Tag Archives: Frankfort New Lenox Running Club

Look for ME!!

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If you see me at the Shamrock Shuffle Expo or on race day, please give a shout out so I can meet you!

A few ways you may recognize me:

  • I may be a head or two taller than most of the crowd.  Yep, that’s me in the back with Cathie and Dawn in front of me.  No problem picking me out of the crowd.
  • I travel in a pack so if you see me at the expo with 3 or 4 women, 3 teens and 2, strollers, that’s probably my crew.  My munchkins are below, I think we get to leave the dog at home this time, I think: 
  • Race Day = Green Team Sparkle Skirt: 
  • Depending on the weather, I may or may not have my URL on my shirt.
  • I have a huge large tattoo of a cross on the back of my left leg.  Before you ask, this is the script of John 3:16.  You won’t see another one quite like this unless you go to the street photog’s website who caught me in motion in South Beach.  Source – Christian Robotti Photography
  • I’ll be in Corral  B with hopefully several other green sparkle skirts and a kilt or 2.
  • I’ll try to stand as close to the green men as possible in hopes of getting on tv.
  • I’ll be the green sparkle skirt dying in the 3rd mile coming back along Van Buren Street.
  • I’ll be at the front of the Blue Gear Check Tent awaiting the F’N Running crew to come in from their races after I finish and pick up my gear.

Look for me and say, hey!  And good luck to all my F’N Runners, newbies and old pros alike, as well as everyone else who is running.  Let’s shamROCK this town!  And don’t forget to sign up for the the automatic facebook/twitter updates via shamROCKon for race day!.

Happy Running!                                                                                                               Amanda – TooTallFritz.com

Dry Rot Leads to…..

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Yesterday was an AWESOME day.  It was another beautiful day in the CHI and I somehow managed thanks to hubby doing toddler duty to fit in a run and a swim!!  I met up with a few F’N Runners to run 3 miles in the Hickory Hills extension.  Here is the 4:30 group:  Wayne, Kathy & Me with Susan behind the camera. 

It was hot as hell but a few raindrops started to fall as we were getting ready so I threw on a hat to shield my eyes.  Then it never did rain, which would have been nice to cool off the temps a bit.  We just did an easy 3 miles, which wasn’t so easy between the hills and the heat but we put it in the done column.  We also saw a ton of F’N Runners on the trail as there was also an early bird meet up for those who could start at 3:30.  I really do love seeing so many friendly faces on the trail.  I also met a triathlete named Kim who I am hoping will eventually join us for some fun runs!  Email me, Kim!!!

After the run, the real fun began as it was THE day that I was scheduled to get my ass back in the pool.  To be honest, I haven’t been in the pool since the completion of the Great Illini Challenge 70.3 in September of 2008.  To be honest, I would never get in the pool again if it weren’t for triathlon. To be honest, YES, I love triathlon that much that I got a tattoo forced myself to get back in the pool.  So after a long pregnancy/baby break for Mr. Michael,  I feel as if the family he is now mature enough for me to get back to what I really love.  And it all starts in the pool (stock photo, not me):

So that I can make it to the start line:

So that I don’t let those bitches swimmers swallow me up:

So that I can meet the first goal of making it OUT OF THE WATER:

So that I can hit the bike:

So that I can thank my Lord & Savior each time I am able to get off the bike, back on my own two feet, RUN (my favorite part by far) and most of all, FINISH:

I knew it would take a little acclimation to get back into the swim.  I’m not a fast swimmer but somewhat consistent and my major goal for this season is bilateral breathing.  This will be very beneficial in hopefully helping me swim straighter, more efficiently and allow me to be more flexible when the water is rough as I will be able to breathe on whichever side has less wake.

In order to facilitate some of these new goals, I got a small group together for a beginner swim clinic with a young lady I know who first and foremost is an awesome person, but who also swam competitively in High School and is a former lifeguard.  Thanks, Jackie!  This forced my accountability and made me dig out my swim gear when I would have been content to put off swimming for a “couple”  more months.  It was a joke at the pool that my swim gear was so old that everyone was surprised my google straps weren’t dry rotted.  When I took my goggles out of the box, they were in fact in intact.  Well, they lasted most of the session before the straps broke.  The new blast of chlorine did not agree with their age.  So apparently I need new goggles.  Ok.

Well, then the real “giggle” was when I got out of the pool and realized that my TRI top which was fine when I got into the water had basically disintegrated in the chlorine.  Thankfully, there was a solid panel in the front, and the “issue” was with the mesh on the sides and back.  The mesh DID NOT hold up to the new blast of chlorine either and when I got out fo the pool the top was VERY threadbare.  Thank goodness for my new Team Tough Chik TRI top which just arrived, and does NOT have mesh panels! 

I basically filled the garbage can at the pool with about half of the gear with which I started.  Good times and thank goodness for solid front panels in TRI tops. 

Have you ever had a wardrobe malfunction? 

Last call for the Aspaeris Pivot Shorts winner Bridget Walters.  If you know Bridget, tell her to contact me soon or I will have to draw another winner.

Happy TRIing,                                                                                                                 Amanda – TooTallFritz                                                                                 amanda@tootallfritz.com

 

 

 

March Madness?

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March Madness for many may be ball sport related but for me the Madness of March 2012 is all about the weather.  My family and I are rushing around trying to fit in as many outdoor activities as possible afraid that the weather will make an attempt to return to winter.  As of yesterday, we had 4 straight days over 80 degrees and I wonder if that is a record?  Today may “only” reach 79 degrees but time will tell.

Yesterday I met up with the F’N Running Club to enjoy a run thru the Hickory Hills extension.  It was labeled the St. Paddy’s Day run and ironically, I showed up in pink.  Don’t ask.  Kathy showed too but was in red and refused to be in the pic so she was the photog for the day.  Thanks, Kathy!  From left back:  Me, Kevin, Lisa, Brian, Jim, Kim, Susan, Nicole, Tara, & Angela.  From left front:  Jeni, Don, Julie, Diane, & Maggie.

We also saw Melissa, Wayne & Nicole F. out running the trails.  WooooHooo, F’N Runners!  It was a beautiful day with temps in the low 60s when we began. 

Since it was so nice, I took full advantage of it by stopping for several pictures.  I was having breathing issues too so it was a good break until I realized the group was waiting on me while I was lolligagging. 

It was a 9 mile day for me on Saturday.  Not what I like distance wise for a long run but between the hills and my breathing, it was enough for one day.

Today I set out to meet up with the Park Forest Running and Pancake Club in Schubert Woods.  I didn’t make official run plans for this morning because last night was date night and well, no need to plan something that may not happen.  But, of course, we were home and in bed by midnight and Michael gets up between 5 and 6 am no matter what, so I was up to run.  I decided to go meet up with the Pancakers since I haven’t run with them in a looooonnnnnnng time, like my last run with them was the day before I found out I was preggo with Michael in February 2009.  And the bonus is that they run at 8 am on Sunday’s and somewhat close to my house so it wasn’t a big rush.

I wasn’t really sure where I was going, which was a bit stressful, but I knew I had to head toward Sauk Trail and Western, then what??  I had the map up on Eve my gps and as soon as I got close to that intersection I saw Chestnut Street pop up to the north and that triggered a buried memory that I was supposed to head that way.  So I did, turned on Chestnut (off of Western Ave in Park Forest) and ran right into a trailhead. Yay for dumb luck!

Unfortunately, I only saw one car and nobody waiting around so I assumed that nobody was coming.  I knew this Sunday run group was really light so I thought possibly with the racing schedules today or St Paddy’s Day the long run yesterday, that nobody was going to show, so I took off running right at 8 am.  I was instantly in LOVE with the beauty of this trail and wondering why I had never been able to come before now.

The main trial is a 4 mile loop.  There were lots of access points with parking and port-o-pots, plus I even saw picnic areas.  The trail had light traffic for today and was mostly shaded.  This will be an awesome spot to run when the temps are soaring this summer!  I only had one spot where I questioned the direction, and ended up running  a short spur that lead to a road before returning to the main trail.  So if you go by yourself, just say on the loop and keep going in a circular motion.  However, my lolligagging and picture taking misdirection allowed the Pancakers to catch me!  When I came back to the main trail after that short spur, I saw Mark B, Sue & Rob H (who mostly runs with Yankee).  I picked up the pace and ran a bit with them before Sue & Rob dropped at the trailhead to return to their cars.

Mark & I ran on to hit the “The Shoot”, a set of woods across Sauk Trail for a few more miles.  And then we picked up Alexis! 

Alexis is a local chiro who I have attempted to make contact with on many occasions over the years.  However, it seems our schedule between work and kids is not very compatible so this was our first meeting and I’m super excited to have finally met her!  According to Jenny G, Ms. Alexis recently “pipped me to the pole” in a local 5K race, so it’s good to know the chick who very recently kicked my ass racing.  Now I while can keep my eyes open for her “sneaking up” on me in the future!

The “Shoot” was an older section of the trail and very shady with mature trees and mossy green on the trail.  Super sweet!  This photo was in motion, so not as clear as I’d like but still cool! 

Today was a little over 8 miles for me.  Not fast at first but a few fast miles in the middle with the group, then I had to back off toward the end because I was toasted.  But I could breathe much better today and that is a huge WIN.  I was seriously thinking I’d have to go to the doc.  Yikes!  But I’ve pocketed hubby’s inhaler and am feeling decent.  Yay!!

Have you tried any new trails lately?  Do you think all trails look the same so find yourself content to run the same place all the time or are you always up for an adventure?

Last day to enter the Aspareris Pivot Shorts Giveaway HERE.

Happy Adventuring!                                                                                                  Amanda – TooTallFritz

Oak Forest Fleadh 5K – Race Report

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Fleadh – festive event of Irish traditional music and dancing; festival of Irish or Celtic culture.

Where to start in regards to the Oak Forest Fleadh 5K?  Well, it’s a great big party and when it comes to parties that include running, I like to be right there in the middle of it, especially when the party is basically in my own backyard.  Yep, I’m there.  I was number 59, so it “might” be safe to assume that I signed up early too.  🙂

A lot of things have changed over the last few years, one thing is that I have attempted stopped being so serious.  Not as serious about my seriously messy house, or my crazy toddler who seems to always be defining death safety and not as serious about me or my running.  Part of that transition has allowed me to have more fun while running and do stupid stuff like dressing up.  The St Paddy’s Day races are the BEST for dressing up.  I highly recommend you being as OUTRAGEOUS as possible and trust me, you will fit right in with all the other lunitics runners.  Our group had previously chosen a green sparkle skirt from Team Sparkle for our St Paddy’s Day racing fun!  Here are the F’N Runners minus Susan M who was floating around with her friends and family.  Top left:  Kim, April, Judy, Gennie, Kristina, Nicki.  Bottom left:  Aurelia, Maggie – MagMileRunner, Melissa – MadMamaOf4, Aby, & Me.

The “after” photo – minus half our sparkly crew.  April, Gennie, Me, Maggie, Aby, Nicki, Kristina & Kim: 

 F’N age group placers, who the announcer kept calling Team SKIRT. Maggie, Aby & I – all 3rd place finishers. 

Judy F. was also a 3rd place finisher but must have been frozen and had to leave bailed before awards and Nicole F. (F is for FRITZ!!  WHOOOOOOP!) took 2nd.  I believe it was possibly a PR day for most, if not all, of the F’N Runners other than myself.

                                                               The LOOT:Holy crap, this is one of the largest loot bags I have ever received.  There was some cool stuff, lots of coupons that can be actually used and some fun things like:  cups, can cozies, pens/pencils, stick-it pads of paper, letter openers, screw driver, cookies, candy, gripper pad to open jars.  And the award for the ODDEST goodie bag item ever has to go to the “Convenience Bag” for the disposal of vomit and urine.  Ummmm, Thanks?

Overall though, Oak Forest puts on a great race.  This is one of my favorite courses because it is soooo easy.  And I don’t mean easy as in flat because this isn’t the case but it breaks down into 3 parts very easily and you know exactly where you are and how far to go at all times.  The finish will never sneak up on you here unless you are too involved in running up the gigantic hill into the nasty wind or you were merely absorbed in your music.  From the start line, it is almost one mile out (north) on Cicero Avenue, then one mile in a neighborhood, then one mile back south on Cicero to the finish.  Done.   Perfect.  I believe I saw 2 waterstops and there were a few spectators.  It was short and sweet.  Not easy but well defined.

As for my race, I’m getting faster.  This race was a 23:47, which is the fastest 5K thus far for 2012, and considering the wind and hills, plus the near 40 miles that I ran in the last 7 days, I’ll take it.  Although my legs were definitely fatigued, I was more mentally prepared for both the wind and hills this year and did improve over last year’s 24:19 finish.  So that is a definite win!  I still have a lot of work to do but things are looking UP!  And it was a total bonus to be able to run the first mile with Maggie, so I had somebody to at least talk to a little bit.  Not that we said much but it was “kinda” like we were in it together for a minute before she ran away from me to secure another PR for herself.  Go, Maggie!!!!

This race really grew in size this year too.  Last year they recorded 330 finishers with the last recorded finisher at 1 hour and this year they had 542 finisher under the 1 hour mark.  Plus, last year I won my age group and was considerably slower in this race.  In my opinion, this year’s 3rd place finish is even more rewarding since the competition is getting better.  That’s what I like, let’s ALL get better and kick some ass!  Yay!

So if you have a chance to run the Oak Forest Fleadh in the years to come, I would definitely recommend it!  The post race party delivered raffles, lots of food, FRS, massages and a free beer at one of the local establishments!  Plus the community also had a full day of Fleadh events including a parade for the family!

Happy FESTIVE Running,                                                                                             Amanda – TooTallFritz

Saucony Guide – 4 vs 5 – 8mm Drop

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After running a full cycle in the “new” Saucony Guide 5‘s with the 8 mm heel to toe drop, I feel like I can give an accurate and honest review of the changes of this shoe.  First off, the new Guide’s LOOK really cool, although this is the last thing we are supposed to consider when buying a shoe, let’s be honest, it kinda matters.

I have been running in Saucony exclusively other than short 5K type races since 2006/2007.  Due to my size and forefoot strike, I have to change out my shoes approximately every 300 miles or 3 months.  I really like to get 3 months out of a pair of shoes if possible but that is usually pushing past the 300 mile mark.  So let it suffice to say that I am familiar with the Saucony line, particularly the Ride (Pre-Michael) and the Guide (Post-Michael – Don’t ask how my foot changed so much from having a baby but that’s not the only thing that changed so C’est la vie).

The Guide 5 is by far the most attractive pair of Saucony’s I have ever owned.  It’s actually nice to be sporting a pair of “cool” shoes for once.  🙂  This new version with the 8 mm heel to toe drop is also 1.5 oz lighter.  I know that doesn’t sound like a lot but it is a noticeable difference.  I notice it when they are on my feet and I had both pair in my hands last night and the Guide 5s were considerably lighter than the 4s.

The Guide 5s also fit like a glove.  It was love at first fit for me when I slipped these on my feet.  They are soft, much softer than the previous versions and they feel more airy like the Nike’s that I just love.  Great fit in the store, great fit on the run!

Although I was initially impressed with all the new changes, these shoes broke down quickly.  And I mean very quickly.  I ran the bottom off these shoes by the time I broke 200 miles and that’s just not cool.  I ordered a new pair from Running For Kicks once I hit 220 miles because my body was telling me it was time to switch them out; however, since the shoe has won so many awards and has a massive ad campaign in progress, it seems the shoe’s popularity has soared!  Therefore, I had to wait 3 weeks for these shoes to come off the backorder and be delivered to the store.  In the interim, I panicked ordered a limited edition of the Guide 5 from another source but have yet to receive those either.  However, here is a peek at these beauty’s which I will be sporting with my girls at 13.1 Miami Beach!  We decided to coordinate with pink & black and these babies will look pretty cool with our color scheme. 

So just this week my ankle, feet and hips started aching backordered Guide 5’s arrived at Running For Kicks.  I immediately picked them up and got to hit the trail with them last night.  I certainly didn’t go far as I have some nagging aches that I need to kick in the ass evict before the Miami race; however, I was able to catch up with my F’N Runners for a bit.  Good looking group showed up in the rain, if I do say so myself!    From Left Back:  Susan, Cathie, Wayne (newbie!!), Dawn, Kathy, & April.  Left Bottom:  Nicole C, Jeni – Sparkalish Roar, Meg & Nicole W (April’s Daughter!).  Not pictured:  MagMileRunner, Diane & myself.

I ran 4 miles with this crew before bowing out to go home to Amstel Light Motrin & the last remaining sample of the Arctic Ease wrap.  Although the Arctic Ease is not as cold as ice, it is certainly more convenient than icing when you have a toddler don’t have time to sit down.  They are temporary though, I had a larger covering that I had purchased at the Chicago Marathon expo and when I went to pull it out, it was moldy.  This has happened with other wraps I have had too.  They don’t last real long but are certainly handy. 

As I was self medicating making dinner, I started to think about the difference between the Guide 4’s and 5’s, knowing darn well that the fact that I ran too long in the current pair of Guide 5’s was the reason for my new aches/pains.  This prompted me to dig out my old shoes which I have been using to commute back and forth to work.  Since the Plantar Fasciitis issue, I haven’t worn a real pair of non-running shoes for quite some time, so I live in my Saucony’s.    The Guide 5’s are on the left, the Guide 4’s on the right.  You can see the wear is so much worse on the 5’s with 285 miles verses the 4’s with 330 miles.

Forefoot of the Guide 5’s:

Forefoot of Guide 4’s: 

In my opinion, it is conclusive that the Guide 4 wore much better than the Guide 5.  That being said, I still think the Guide 5 is a better shoe in all aspects but I find it unfortunate that I will be getting even less wear out of the new version that I did previously.  Is it worth it, probably yes but still not good for my bank account. 

Do you buy the same shoe each time and know exactly how the updates affect your body? Any shoe you can tell us about that specifically made noticable changes to the good or bad?

Happy Running,                                                                                                             Amanda – TooTallFritz

 

Gloomy Runday……

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I live work in a high-rise building in downtown Chicago.  I  normally arrive in the dark early  morning and leave mid afternoon. It’s unusual that I leave the building during the day for “lunch” and in this office space, I no longer have a personal office, nor do I have access to a window unless I specifically seek one out.  So when I plan to run after work, I do so without regard to the weather.  And generally speaking,  my life really doesn’t have many time allowances to reschedule runs/workouts anyhow, so the weather is hardly a factor in my decision to run or not run.

So yesterday afternoon, as I was watching the running related facebook pages working, I started to notice my Wednesday night runners begin to drop like flies.  We normally have a pretty solid core group that shows up to run with the F’N Running Club, but yesterday we were a little light.  My run friends had awesome alibis.  Brain P was packing for Ireland.  Yeah right, like men actually pack their own bags?  HaHaHaHa…..ok, maybe some men.  Melissa EM was getting a massage?  Hmmmmm, yeah, me too.  I want a massage.  Can I join you?  Jenni H & Meg couldn’t come cuz hubby wasn’t home to help with the little ones.  Okay, that one “might” have been legit but it was ironic that once I stepped outside the fluorescent lights I realized the weather was super crappy less than ideal. It looked something like this (not my photo but couldn’t get the source).

By the time I drove all the way back to the Burbs in a cold, drizzly rain, even I didn’t really want to run and was wondering if it was too late to get in with Melissa for a massage.  But alas, I hauled myself out of my car and just started running because although it was cold and wet, I knew that I REALLY did want to be out there putting in some miles.  The gloominess was actually peaceful.  There was a bit of ice and snow left on Old Plank east of Frankfort and the wildlife was out thinking they had the world all to themselves.   I saw several white tail deer, rabbits, birds, squirrels and other small animals.  It was as close to a real trail run as I’ve had for quite a while.  Quiet.  Peaceful.  Majestic.

And since I wasn’t the only one who wanted to run, we still had a nice group of F’N Runners.  Top from left:  CrazyBoyDon, Diane & Maggie – MagMileRunner.  Bottom from left:  Dawn, Cathie, Susan & Me.  Brian F was nice enough to take this photo.  Thanks, Brian!

Another great run!  Thanks to those of you who came out because I am not sure I would have been strong enough to go by myself if we hadn’t planned to meet up as a group.  It was just one of those days where you start out and you just aren’t feeling it but as always, I think we were all happy as we were driving home. 

A special shout out goes to Don for coming out in the rain.  His schedule usually doesn’t allow him to make an appearance on weeknights and it was great to see him, although he did push our pace a bit.  CrazyBoy is getting strong….P-90X, maybe?  Gotta check that out! 

Happy Running!                                                                                                              Amanda – TooTallFritz

Six Degrees of Seperation…..Virtual Run For Sherry Arnold

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Six degrees of separation refers to the idea that everyone is on average approximately six steps away, by way of introduction, from any other person on Earth, so that a chain of, “a friend of a friend” statements can be made, on average, to connect any two people in six steps or fewer.

Today was the day for the Virtual Run/Walk for Sherry Arnold.  Running communities throughout the world sponsored virtual run/walks to honor Sherry, a “fallen” runner, and all of the other runners who have left their homes to go for a run and never returned.  I think each time we hear a story of a runner who has gone missing it cuts to each of our soul’s.  I usually remember the names of these individuals for years, if not forever, after the fact.  I find the six degrees of separation  reference to be true in most instances and this time most of us need even fewer “degrees” as many of us are connected to Sherry thru her cousin Beth at Shut Up + Run.   We may not know Beth personally but we know her “on-line”.  We may not have known Sherry personally but we knew her thru the stories which Beth took the time to share.

So today, we did the only thing that we could possibly do…..we ran.  Here is the group that showed up in single degree temps today to run.  I only wish I could say that our static temp was indeed 6 degrees, but the truth of the matter is that it was 8 degrees at the start with a “feels like” temp of -2.  The wind was howling and viscous so we grabbed a quick pic and took off running!  From back:  Kim, Susan, Kerry, Jenny, Kathy, Brian, Lori (middlish in purple), Stacy (Lori’s hubby!!), & CrazyBoyDon.  Front:  Joe, Meg (Jeni’s 11 year-old – middlish in black), Aby (my 10 year-old), Jeni – Sparkalish Roar, & Melissa.

As we were moving toward the trial, I also gave some brief safety tips.  I will highlight them here in case nobody could hear me with the howling wind.

    • Run with a friend or a group when possible.
    • Carry a pepper spray or something to defend yourself if necessary.  I like the PersonalSavers.com Wrist Saver.  At $12.95, it’s definitely a good deal in my opinion.  I ordered the small but its a tight fit on me.  I did that though so that Aby can also use it. 
    • Run without music or just use one ear bud with music at low volume if you must have it.
    • Pay attention to your surroundings at all times.
    • Make eye contact with the people you meet and the drivers of the cars that pass you up.
    • If you are running on the road, run against traffic.  It’s the law and it allows you to see what is coming at you.  React appropriately and don’t be afraid to dive in the ditch if necessary.  I step off the road ALL THE TIME.  I do not trust that cars see me.  Plus, as soon as I see a car, I immediately look behind me to see if one is coming from the other direction, which will inhibit the oncoming driver from moving over to give me more room.
    • Don’t take a ride from strangers.
    • If at all possible carry your cell phone with you in case you have an emergency.  I know today’s cell phones are usually big and bulky so we can surf the web so I had to purchase a spi-belt to carry mine.
  • I also use knucklelights (see above) at night and ALWAYS run in clothing that is VERY reflective and has multiple reflective accents.  Always assume that cars/drivers/people CAN’T see you!
  • Tell a family member (or leave a note!) your running route but also inform them that the route may change if the situation changes.  I always leave the house with a plan but frequently change it up due to circumstances:  something that makes me feel uncomfortable, a wild animal, the wind, the traffic patterns, etc.  So make sure the family knows the “intended” route but also have them be aware that shit things happen and a route is never written in stone at least for me.
  • Trust your instincts.  If it feels wrong, then it is wrong and it’s your responsiblity to change the situation.

So today, we ran for Sherry, no moment of silence or quiet reflection, just a quick safety check and then the joy of running.  May Sherry and all the other “gone missing” runners feel our joy today and take comfort in our remembrance of them doing their favorite thing, regardless of the weather. 

And of course, Michael wanted to participate too but with the weather, there was no way that I was taking him out in the jogger.  So we grabbed a photo with him once we got home.  And some of our friends who joined virtually who were not able to be in Frankfort, IL today.  Angela from sunny Florida.  Lynn who is local but couldn’t make it out with us today.  Several of our F’N Running Club members were racing today and couldn’t join us in person but still ran with Sherry’s bib on their back’s.  From left:  Amanda – Get to Goal, Kelly – Running Kellometers, Gennie & Maggie – MagMileRunner:

Did you get in any miles for you OR Sherry today?  If so, link up some pics for us!

Any safety tips that I missed?  If so, please share.

Happy SAFE Running,                                                                                           Amanda – TooTallFritz                                                                             amanda@tootallfritz.com

Half-Assed….

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This week has been a bit crazy.  I’ve been all over the board as to where I’m going, what I’m doing, and which problem has my main focus.  Quite frankly, I feel like I’ve done a half-assed  poor job with everything.  And yes, half-assed is a real word, at least according to the Urban Dictionary: 

1. half-assed  
 
Doing an activity only partly, or without one’s whole self involved; doing something without caring, or without putting anything into it.

On Monday, I went to Running For Kicks and did “half” of their fun run.  Yes, I stole Gail’s photo again off the Running For Kicks facebook page. 

I did 3.05 miles in the “hills”.  Since none of my girls were around, it was a bit difficult to find a partner at my pace.  Fortunately, Chuck took mercy on me and ran some 8:45s with me before I spun out and raced home.

On Tuesday, I did a speed workout with half of my attention capacity, the other half was back at my desk with my deadline work. I also had half the amount of energy I needed to MAKE IT HAPPEN.  And of course, I had half the time I would have liked, so it was super important that the dreadmill work WITH me and not against me.  And while I wasn’t as happy and cheerful as this chick below, I did okay. 

It was  a very systematic workout that allowed me to zone out and not have to focus on too much of anything other than NOT getting thrown off the back of the treadmill.  And while I DO NOT recommend you do as I do, I will put my workout below just incase you need a starting point for increasing your speed a bit.  I’m supposed to be running much faster with longer intervals, I just can’t seem to muster it at the this point in time.  Therefore, I do what I can do on the given day and refuse to beat myself up over not being better.  All of the following was done at a 1.0 incline.

  • 1 min walk @ 4.0 mph
  • 3 min jog @ 5.5 mph
  • 2 min SPRINT at 8.5 mph which was within seconds quickly downgraded to 8.0 mph
  • 1 min walk @ 4.0 mph
  • 1 min jog @ 5.5 mph
  • 2 min sprint @ 8.1 mph
  • 1 min walk @ 4.0 mph
  • 1 min jog @ 5.5 mph
  • 2 min sprint @ 8.2 mph
  • 1 min walk @4.0 mph
  • 1 min jog @ 5.5 mph
  • 2 min sprint @ 8.3 mph
  • 1 min walk  @ 4.0 mph
  • 1 min jog @ 5.5 mph
  • 2 min sprint @ 8.4 mph
  • 1 min walk @ 4.0 mph
  • 1 min jog @ 5.5 mph
  • 2  min sprint @ 8.5 mph (much better this time but still HARD for me!)
  • 1 min walk @ 4.0 mph
  • 3 min jog @ 5.5
  • TOTAL = 30 MINUTES!

 Then yesterday was my normal Wednesday night run with the F’N Running Club.  I was very excited going in, even showed early to log some miles. 

The sun was shining and I even had to scramble for a pair of sunglasses….thanks, Michael for letting me borrow your toddler “Mater” glasses!  However, I soon realized that I was only half focused.  I had  scheduled our local Virtual Run/Walk for Sherry Arnold  shortly before I  started running and the entire situation was just weighing on me.  Not just the horror of what happened to Sherry but of the fact that bad things happen to good people ALL THE TIME.  And it sucks.  Then the memories of past runners who didn’t make it home flooded my memory:  Chelsea King (age 17) from CA in 2010.  Patrick Mizwicki (age 14) from Lincoln Way East in 2011, a nameless woman, who has probably been forgotten by many, who was killed on our local suburban trails circa 2007/2008.  All traces of that news article has been swept away  because I REALLY looked for her name.  A lot weighing on me lately so I wasn’t my normal cheerful self by the time the FNRC showed up.  But we had a great turnout so that was awesome!  Left Back:  Kathy (who always looks glamorous and “made-up” to me), Lori (newbie!), Diane, Dawn, Aurelia, Rick, Maggie – MagMileRunner, Me & Brian.  Front:   Jeni – Sparkalish Roar & Meg.

It was good run but it’s hard to get those girls to slow down under that 8:45 mark.  I was dragging but made it thru.  My total for the day was 10.26 miles.  But I’m feeling it.  I have some soreness and not in a “good sore” type of way.  I need to rest today, and possibly tomorrow, so I can be ready for the weekend.

If you can make it out to our Virtual Run/Walk for Sherry Arnold (and every other missing/murdered/dead runner) then please come and join us.  We will be running in Frankfort, IL at 7:30am on Saturday.  Everyone is welcome; I’m even bringing my daughter.  I will do a brief Runner Safety talk before the run.  I’ll be brief, I promise!  Feel free to run as little or as far as you like….just come.  If you are not local, then print the bib HERE and do it on your own or get a group together in your area.  If you send me photos, I will post them all!

Happy Running,                                                                                                                Amanda – TooTallFritz

19 Runners and Counting……

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I was fortunate that hubby agreed to watch the kiddos to be able to get out for the Saturday run with the F’N Running Club, and WOW, I’m super glad I didn’t miss this one.  We had 19 people this morning including myself!  Look for the newbies!  Top from left:  Eve, Jim, Amy, Brian, Stephanie, Susan, Nicole R, Kate S, Mary, Kelly, Gennie.  Bottom from left:  Julie, Joe, Diane, Nicole C, Jeni, Melissa, Kate LF, Meg.

Great turnout for an early morning run in FEBRUARY!  I can’t even imagine how many  will drag their butts out of bed show up come spring/summer.  So as of today, I believe this is our largest group run to date.  I am certainly hoping we beat that number tomorrow!

Even though it is the beginning of February we were able to run the trail.  We had a very light dusting of snow during the night which made the trail a little slippery in spots but overall it was very pleasant.  The temps were mild, starting out around 34 with a bit of a breeze but by the time we hit the turnaround all of that was forgotten and we were stripping our gloves and outer layers.  It really was a beautiful day with a great group of people. 

Joe coming back from the turnaround.

Most of the runners went 6 miles today.  However, we did have a large group of run/walkers who went 3 miles, then a few ladies who went 4 miles.  The paces varied from the run walk group up to about a 7:45-8:00 pace.  Today was the fun/short day for most of us so we were focused on trying to be good and not run too fast which was really hard with so many people and the overall excitement.  It was certainly fun with so many friendly runners on the trail!

Tomorrow we have moved the run to the Grainery in Frankfort where the parking area is more accommodating to our growing numbers.  Hope to see you at 7am tomorrow!  The group will be running from 3-10 miles…..surely that will fit into your plan, right?  Okay, then we will see you tomorrow!

Mileage – 6.06 – 58:41 with multiple stops.  Fun Factor – HIGH.

Happy Running!                                                                                                                Amanda – TooTallFritz

Distracted!

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Normally, I am a very somewhat focused individual.  I work in a job that is deadline oriented.  My co-workers are Me, Myself & I so there isn’t any “back-up” and there is no question as to “if” it’s going to get done.  It HAS to get done before the deadline,  NO.MATTER.WHAT.  In addition to the J.O.B, I have a long commute, family responsibilites:  hubby/kids/pets/house, etc., and I love to get my run on as often as possible so its normal for me to have a time deficient .   Therefore, my interaction with social media, email, reading and other “fun” things has to be limited.  It sucks is difficult to be an adult.

However, I must admit, I am currently struggling to focus on anything except the buzz on the facebook boards regarding registration for the 2012 Chicago Marathon.  My friends and F’N Running Club buddies are signing up at an alarming rate.  People who said “no way” yesterday, signed up today.  In fact, they are not the only ones registering, over 25,000 people registered in the first 24 hours!  Wow.  I am getting slammed with messages, updates, etc. of new people who are running and a good number of people who have also chosen to run for Ronald McDonald House Charities along with me!  I am so excited!  It looks like I will not be standing on the start line “alone” this year but will have lots of “friendlies” standing right beside me and ready to tackle the momentous occasion as a team.  Thank you to all of you who have registered and/or are planning to register!  This is going to be the best year ever!  And PLEASE contact Charles R. at RMHC if you have any thoughts or questions about becoming a Charity Runner.  You will not be sorry, the experience RMHC offers is like no other:   private bathrooms, free post race massage, great food/drinks before and after the race (for you plus your family & friends!), and of course, Ronald McDonald and the entire RMHC crew will literally roll out the red carpet to cheer and congratulate you upon finishing!  It really is an awesome experience.

With all of these fun things happening, I’m surprised I was even able to pry myself away for a run yesterday!  But I did!  The temps on Feb 1, were amazing at 50 degrees and it was a beautiful day to run! 

The best thing about the weather was that we got to get back on the trail for the first time in several weeks.  WHOOOOHOOOO!  I love you Old Plank Trail!

Here are a few pics from the walking trail around the  pond.  This is the route I take when I have the kiddos because we like the water, wildlife and seasonal grasses.  It’s certainly not the same in the winter but still good to appreciate the beauty of what will be in spring/summer.

There were a few spots which were snow and ice-covered but for the most part the trail was clear. 

I was able to grab 4 miles and watch the sun begin to set before picking up the F’N Running Club for the Wednesday Night Run. 

Two new people tonight!  Can you spot them?  F’N Runners from Top Left:  Rick (newbie!), Joe, April, Aurelia, Meg, Susan, Dawn.  Bottom Left:  Me, Brian P, Brian F, Nicole (newbie!), & Cathie.

Great turnout!  We had all ages/paces covered from a 12-year-old runner & UP no way you will get the ages out of the rest  of us, run/walkers to 7:30 pace range.  Good job FNRC!

Most of the group ran 4 miles, and a few went 6 miles.  It really is a very casual and supportive atmosphere if you are interested in trying a group run, we most definitely can help you along!  Come out and join us!

My mileage for the day was 10.35 but most of those were very leisurely miles with some photo ops plus walking in the snowy/icy spots.  Great run!

Happy Running!                                                                                                                Amanda – TooTallFritz