also been quite a challenge. So my Friday Fundays have been starting with a swim after dropping Michael at school. As I have mentioned, swimming has not been fun since the pools are so overcrowded, I have to share a lane and I drink so much TRI Smart water while swimming. I would rather be swimming in the afternoons after work, before heading home but the pools don’t reopen during the day until 5pm. So I either wait for the pools to open, when I could already have Michael and be home on the weeknights, or I swim on Friday mornings. Therefore, I have been using the Friday Funday for swimming but plan to change that up this week to hopefully avoid the crowds and further free up future Friday Fundays. Here is a pic from Friday’s pool session as I was leaving. The place was packed. I mean, really packed.

After a swim, I head to the chiro for whatever amount of ~~pain and torture~~ rehab I can endure for the week. Of course, I should be rehabbing 3x per week but my schedule doesn’t allow for that. So the 1x per week rehab date is not a pleasant one.

After rehab, I head home for a ~~torture session~~ long bike ride. The goal is always 50 to 60 miles but I have only hit the 50 mile long ride 2x this month. I will participate in the Ironman Muncie 70.3 next weekend on July 7th ~~where I will have to DNF after the swim & bike~~ and the lack of long bike rides will show. I know its gonna hurt. I knew when I registered that on a “normal” schedule the 56 mile bike portion was going to hurt this early in my season ~~considering my family, work & commute responsibilities~~, and well, June 2012 has not panned out the way that I planned. So many Friday’s this month, I’ve spent spinning miles on my trainer like this:

This last Friday was no different, as evidenced by the above photo. I headed out the door for my 50-60 mile ride and as soon as I turned North I noticed the black thunder clouds. I managed 20 miles outdoors, came home and rode on the trainer for another 18, then once the rains blew past, I went back out for an additional 13. I logged 51 miles total, which is still not equivalent to the miles I will need to ride in Muncie next week. Not cool.

So after all this, each Friday, I finish my workouts and rehab about 2pm. Shower off, then head to pick up Michael. Still better than a “real” Friday in my life but not really what I consider a Friday Funday. Next month will be better, right?

What do you do when life throws you a curve ball or two? Let it ruin your mood or just roll with the punches? I try to roll with whatever but would occasionally like things to work out smoothly. 🙂

** Wishing you a Friday Funday or Two! ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

Where the Path Leads….

Posted on June 12, 2012 by tootallfritz

If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn’t lead anywhere. ~Frank A. Clark~

Things haven’t gone exactly as I had planned over the last couple weeks but who am I to assume that the plan I create(d) will lead me down the correct path? The best I can do is have faith that the path I am on now will lead in the direction which I am “supposed” to be headed……and hopefully make me stronger and wiser because of it!

So I sit and enjoy the summer as much as possible. It seems almost wrong to be sitting with my feet ~~wrapped in ice~~ up and “chilling” but that’s all that I can do for now. My work and family schedule doesn’t allow much time for swimming but I do have the bike on the trainer in front of the big screen now. I managed 10 miles in 34 minutes last night. Not a big ride as I didn’t have the time but that’s pushing the pace ~~for me~~ on the trainer since I have no hills to throw in a little extra speed. I have never been strong on the bike, even weaker on the trainer. Possibly this entire process, which requires no running ~~since I’m still not walking very well~~, will improve my bike? Possibly help me develop more focused, efficient power? Help me look like I’m serious instead of out for a joy ride?

We’ll see. I always say that if “it’s easy, then it’s not worth it”. This isn’t easy so I am going to assume that I am going to learn something or become better in some way as a result of this process. We’ll see.

What are you up to this summer? Any big races or are you focusing on slowing down?

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