Long Beach Marathon Race Review

Posted on October 13, 2015 by tootallfritz

Marathon #23. State #14. Long Beach Marathon. Long Beach, California.

The Long Beach Marathon was expecting close to 20,000 participants and record high temps. The story was all about the weather and staying safe. Unfortunately, I have a bit of experience in the heat, in fact every marathon I’ve ran this year (6 to date) has had temps above 85 degrees at the finish. But that doesn’t mean I like running in the heat and it doesn’t make it easier and I’m not getting used to it. ~~In fact, I may be getting a little grumpy.~~ But the views around Huntington, Seal & Long Beaches made the heat tolerable.

What Long Beach served up ~~besides temps near or at 100 degrees~~ was a beautiful location, a large expo and nicely ran race with multiple distance options. There was a Kids Mile, 5K, Half Marathon, 20 Mile Bike and the Marathon. The expo was large with almost 90 vendors. Packet pickup was smooth, easy & they even offered a shirt exchange option, if by chance you needed a different size shirt.

Race morning, the roads surrounding the race all closed at 5am. There were a lot of parking areas, some of which could be pre-paid prior to race day. Lots of potties and a stream of people heading toward the start. The 20 Mile Bike, Wheelchairs & Marathoners were scheduled to start at 6am; however, due to the heat, race officials also gave the half marathoners the option to start at 6am (instead of 7:30a). So we had an additional 10,000 people opt to start running at 6am. This resulted in total chaos. There were no start corrals. Just bodies of people waiting to start running.

We started running about 6:15am, along with everyone around us. Without start corrals, runners were not ordered according to pace and we all know the walkers want to start as close to the front as possible. So the first few miles were slow and we spent a lot of time weaving around other runners without trying to expend too much energy since we knew it was going to be a tough day. I immediately felt warm. Like too warm. So I was very focused on not pushing and staying as comfortable as possible. At every aid station, I made sure to drink Nuun (if offered), water and dump water on my head and body. I knew I needed to keep my body as cool as possible in order to squeak out a finish. The first 6 miles were good. It was dark, the sun was coming up, we were protected from the sun. Around mile 6, we ran around Rainbow Harbor and had an amazing view of the Queen Mary.

Then we ran past the aquarium & start area, and into the sun as we headed toward Alamitos Beach and a long straightaway with beach views and full sun.

Things were still good around Alamitos Beach but I could feel my body slowing. Involuntarily. We weren’t running fast but too fast for me and the dance with the sun. Alamitos Beach turned to Junipero Beach, then we passed the Belmont Pier and the Belmont Pool which is famous for holding the 1968 and 1976 Olympic Trials and because it was used as a training pool for the 1984 Olympics in LA. But things were still good. We were still smiling. We were still together. Lara, Me & Julie.

After the Belmont area, we turned out onto Ocean Boulevard and away from the sun, said farewell to the Half Marathoners and headed east into the surrounding neighborhoods. That’s pretty much when the fun ended. Miles 10.5 to approximately 23.75 were thru neighborhoods, on busy roads. The highlights were the Marine Stadium and California State University Long Beach. The University campus offered up a few hills but also some much needed shade. Coolest thing I saw in these rough miles was this fun pyramid building on the CSU campus, which we passed 2x.

The race was well staffed, had plenty of water & Nuun. Three stations for Honey Stinger gels. Two stations for ice. Two stations with misting fans. One beer station. Lots of port-o-potties, which were clean. Volunteers and police were very supportive. Residents were supportive offering cold bottles of water, pretzels, donut holes and oranges from their own homes. But I’m not going to lie, it was hot and my tummy was super upset from the heat and the extra fluids I needed to survive the heat. It was really quite miserable. Julie, Lara & I split. It was all about survival. And we did survive but that was about it. This is one race where I think I’d recommend the half over the full. I don’t feel like I saw anything exceptional after we split from the half. If you are in it for the beach views, you’ll see them all before mile 10. Then it’s just more pounding of the city streets.

Finish was downhill. Thank freaking goodness. Cool medal. Cool shirt. And California is officially checked off the list. Huge shout out to my friends Lara & Nels who shuttled us around, fed us, and housed us during out brief visit to the Golden State.

What’s next? Hopefully at least some cooler weather and maybe just one decent marathon time for 2015? Race wise, look for me at: Indianapolis Monumental Marathon (11/7), Route 66 Marathon + Detour (11/22), Huff 50K (12/19), and then we will be picking up our deferred races (due to injury) from last January for the Mississippi Blues Marathon (1/9/16) & First Light Marathon (1/10/16). Yes, a double marathon weekend. Sounds fun, right?!?

Lots of races ahead. I took most of the summer off for TRI training and we’ve spent a ton of time ~~and $$~~ fixing up the IL house over the last month or so. The IL house will be on the market at the end of this week and we are ready to get back to business as usual. Let’s do this!!!

** Run Happy and Safe ** Amanda – TooTallFritz

The Week of The Big Race ……

Posted on October 6, 2015 by tootallfritz

September certainly opens the door for the fall racing season but October is marathon month. So many great races. So little time. This year I did NOT register for the Chicago Marathon. Yes, I love the race. Yes, most of my IL and IN friends are running it. No, I didn’t cave like I always do and toss up a huge entry free for a race that I’ve ran time and time again. This year, I’m heading to Long Beach, California for the Long Beach Marathon.

I picked Long Beach cuz it was 1) on the same day as Chicago and 2) because my friend Lara moved out to the Long Beach area at the same time my family moved to Auburn, Indiana. I haven’t seen Lara since their move and I can’t wait to see her and her amazing family. We’ve spent so much time over the last 5 years pounding miles on dark trails (her and/or her hubby) that I frequently think about them while I run. I smile with thoughts of the stories we’ve told a million times and can’t wait to create new ones.

Long Beach won’t be what I initially imagined. Lara is a super fast runner ~~who never complains about my slower pace~~. When I signed up back in February, I had thoughts of a new marathon PR. I envisioned myself fit and fast. I imagined the perfect race. But life isn’t perfect, so my vision has changed and I’m not at all sad about that. We will have a great time running the Long Beach area, singing, dancing and laughing over the course of 26.2 miles. It’s going to be hot. 94 according to accuweather. But we’ll be together and we are lucky enough to have another friend, my girl Julie M., along for the fun. And fun we will be having. Look at this amazing course. Lots of blue water to bring us a breeze and beautiful sites.

Since we are facing a hot race, I’ve reviewed a couple of my old posts about the week leading up to important races/marathons. Feel free to check out the Race Week Do(s) & Don’t(s) or the Marathon Week post for pre-race tips. For us, we will be hydrating with electrolytes all week. We have packed the salt caps and our favorite run visor. We won’t be carb loading so much as eating healthy nutritious foods with complex carbs, lean proteins and healthy fats. It’s pretty apparent that nobody will be PRing on a 94 degree day, no matter how spot on their training or how amazing their fitness. So we have put our expectations in check and we’ll focus on the positive: enjoying our race, making sure everyone is hydrating and keeping up with fuel/electrolytes, and having as much fun as possible being together and doing what we love. I’m thankful for crazy friends who think that fun = running long.

** Wishing YOU a Great Marathon Season With Crazy Friends ** Amanda – TooTallFritz

Bobcat Trail Marathon–Glouster OH

Posted on November 5, 2014 by tootallfritz

On Sunday, my friend Julie & I knocked Ohio off our list of states with the Bobcat Trail Marathon!

As usual, we picked a weekend we were free & signed up for a race that was within driving distance. We didn’t know much about it other it being a trail marathon. I think we both figured it couldn’t be any worse (harder) than the Dances with Dirt Marathon at Devil’s Lake WI but we were about to find out. Our one and only unspoken rule about our marathon running adventures is that we don’t obsess about the course. We don’t spend ~~any~~ much time looking at the website and thinking about race day. It’s an adventure and with adventure comes surprise and well, it’s always a surprise. We pick races based on timing and our availability, nothing more. The rest of what’s to come is a mystery.

The Bobcat Trail Marathon is in Glouster, OH at Burr Oak State Park. It features 26.2 miles of running around a 660+ acre lake, thru the woods, mostly on single track, up and down leaf covered trails in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Yes, the Appalachian Mountains. SURPISE! In case you don’t know, Julie & I are Midwesteners. You might even call us flatlanders. We run and train in and around Chicago and we consider the Roosevelt Bridge a mountain. Let it suffice to say that we only see mountains on TV and we don’t even really have “hills” on which to train. So this was a difficult run for us to say the least. But the lake was beautiful!

Packet pick-up and the start/finish were at the Burr Oak Lodge. Great location. Great price on rooms. Great food in the restaurant. Lots of activities for the family! Plus it was super nice to be able to stay inside and use real bathrooms until just moments before the race began.

If you’ve been to packet pick-up at a trail race, it’s normally a non-event. They almost always offer packet pick-up on race day. You stand in a short line, tell them your name, they hand you a shirt and a bib. You leave and get ready to run. So easy! Bobcat was no different.

The race started on time. The only distance offered was the marathon and we soon found out why. We basically ran into the woods and short of a few road crossings, we never came out until we were back at the lodge/finish line. It was a full day of single track trails around a huge lake. No cell service. Race officials were in constant contact with one another via radios and they kept very close track of the runners and made sure we all went thru each of the check points. We were told to “not worry” and that if something happened, they WOULD come get us. Comforting. I think.

The entire race looked like this.

We ran single file 99% of the time. Following the path of partially crushed/disturbed leaves. I’m pretty sure the local wildlife “cut” this trail. It was very technical with an endless amount of exposed roots & rocks buried beneath several inches of fallen leaves. Super cool. Fun. Adventurous. Yet totally exhausting.

I fell ~~on my face~~ one time but didn’t get hurt. Stubbed my toe & went “flying” countless times. Slid both up and down hills on the fallen leaves. Crossed numerous bridges & ravines. We had one full on water crossing that was impossible to navigate without submerging ourselves ankle deep in a cold creek. I climbed. I descended. I wondered how bad this would hurt “tomorrow”. I wondered if I would lose any toenails from the nasty downhill’s. Three days after the fact, my quads still feel like they went thru a meat grinder. I’m definitely sore this time. Like really sore but I still have all my toenails ~~so far~~.

We carried our own water and were thankful to have it. There were aid stations every 4-5 miles, some manned, some with just water jugs dropped along the trail. Aid stations offered coke, ginger ale, heed, water, cookies, Halloween chocolate candies, chips, pretzels, chex mix, Hammer Gels & other goodies I can’t recall. The only thing missing was the salted/boiled potatoes that most trail races offer! Multiple places with park potties. Multiple check points with volunteers keeping track of our progress and encouraging us to continue at whatever pace was manageable.

We were at the end. Like almost last. Everyone we met seemed local and trained on the trail which we were running. They seemed light on their feet. Running was effortless for them. It took slightly more of an effort for us. But we still got the same medal that they did when we crossed that finish line!! And something cool, when we finished, we were offered a choice between a medal or a finisher’s plaque with a picture of the lake. It was a tough choice but we both picked a medal.

Best part of the race? Locals decorated part of the trail with Halloween decorations! But beware, if you spend too much time looking at the decorations and taking photos, you may miss a flag or two, get lost and run off course.

Worst part of the race? The endless roots/rocks that necessitated spending the entirety of the race looking at the ground. It was tiresome and very rough on the feet.

Absolute must if you run this race? Trail shoes! You need those babies to protect your precious feet!

All in all, it was a good event. It certainly wasn’t my favorite of the year but a nice solid race that was well supported. Very peaceful. All the runners and volunteers were super encouraging and very nice. Yet, we may have decided that we make better road than trail runners! Our lack of hills for training, our injured feet and the occasional need for a potty or two, may keep our feet planted on the road for the next few races! But only time will tell. We are taking a short break to recoup, then we’ll see where our adventures lead us next!

** Adventures in Marathoning ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

Dances With Dirt – Devil’s Lake Marathon

Posted on July 16, 2014 by tootallfritz

I can’t say that I really had time to tromp off to ~~nowhere~~ Baraboo, WI to run a marathon. Realistically, I don’t even have time to write this post but sometimes you just gotta do, what you gotta do! 🙂 So last FRI, I packed it up and headed 3.5 hours north into WI to run the Dances With Dirt – Devil’s Lake trail marathon. I hadn’t read much of the website other than details on registration and where to stay. I “picked” the race because I wanted to knock Wisconsin off the list {as part of my long-term goal of running a marathon in all 50 states} and I specifically wanted to do Wisconsin prior to moving further away. There aren’t a ton of marathons in WI right now and well, Devil’s Lake was the only one on my “partially free” weekend. Therefore, I didn’t pick Devil’s Lake, it picked ME. There you have it. That was the process of picking my WI race ~~and pretty much how I live my life “married with children~~“.

Eventually info did start trickling down to me that I was in for a race of my life but I didn’t really pay too much attention because I didn’t have ~~any~~ too many other options. Let it suffice to say that I was prepared to “suck it up” and knock WI off the list! Let’s do this, right?!?!?!?

Thankfully registration was quick and easy, on site the morning of the race ~~since I had previously missed online registration~~. Multiple distances options were available from 10K to 50 miles. Plenty of clean port-o-potties on site. Well organized event with a few freebies from the sponsors. Julie, myself & Dawn at the start.

We didn’t even run a mile before reality started to set in and we were climbing up, up, up. On single track. And we were walking. Not running.

What started out as a jaunt thru the woods quickly became a serious endurance event. It was much more difficult to climb at a walking pace than run at marathon pace. Granted I am currently out of shape. I’m also above my normal weight by a solid 20 lbs. So I didn’t expect a walk in the park but even if I had read the website, I wouldn’t have ever guessed this event would be so challenging. We climbed up. We ran or walked down depending on how technical the section of the trail. We picked our way thru large boulder fields. We navigated stairs. We followed a paved path at the top of the mountain that we couldn’t believe existed. We saw Devil’s Lake from a bird’s prospective. And then we headed down, passing people who came to Devil’s Lake to climb and repel with legit climbing equipment. Julie and I were in our normal running shoes, just taking everything as it came. Step by step. My trail shoes are packed away in a box and her’s are so old they wouldn’t have helped much anyhow. So there were no trail shoes for the two of us! We just kept moving, at whatever pace we could manage. One of our miles “up top” took 38 minutes. Yes, that’s 38 minutes for ONE mile. But the views were breathtaking and it was worth it. Seriously worth it. Look at these amazing photos.

I wanted to squeeze in a report for this event because I know that other people actually research races before jumping in the car to check off another state. 🙂 There are a few details that might help if you go to run an event at Devil’s Lake.

1) Take a fuel/water belt. You’ll be going thru A LOT of water. The aid stations are well stocked but usually 4-5 miles apart. In fact, due to the terrain, I’m amazed they had as many stations as they did.
2) Wear trail shoes if you have them, buy them if you don’t own any. The purpose of trail shoes is to protect your feet. They have a foot and toe plate made out of a tougher/stronger material. I stubbed my toe, on unseen roots/rocks, 4 times and went flying. fortunately, I didn’t break any toes and I managed to land “on my feet” each time. This isn’t normal so I’m thankful to come out unscathed. Plus I could feel the rocks under my feet thru my road shoes. Not the most pleasant thing. I would have loved to have my trail shoes.
3) Gaiters are optional. Not necessary in my opinion. We weren’t kicking up a lot of dirt or debris but that could be due to our pedestrian pace. If you’re a mover and a shaker, wear your gaiters.
4) Compression works! I strongly encourage the use of either compression sleeves or socks for this event. Firstly, it will keep the blood flowing in your muscles when the blood wants to leave the legs and go directly to the lungs, as you are clawing your way up the hills!!! Secondly, the compression socks will protect your legs against the tall grasses/weeds and/or branches that are pushing onto the trail. There are several sections that are pretty grown up. I personally don’t want my bare legs touching a lot of weeds/grasses/trees with which I’m not familiar. It would be one giant itch fest for me.
5) Bug spray is your friend. Use it. Reapply. And keep your mouth shut if possible. It’s SUPER buggy and you’ll be lucky if you only eat a couple of bugs.
6) Pray for an overcast/cloudy day. We got lucky. I hope you do too! We heard some stories about previous years which were a smoldering hot. It was 80 degrees for us and overcast. Super muggy ~~and buggy~~.
7) Low light on the trails will be an issue. If you want to protect your eyes from the bugs, use photochromic sunglasses (I prefer Ryders Eyewear) or lenses with low tint.
8) Have fun. If you aren’t going to win there is really no reason to press down the hills and risk your life. Ego is one thing. Safety is another. I highly recommend running this one “for fun”. It took me over 7.5 hours to run/walk/hike this marathon and my quads & stabilizer muscles have been shredded all week. It’s a rough one and well, I’ve hiked the Grand Canyon from Rim to Rim and this was way tougher and much more technical. I’ve run/walked/hiked a lot of trails. I’m not an “expert” but I’m experienced. I’m not trying to hype it, just be honest. It’s going to be tough. If you don’t believe me, check out the warning on the BACK of the race shirt. Swag below, back of the shirt says, “Dances with Dirt 2014 …. I realize that my participation in this event entails the risk of injury or even death”. Truth. But at least the medal is a bottle opener so you can drink lots of brews if you survive. 🙂Great race. Amazing job to whoever marked the trails because we never had any doubt that we were headed the right way. Huge shout out to the volunteers who hiked in the aid stations and their supplies. Thanks to the fastie trail runners who didn’t run Julie and I over as we were hiking our way thru the rough sections. And of course a special thanks to Julie for “getting in the car” to go run her VERY FIRST trail event ever …… with a mere 24 hours for advance notice. Girl, I owe you. Thanks to Dawn for awaiting our finish and making sure we survived before she left to continue her family trip. Dawn, Me & Julie at the finish!

**Wisconsin Is In The Books {Under Unforgettable} ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

Kentucky Derby Marathon Recap … 3rd Marathon in 14 days

Posted on April 22, 2014 by tootallfritz

Saturday was the ever popular Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon and “mini-marathon” (AKA – Half Marathon). I chose this race for the 3rd in my “4 For 40” series because it was a mere 5 hour drive from Chicago and I was somewhat familiar with the area. I had also heard positive things about this race from other “serial racers”. Plus, I was hoping spring had sprung and I’d get some much needed sunshine! I was not disappointed in any aspect. It was warm, upper 70s, and the area was beautiful. Louisville was clean, charming and small enough to leave my car parked and walk everywhere safely with my kids in tow.

We rolled into town Friday afternoon to get the race packet and hit the expo. The expo was a decent size with good vendors but certainly not what I’m used to as far as the big city race expos that Chitown offers. Smile We zipped thru pretty quickly, then walked around Louisville getting our bearings and finding our way to the race finish area. I’d like to add that as we were walking toward the finish, a race official in a golf cart saw us and asked if we needed help. He was kind enough to take a minute to not only tell us where to go but to also tell us which side of the street to walk on come race day. Super nice!! Great day and we turned in early to prep for the race! Just before we turned drifted off to sleep, we heard fireworks and looked out the window to see the display going off over the stadium. Nice!

The race started at 7:30 am eastern time and it was mid 50s at the start. Perfect running weather with a promise of rising temps and lots of sunshine to come. The start was on Main Street and it was flooded with runners and spectators alike making it hard to move very quickly and it “might” have been a bit of a cluster getting to bag check and funneling into the corrals. The atmosphere was charged with nervous chatter and many around me were not necessarily excited but more so nervous about the impending start. The majority of runners were planning to tackle the “mini” and it was apparent that many were also first time half marathoners. The mini ended up with 11,599 finishers, while 2,030 people finished the full and an additional 68 teams completed the marathon relay. Big race for Louisville, Kentucky!!

Once the gun went off, the corrals started moving slowly toward the start. There didn’t appear to be any separation between corrals but rather a rolling start. Once we started running it was definitely busy but not so busy that I felt confined, just enough that I had to pay attention. Smile The course started by passing all the Main Street businesses, bars, restaurants, a large concert venue and several museums. But I personally was just bidding my time, and chatting with Greg S who I had befriended in the start corral. I was trying to be patient because that’s a necessity for me in the marathon. I also reminded myself that this was my 3rd marathon in 14 days and I knew I would start feeling that sooner or later. However, I was feeling good at the start and thankfully Greg was SUPER entertaining and kept me moving right along without time to think about the 26.2 miles in front of me. I was grateful for his company. And his stories. He wasn’t concerned about pace so didn’t get upset ~~or run off without me~~ when I hit the brakes a couple times to slow our pace. Then we were thru University of Louisville and on toward Churchill Downs. The excitement grew as we reached the horse track and I was thrilled that we were able to run thru the tunnels to hit the infield. We were even able to spot several horses running the track. Yay!! So exciting!!

Then we were soon out of Churchill Downs and ready for the half/full split, which I was not at all expecting. I was still on the high from Churchill Downs and just followed the crowd {and my new buddy Greg}, the majority of which was running the half. It took me a minute to process that 1) I was on the wrong side of the split and 2) My new buddy Greg was running the half. BOOOO on both accounts! I quickly corrected the situation and fortunately ~~didn’t trip up too many people~~ the race coordinators anticipated a “few” people messing up the split because they left open sections in the fence for those of us who ended up on the wrong side. Thank you!! Now onto the real challenge, Iroquois Park, which encompassed miles 11-15.

I’d been previously warned that it was going to be bad so I thought I was mentally prepared. But it was tough. Super Tough. Yet super beautiful at the same time. I walked/jogged thru the park and just tried to enjoy the day. I didn’t want to push on the hills too much and then trash myself for the remainder of the race. After I was out of the park, I still needed to cover an additional 11 miles so I took it easy.

The majority of the runners turned off at the half and things were much more relaxed. However, I was never alone. Not even in the park where there were fewer spectators. I was always surrounded by friendly runners who where happy to chat. There were also aid stations & potties every 1.5-2 miles. Medical stops every other aid station or so. And there were spectators. A lot of spectators who were cheering, playing music, clapping, holding signs, and handing out water or snacks from there own homes. Great crowd support, Louisville!! The course was also marked at each mile with a large mile marker sign and then again on the ground. Couldn’t miss those mile markers! Super cool!

I felt good thru the entire race and I was super thankful for all the work Dr. Alexis did last week to help speed my recovery and to help get rid of a few “niggles” that showed up at the Carmel Marathon the week previous. I never hurt but my legs did start to get heavy around mile 18. I didn’t do much walking, just kept moving forward slowily, inching my way to the finish. About the time, that I really needed to be done, we hit 3rd street and all the beautiful dogwood trees started showering me with little pedals. Very magical. I absolutely loved it and was so thankful that I had picked the Derby Festival for #3 this month. Great day. Great race. Great course that rained flowers when I needed a little extra energy!

And as always, the finish will eventually show up if we are persistent enough to keep moving forward. It was a welcome site and it was also super cool that the kiddos were out to cheer me on at the end. Special thanks to Miss Katie who was kind enough to hang out with the kiddos all day long and get them to the finish to see me. Normally Katie would be running too but she is in taper mode to prepare for her 100 miler on April 26th!! Go, Katie!! You are an amazing friend and a strong runner. Can’t wait to hear how you crush 100 miles next weekend!

Katie took a few photos of me heading toward the finish & then with the kiddos afterward. Michael says it’s too sunny and he doesn’t like the sun in his eyes! Temps were in the upper 70s by the time we finished running so it was warm and very sunny. LOL!

Swag:

I really loved this race. It had a lot of little ups and downs but was mostly flat except for Iroquois Park. There was plenty to see to keep things interesting. The race is well ran and well supported by both volunteers and locals. I’d put this on my top 3 list for marathons. As for the stats, this was marathon #13 for me and the 7th state in which I’ve ran a marathon. Next up, the Illinois Marathon on Saturday (4/26/14).

** Keep Moving Toward the Finish, Regardless of Pace ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

Little Rock Marathon Race Review

Posted on March 5, 2014 by tootallfritz

The 2014 theme for the Little Rock Marathon was “epic” with a comic type Super Hero flavor that was pushed hard all the way until and thru race day. I can’t say that I’ve ever encountered a race that delivered a better PR campaign. And I’ve certainly never ran a race that delivered above and beyond what the PR campaign promised, until I ran Little Rock. I was impressed with so many aspects of the race starting the moment I found the race website and how it was designed to fit the theme. I loved the race booklet they sent prior to the event to create hype leading up to the big day.

I loved how the booklet fit right in with the theme and was formatted in comic book style giving us a glimpse of what to expect. I particularly liked getting a heads-up to look for the lipstick “aid” station in the 25th mile before the finish.

Little Rock is a 9 hour drive from my home (south of Chicago) and to be honest, I had NO IDEA what to expect from the town itself. No, Little Rock was never on my “to be seen” list of places I wanted to travel. No, I didn’t really know anything ~~at all~~ about Arkansas. I made the trip because of the race, because of the good things I had heard about it from other runners, because of the large number (270+) of Marathon Maniacs who were attending and because of that wonderful PR campaign that really drew me to the race and the town itself. And I must admit, Little Rock was a pleasant surprise with a beautiful River Walking Trail, lighted bridges, lots of restaurants ~~and bars~~ in the River Market District, President Clinton EVERYTHING (parks, library, museum, bridge), beautiful homes, historic landmarks & monuments, and an old Street Car Electric Trolley, which was one of our favorite things about the town. Street car on the left. Julie M & Judy F inside the street car on the right.

We had a lot fun before the race even started and that was an unexpected treat. The expo was a great size with lots of vendors, keynote speakers and plenty of time to pick up packets prior to the race. The event also offered multiple race distance options for the entire family.

Kids Marathon – Finishing last mile on SAT – 1900 participant cap (sold out)
5K Run/Walk – SAT – 1400 participant cap
10K – SUN – 2000 participant cap
Half Marathon – SUN – 6200 participant cap
Marathon – SUN – 3500 participant cap (sold out)

The theme continued with a tricked out start line in comic book style.

The race directors even dressed up like super heroes and stood on top of start (by the right flag) and started each of the corrals the morning of the race. In the pouring rain. At 3-4 minute intervals. It took us 22ish minutes to get across the start line and begin our journey thru town. The first mile was crowded ~~as always~~ but the road soon opened up and we were on our way! Temps at the start were in the 50s with rain so we were pretty tight from shivering in the rain while we waited to get started; however, after 4 miles or so we were loose, warmed up, the rain gave us a short reprieve and we were READY TO RUN! We wove thru town, ran across the big bridge and saw Capitol Building.

By mile 6, we had already tacked a few hills, I was feeling good and starting to get antsy.

The real test of the marathon is patience. I’m not a fan of waiting. In fact, I really can’t stand to wait. This is the reason why marathons and I don’t really get a long. BUT in Little Rock I was with friends and the goal was to have fun. I had zero expectations and I’m not really sure they did either, if they did they were quiet about it. We knew the weather was going to be an issue. We knew there would be hills but we had no idea what to REALLY expect. So we were patient. We didn’t dawdle but didn’t run fast, just kept eating up the pavement, stopped for a potty (or two) and just kept moving. When I noticed a hill, I just put my head down and ran up without looking beyond the pavement in front of me so that it didn’t drain me mentally. Then the rain came faster and harder. Then the wind came. Temps started dropping A LOT (all the way down to 30 degrees by the finish). We passed the Governor’s Mansion ~~and Julie excitedly waived to the man in a blue raincoat who she SWEARS was the Governor, himself~~. We ran down streets with lots of history and amazing houses. We passed a priest who stood in the rain, blessing runners with Holy Water and we made a B Line over to him so that we could be blessed ~~because it seemed stupid to pass that up~~. And then it got cold. Like really cold. Around mile 10 or 11 the wind really picked up and the rain had us soaked to the bone. Our hands were red and we could hardly move our fingers. We made a consorted effort to wiggle our fingers, shake our arms and get the blood flowing cuz we knew how fast things could go “south”. Some of our marathon friends took the turn off for the half because they were so cold that they were starting to go hypothermic but we just kept our heads down, eating up the pavement as much with our eyes as our steps. We couldn’t see much thru the rain anyhow. I tried to take a few pictures but they all looked like this photo of the historic Central High School. Cloudy and foggy thru the rain.

So we kept moving. Not quickly but not dawdling either. We didn’t walk thru water stops, just slowed til everyone could get in fluid and fuel. We had to help each other a bit with our fuel cuz our fingers were so frozen we couldn’t get into our belts. Or open the packages for the gels/chews. Our pace seemed solid though and our spirits were high. We loved the course. We loved the houses. We loved seeing so many Marathon Maniacs and yelling support to as many as possible. It was fun. We were honestly having fun. There was a decent amount of entertainment. The course was diverse and interesting. Aid stations were well stocked with water & Gatorade. There were food stations with pretzels, bananas, oranges, jolly ranchers, & GU. There were surprisingly a lot of spectators considering the weather conditions (wind, rain, thunderstorms, and a promise of hail and freezing rain to come). It was all good until mile 20 when we saw the first sign that said that the race was canceled and we needed to get off the course.

We were in disbelief but kept running. Then slightly past mile 20 there was a very nice older man who was very aggressive about getting us off course. He was able to redirect some runners, while a few of us stopped to discuss the situation with him, then stepped off course to check the radar on our phones ~~and decided to keep on running~~. By this time, it was pretty bad honestly. And not many people were running, most were moving at a slow walk, frozen with tight muscles. Spouses and half runners were coming back for the marathoners and bringing them warm clothes and rain gear. We were instructed MANY, MANY times that the race was canceled, that buses were in route for us, that aid stations would be closing, that roads were opening, that traffic control was shutting down, that we should take shelter due to approaching storms. But there wasn’t anywhere to go. We were on a path (see the photo above with the lady holding the sign), on the riverfront without any buildings in sight. No buses in sight to “pick us up”. It was just us and the weather and we needed to keep moving for our own safety. So we ran! It was finally at mile 24 when a police officer with a bullhorn was shouting at us that if we continued it would be at our own risk. We had the option of staying on the riverfront and heading to the finish or crossing over the road, walking thru the trees, and heading toward a Walmart {which was not visible} where buses were supposedly waiting to pick us up. At that point, we headed toward the finish. There wasn’t any lightening. Yes, it was still raining and the wind was really blowing hard. Yes, we were frozen to the bone. Yes, our muscles were cold and cramping. However, we were determined to finish and to be honest, we couldn’t see the buses and we didn’t necessarily believe they were there waiting on us. It was too damn cold and wet to go with the unknown. I’d like to think that it was an educated decision on our part to go with what we knew and we knew that our hotel and car was at the finish. We knew our drop bags with warm clothes were at the finish. We knew that big ass medal was at the finish. What we didn’t know was that we had two massive hills to conquer in order to get there! But we made it. And the lipstick station was still open in the 25th mile, even if those poor ladies were frozen and shivering! Thanks, L’Oreal for the lipstick stain!

And it was an official finish. And we got that big ass medal. Done, baby!!! WhooooHooooo!

I can’t say that I’ve ever been so happy to finish a race! LOL! It was an amazing day. It was a great race. I’d definitely go back and not because of the medal but because of the event, the people, the town, the course, the fun. If you haven’t yet ran the Little Rock Marathon, I’d strongly suggest putting it on your list! So much fun!! And thanks to Julie & Judy for going with me because friends make any event so much better!

** Running For Fun, Cuz That’s What It’s All About ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

Dopey Challenge – Day 4 – THE Marathon

Posted on January 13, 2014 by tootallfritz

Sunday, brought Day 4 of the Dopey Challenge at Walt Disney World. Marathon Day. 26,000 runners. We were down to about 6,400 Dopey runners out of the 7,000 who had started with us on Thursday, in the 5K. The half marathon on Saturday, and specifically the 100% humidity had taken out some of my Dopey friends. Sad smile But alas, the majority of us were still standing strong, even if we were a little delusional from lack of sleep. My Dopy Rockstar pals once again climbed out of bed at 2am FL time (1am, Chicago time) and hauled it up and out, leaving for our drive to Epcot by 2:30am. Easy parking day. We were very close to the entrance as opposed to the other days. Seems Disney Officials finally got it right and put the early birds up front by the gates. Just in time for us for the BIG day! We stayed tucked up in the car til the very last minute it was time to go in for gear check. We made a lame attempt at photos. My brilliant photo thought of the day was to do “game faces” but as you can see, Judy and I just smiled cuz well, that’s all the thought we could put into this last game day. Jason, Dawn, Judy & I below:

Then we did a quick meet up with a few of Jason’s British friends. I think we were going for muscles here, not really sure. Me, Jason, Julian, Dawn, Judy, Jonny & Martin.

Then off to the start to finish this thing run the marathon. Another amazing set of fireworks, even better than that which they did for the half, if that is even possible. This is the photo that runDisney posted and it’s ahmazing!!

Each corral (A thru M) started with their own set of amazing fireworks with Mickey Mouse as the official conductor who sent us off into the darkness for one last run thru the streets of Disney. Here is the course map to get an idea of exactly how much of Disney we would be tackling.

The first portion, maybe 8 miles was a repeat of the half marathon, which I was perfectly fine with me because I had really enjoyed it the day previous. However, soon enough they turned us off to see new things. I did get an early photo of Captain Jack Sparrow’s pirate ship, from Pirates of the Caribbean, because it was so cool when I saw it on the half that I wanted to make the stop to take a pic this time around. Disney really did a great job setting up the scene where each character was located in order to create the look and feel of the movie set for which they represented. It was very nicely done and a pleasure to see as we sped past.

On to the Magic Kingdom and I don’t think running thru there could EVER get old! This was definitely my favorite part of both the full and the half marathon. Running down Main Street was absolutely amazing and there was MASSIVE crowd support. It was even better this go round seeing a run club buddy, who has moved to FL, in the crowd cheering!! Love main street and I love Diane!!

Then the highlight of Magic Kingdom for me was seeing Cinderella’s Castle all lit up and draped in icicle lights. Absolutely breathtaking.

After the Magic Kingdom, we started weaving thru the rest of the parks, starting with the Richard Petty race track where a local car club got up super early to surround the track with all for their old and new muscle cars. We ran the entire track and it was SUPER cool! Then off on the back roads to Animal Kingdom where I was super stoked to ride the Everest Adventure roller coaster. Til I got there and it was still closed. Boooo! I was SO disappointed. Like really disappointed. I had been anticipating riding the Everest during the marathon ALL year. I was crushed. Last time the family and I went to Disney, I was pregnant with Michael so didn’t get to ride. This year when we go back, Michael will still be too little to ride. This was my only chance for YEARS to come. Sad smile

It was right before we got to Animal Kingdom, around Mile 12 that my tummy started giving me trouble too {read more disappointment}. I had spent all day/night Saturday trying to refuel from everything I had lost during the half and it was going well until I popped that first energy gel of the day, then it was ALL down hill. I may have even shed a tear or two on one of the SIX potty stops I had to make (under total duress) during the last half of the marathon. It was a rough because it left me empty and devoid of energy. I just kept following my Dopey Rockstar ladies who were so utterly kind to wait for me each and EVERY time I had to stop. Now those are good friends. Thank you, Dawn & Judy! So the second half of the marathon course is a bit of a blur. I just followed their shirts. Didn’t talk much. Noticed the characters were out but always wondered if we would see the ones I liked. We didn’t. Here is Maleficent in a photo that Dawn snapped.

I really expected more characters to be around from all the hype I’ve heard about previous Disney Marathons. Don’t get me wrong, there were a lot but I expected all the big name Disney characters to be out so we could see them and that wasn’t the case. I thought it was a great course though that covered a lot of the property. I didn’t mind the back roads at all and I just kept on trucking. We stopped for a few photos but since I had my own issues happening, I just tried to keep moving. We walked thru water stops, and there were a lot of those, probably every mile or mile and a half, but kept moving otherwise. We finally did find Dopey right at Mile 25 though and fortunately Dawn had run ahead (during my last potty stop) and she had a place in line for us. Yay!!

Over all, I give the Disney Marathon several thumbs up. I really enjoyed running thru the parks, even the back roads. There were tons of water stops. Medical support at every aid station. More volunteers than you can possibly imagine. Anything you might want: sunscreen (thank you!), Motrin, Biofreeze, Vaseline on sticks, and so many port o potties (super thankful for that!).

The bling is off the hook and that’s coming from someone who rarely even looks at a race finishers medal.

They offer events for everyone from your little one, all the way up to Grandma and Grandpa. It’s a real class act and a very family friendly event. Plus they have beer and champagne at the finish and let’s just say after 48.6 miles of fun, I was ready to have a celebratory beer. Myself and Judy toasting to a job well done. We were happy campers!

So that’s that. The Dopey Challenge, race by race. Tomorrow I’ll sum everything up and let you know if I think that the big price tag is worth the experience. Until then, Happy Running my friends!

** Just Keep Running ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

Chicago Marathon ….. 2013 Edition

Posted on October 15, 2013 by tootallfritz

It’s no secret that I keep running the Chicago Marathon even though I don’t really consider myself to be a marathon runner. Marathons are hard, I ~~don’t care who you are or even if you say they aren’t~~. However, I like the training ~~as sick as that sounds~~ and I like being part of one of the best marathons in the world. There are only 6 World Marathon Majors (Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago & New York). One of those majors is in my backyard. People fly here from all over the world to participate in OUR marathon. Yeah, I want to be a part of it too.

The expo is top notch with vendors bringing us amazing gear and samples from all over. LOVE me a good expo! Coolest part of the 2013 expo? I loved the magnet display where we were able to take a magnet & sign our name on the wall.

The SWAG is always a Nike tech tee so we know that it will be a quality piece.

The race itself is big. Like really big. Two waves, 45,000 registered runners, 1.8+ million spectators. My friend Katie and I were hustling to the start so that we were in our corrals before they closed the gates. We had plenty of time but it’s hard to know that prior to actually reaching the corrals themselves. Fortunately, Ronald McDonald House Charities gave us warming blankets to take to the start cuz it was a bit chilly standing around in 43 degree temps waiting to run.

I wore that blanket for almost an hour before ditching it as I inched closer to the actual start line. I was in Corral E and once the race started, we moved up quickly and were ready to cross the start line in under 10 minutes. The organization at this event is next to none.

The energy is always high at the Chicago Marathon. The spectators and runners alike are excited, happy and this year the cooler temps got us started perfectly. In fact, my corral started FAST, like faster than I wanted to run so I was happy to stop off at the first aid station to use the potty and let some of those fasties go! No tummy troubles, I was just over hydrated and needed to make a stop. I was super happy that I stopped early because 1) it wasn’t too crowded and 2) I felt SOOOOO much better!

LaSalle Street, circa 3.5 miles. Course is steadily filled with people but not crowded to the point I couldn’t move. I never felt inhibited but didn’t exactly have a “race pace” to which I needed to adhere so it was good for me all around. Smile

My favorite part of the course, every year is up north, leaving the Lincoln Park area and entering Old Towne on Sedgwick Street, between miles 9 & 10. And let me just say, Sedgwick spectators, you were some of the BEST on the entire marathon course and that’s saying A LOT cuz I was really paying attention this year. What an amazing neighborhood with well-groomed row houses and massive mature trees to shade us from the sun. LOVE this area!

As I snaked along the course this year, I tried to be focused on what was around me, enjoy the experience, not push the pace ~~cuz I know damn well the end gets SUPER HARD for me~~, pay attention to the spectators/volunteers/police/medical/entertainment as well as the other runners and just be happy to be running healthy. I took photos. I talked to people. I waived to spectators, high fived the kiddos and I made an effort to encourage every RMHC runner who I passed. I may have even sent a text message or two. Regardless, I had fun. A lot of fun. And when my body started to tighten up, I stopped to stretch and began walking thru the water stops. By having a focus as to when I could walk, I think I actually spent less time walking all together. I wasn’t moving very fast toward the end but I was moving and I was grateful for that!

I also saw my girls, April W, Dawn B & Aby at various spots along the course. Here is Aby and I at mile 17, where I was happy to stop ~~running~~ for a photo. These ladies made my day. I looked forward to seeing them each and every time and it kept me moving knowing that they would be “right around the corner”. THANK YOU, ladies!!

Thru the 26 mile course, we had 20 aid stations. Each aid station was 2 city blocks long. Potties first. Then medical. Then fluids. Gatorade at the front. Water at the back. No worries about missing the aid station, there was more than ample time to grab what you wanted/needed. Lots of potties at each station too, which I appreciate. Plus, each station lined BOTH sides of the street, so it didn’t matter which side you prefer to run, the aid was there for you. Lots safety staff & friendly volunteers. I also saw stations offering energy chews, energy gels & bananas. Then there were many amazing spectators handing out their own supplies, like mini waters, popsicles, pretzels & Oreo cookies. THANK YOU to everyone who fed me along the way. The orange popsicle from Pilsen was by far my favorite treat during the marathon!

And then the finish finally came! And I was thankful. Photo courtesy of Nicole F.

Look Ma, both feet are off the ground as I “bust it” toward the finish! Super exciting after 26.2 miles on the run! 26.94, if you count that potty stop and oh, yeah, I’m counting it!

Afterwards, I ~~hobbled~~ walked back to the RMHC tent in Charity Village to join friends, get stretched out, eat, drink & be pampered by one of the best charities around. Thanks to all of you who donated to RMHC to make this the best marathon experience to date. RMHC not only takes care of the families in need but also us charity runners. I’m so thankful to them for all they do for us on marathon day! Such a class act!

Great race. Great atmosphere. I’d highly recommend the Chicago Marathon to anyone who is looking to run a big race and have fun doing it!

For me personally, it was an amazing experience. My fun day brought me to the finish in 4:28. No, I didn’t push the pace but I had fun and walked away with a smile on my face. And that’s a win in my book. Smile

** See you in 2014 ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

How to Recover from a Marathon, The 7 Day Plan

Posted on April 25, 2013 by tootallfritz

I’ll preface this post by stating ~~again~~ that I’m not a coach, nor do I pretend to be, and recovery is different for everyone. This is the TTF version.

Immediately following the marathon – Drink a Recovery Drink, Ice, Roll, Compress & Pray

Day 1 – Eat Pizza and Drink Beer (water is good too!)
Day 2 – Light stretching, yoga if you dare. More water.

Day 3 – Water, Stretching, Light walk with the kiddos, swim if you have access to a pool because it will help with any latent swelling.
Day 4 – Water, Stretching, See your Chiro or go get a massage to milk those muscles and give your body some TLC! You’re probably ready to run by now ~~if you’re not injured~~ but I caution holding off another couple days unless you are Superwoman. If you must, try the elliptical and see how your legs and joints feel after some non-imact type “running”.
Day 5 – Spin! Biking using a stationary bike or just getting out on the road will stretch out your muscles and give your quads a good workout. Don’t be surprised if they are still tired!
Day 6 – ~~Don’t shoot me, Frogger!~~ I would definitely run by Saturday if I hadn’t already and I was feeling good. Keep it short and sweet. Nothing fast. Nothing exciting. Don’t try to keep up with local run club, no matter how tempting.
Day 7 – As The Lord says, it’s a rest day. Particularly after a marathon the previous weekend. Take this time to let your body refresh and heal. Please don’t go into another intense training plan right away. If your mortal, you will need some downtime. That means downtime for the body. And the mind. Rest, Relax, Rehab. It’s important so that your body repairs properly.

Most take the first two weeks after a marathon easy. I know I do. Of course, every BODY is different and you need to do what’s best for you but a couple weeks to a month completely off is going to do more good than harm. Better safe than sorry, right?

Marathon, train, compete in cycles. Every up cycle needs a down swing. For me, I will follow up this marathon cycle with triathlon training. I’ll still be busy but I’ll be focusing more on the swim and bike and less on the run. It will allow my body to heal and hopefully come back to 100% before I try this “thing” called marathon again. But I’ll be out for blood in October at Chicago so watch out. Marathon, you have not beaten me but I respect you and my body enough to take a break and down cycle in order to go after it good in the summer/fall. Watch out.

** Don’t Forget to Recover ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

Don’t Count Yourself Out…..

Posted on March 8, 2012 by tootallfritz

Most of us start running for fitness. We start as run/walkers and we build. Very few people ~~I know~~ are like my friend Abby S. who was a spectator at the London Marathon and decided on the spot that she too was going to run a marathon. Of course, Abby had never ran a single mile prior to that decision but she signed up for the 2007 Chicago ~~SCORCHER~~ Marathon and ran it. Because she wanted to do it. Because she could do it. Because who knows what tomorrow will bring and where it will take a person. Abby & I in the 2008 Fort 4 Fitness Half Marathon in Ft Wayne, IN.

For those of us “builders”, it’s a process. We don’t start out with the intention to run long and the thought of a marathon NEVER enters our mind. If we are lucky, we have one friend who is on the fitness bandwagon and will help and encourage us through daily emails and mentoring. If we aren’t that lucky, we slug along ourselves, watching our food intake and fitting in as much exercise as we can muster, probably giving up much-needed sleep in the process. We are sore from not knowing the proper protein to carb ratio for recovery (4:1). We are discouraged because we are hungry from not eating enough but we are DETERMINED to do whatever it takes to lose the baby weight or the freshman 15 or the “just married” blissfully ignorant to our heath 25.

Regardless of your level of education on health, wellness & nutrition in the beginning, you will start do research, ask questions, and learn what works for you. Your body will get stronger and while it will never be easy, you will be able to do “more” with the same level of effort. If you run/walk, you will be able to run longer, or possibly you are running the same distance but you are getting faster. You will meet new friends who are EXCITED about your new lease on life and your new healthy activities. Your new friends will create a support system for you that you may not have had at home. You will gain the courage to join a group run. You will say that you can’t really run because you have bad knees. And then before you know it you will be standing on the start line…..because that is where your new friends are standing. You are ready to run your first race. It is probably a 5K but this is just the beginning. You know you will NEVER be ready for a half or full marathon, well, maybe you can try a half. You know, just run/walk it. With training, it might be a possibility. And the “group” is signing up for a full, which is 9 months away. Where will you be in 9 months? Could you? Hmmmm, let’s see how the half goes…….

Don’t count yourself out. Each day is a new day. Your abilities today have no reflection on where you will be in 6 months or a year. Surround yourself with positive people who have a CAN DO attitude and you too will realize that YOU CAN DO the unimaginable.

Where will you be 12 months from now? Don’t be afraid to wonder, what if?

Dream, Imagine, Believe! Amanda – TooTallFritz

TooTallFritz

Running Toward: Health, Wellness & PEACE …………………………………….. Running From: Insanity, Screaming Children, Housework & a Big Ass

Tag Archives: Marathon

Long Beach Marathon Race Review

The Week of The Big Race ……

Bobcat Trail Marathon–Glouster OH

Dances With Dirt – Devil’s Lake Marathon

Kentucky Derby Marathon Recap … 3rd Marathon in 14 days

Little Rock Marathon Race Review

Dopey Challenge – Day 4 – THE Marathon

Chicago Marathon ….. 2013 Edition

How to Recover from a Marathon, The 7 Day Plan

Don’t Count Yourself Out…..

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