New Beginnings | TooTallFritz

I haven’t been publishing much as of late. I’m in a zone where I’m helping Aby & her friend train for the Little Rock Marathon and that means lots of long runs, not so much racing. Too many blogs do week by week training recaps. I’ll let you read one of those if you are interested; you won’t find it here ~~cuz really, who cares besides me?~~. But I’m running. In the cold, in the snow & we’ve had some surprisingly nice days too! Running. That’s what’s happening.

I’ve also been lifting dumbbell weights & trying to increase my strength without aggravating my back. I ruptured 2 discs in my back last June and they don’t seem to want to repair, despite many sessions of Physical Therapy, Chiropractor, anti-inflammatory meds & several special cocktails of cortisone type shots in my low back & SI Joints. I was asked to stop riding & swimming from September 12th thru December 26, 2016. I did as I was told and I didn’t complain. I didn’t get any better. I eliminated all exercise other than 2 slow, easy runs per week. I gained weight. I lost strength. I became frustrated. I ate too much sugar. No need to write about that.

The first of the year (2017) brought a new beginning. I started adding in more running & strength work. I’m seeing slow improvements. I can lift a gallon of milk. I carried the laundry basket up the stairs today. I can function, as long as I don’t have to sneeze. Then you might actually see tears. Why does sneezing HURT so badly?

We’ve ran up some hills.

We’ve discovered new trails.

I finally got a new bike & started riding again. Michael thinks its “the best bike ever” and was yelling the same when I took this pic. Love that kid. Pure joy.

I started getting up earlier on Monday’s to go to Chicago “early” so I can take advantage of a Master’s Swim class before I go into the office. That lead to my buying some training devices. And believe it or not, I even know what to do with these things! My swim WILL improve this year!

2017 is off to a solid start. I’ve really got my head down and am working on building strength & skills at this point. I’ve registered for a few spring marathons & a few 70.3 triathlons over the summer. My fall season is wide open so far because I had planned ~~for over 2 years~~ to do Ironman North Carolina in October 2017 but they canceled it after last year’s race. For some reason, my fall is staring at me with wide eyes asking me “what’s up”? And I just don’t know. I have no idea how much I can build. I have no idea how much will be taken out of me with what I’ve already committed to racing. I have no idea how my back will feel as my training progresses. I have no idea what I want to do in place of IM NC. My “real life” schedule & the races in which I have interest, just don’t seem to be meshing this year. I refuse to force races into my schedule. Running & Triathlon is fun for me. Its about fitness and challenging myself. Its social. It stops being fun if it causes stress or makes me miss something that I want to do in real life. The family, in particularly the kids come first. I fully agree with the Trace Adkins song, “You’re Going to Miss This”. Time flies and kids grow up fast. I don’t want to miss anything. So maybe I’ll be racing this fall, maybe I’ll just be following Aby around from one Cross Country venue to the next. Who knows. Only time will tell. I refuse to force the schedule.

Wishing you all a healthy, happy and fun filled 2017!! Chase those dreams but don’t forget what’s important along the way!

** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

I know many of you have been wondering what I have been up to as of late. I’ve been pretty silent on the blog & in real life. Well, it’s the hour of change for the TooTallFritz family.

And basically Socrates got it right in the above quote. I’ve been very focused on building our new life and what it to come for our family; as well as trying to make this transition as easy as possible for the kiddos.

We have been very fortunate that hubby was offered, and has accepted, a job near my hometown of Ft Wayne, Indiana. We are very fortunate to have the support of family and friends in the crazy time of transition. We are very fortunate that hubby was brave enough to accept this new challenge which will move him way out of his comfort zone of suburbia Illinois to the farm fields of Indiana. We are fortunate that hubby ~~loves me so much~~ is humble enough to live with his Mother-In-Law in this time of transition. We are fortunate that Mom ~~loves me so much~~ is generous enough to offer Hubby a place to live as we search for a house and begin the process of moving the entire family to a new area. I am fortunate to have a Hubby and Mother who are both polite, kind and willing to do whatever is necessary to help the family. Thanks to both of you!!

This transition is not going to be easy with 2 kids, 3 dogs, 1 ~~bitch ass~~ cat, and a 160 miles separating the family each and every week until we fully transition to Indiana. However, I’m a firm believer that when opportunity arises you take note and accept it, while simultaneously bowing your heard to give thanks.

While we are excited about the upcoming changes in our lives, we are also scared. We are scared that we won’t find a house ~~because the housing market is on fire in the Fort Wayne area~~. We are scared I won’t find a good job ~~since I’m giving up a really great one with a lot of flexibility~~. We are scared that we won’t get into a good school district. We are scared that Aby will forever be angry about leaving her friends. ~~We are scared that Dad will actually take Michael hunting with him.~~ We are scared of the unknown.