Tag Archives: Running

Suggestion Box….

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I want to send a huge THANK YOU out to everyone who commented yesterday and gave suggestions, advice & encouragement as to my race strategy for the Palos Half.

The tips are much appreciated and I have already implemented a few by going out and running relatively hard this morning.  Once I warmed up, I tried to focus on getting good/fast foot turnover to try to increase my speed.  I only ran 4 miles but it was pitch black dark without any star and/or moon support at 4am.  It was also 31 degrees so it took me a bit to get warmed up and stop thinking about the weather.  I believe my splits were:  8:25, 8:21, 8:23 & 7:53.  I was aiming more toward low 8s but I was running by feel since it was dark, using my KnuckleLights, and I was honestly more focused on what was happening around me in the dark than my pace.   Technically, I just wanted to attempt running fast in the dark down the middle of the road where it is flat and not sloped.  Overall, I was pleased, particularly with the last mile but don’t we all run that last mile hard back into our safety zone driveway?  My normal early morning, run in the dark, pace is 9:28-9:30 so this was definitely a successful run.  Yes, the foundation has been laid.  The miles have been ran.  The work has been done.  All of you know the drill and had wonderful advice.  Please know that if I finally get my 1:50, all of you can own it too with your many words of wisdom and constant encouragement! 

Do you have any training or race questions?  If so, let me know and we will get a suggestion box going for you! 

Thanks Again & Happy Running,                                                                                        Amanda – TooTallFritz

Hard Work Hangs In The Balance….

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I was looking for something motivational today but I guess that really wasn’t what I was seeking.  I was actually looking for something to express my fears concerns over the upcoming race which I wish were this Sunday instead of next.  As I’ve mentioned before I have been chasing a 1:50 half marathon for quite some time.  I have a knack for selecting races, or allowing races to select me, that bring horrid weather conditions on race day.  I refuse to die in order to chase the 1:50 or a decent marathon time for that fact, so I will do whatever it takes to merely cross the finish line because I’m in it for fun & fitness first and foremost and I fully understand that my finish time is not always going to be a good indication of my fitness even if it is a good indication of the amount of “fun” I had out on the course. 

This year my race schedule took a few unexpected turns and my half marathon schedule has been cut in half.  Since I only have a few of those races, I really feel as if the pressure is “on”.  It’s now or I wait until September, if not in September, then not until 2013 and another year of age/pounding miles on the body.  So I’m looking to run strong, really strong in Palos but, of course, I’m scared shitless that I’ll come up short again.  My feelings are below.  I’m sure the style of the writing doesn’t fit the rules of a “poem” so I hesitate to call it such but this is certainly a TTF version of a “poem”.  🙂 

Hard work hangs in the balance,                                                                               Depending on factors unknown.                                                                                        Rain, Sleet, Snow or Horrid Heat,                                                                                            Can my pace compete?

Looking toward the same goal,                                                                                           Can really take its toll.                                                                                                              Is this the race;                                                                                                                  Where I can finally hold the pace?

Hard work hangs in the balance,                                                                                Depending on factors unknown.                                                                                            Rain, Sleet, Snow or Horrid Heat,                                                                                   Please let this goal become complete.

I know I can accomplish this goal under decent conditions.  I definitely believe in it. 

I also have the ability and I am confident in the foundation that I have laid.  Now I just have to get though one more week of moderate workouts, then next week will be very low-key so that I am fresh and fast on race day.  I normally don’t taper for a half but I will hit the start line as fresh as possible.  I may even take my iPod for the final 5K push……just wish I had some wireless earbuds!  The wire issue is the biggest reason why I avoid music.  The wires are not worth any added benefit the music might bring since I have lots of tangles and time lost trying to get the earbuds in place midrace.

Note to self:  Race 10 miles, then “hang on” for the final 5K.  Break the race into 2 distinct segments in order to manage it mentally. I know I can nail 10 miles fast. Now just figure out how to race the final 5K. 

Any motivational tips on how to keep pushing toward a race goal?  Do you race with music?  I normally don’t as it distracts me and I can’t focus on the “push” but I expect I may be out of “push” by mile 10 because that’s where I normally top out on speed.  Thoughts? 

Happy Racing,                                                                                                              Amanda – TooTallFritz

Sporty Spice….

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Growing up in the era of the Spice Girls, I have always considered myself a “Sporty” Spice.  I’ve never been particularly glamorous, have never been particularly outgoing, never had a ton of friends but what I do have is my sportiness and I do my best to own it.  Normally, I am perfectly happy to be a Sporty Spice.  I do have nice clothes and do dress up to go out on the rare occasion when we can secure a sitter.  However, for the most part, I am content to live and sleep in my workout/running clothes, do errands, pick up the kids and go to track meets between workouts and usually possibly before I’ve showered off the last sweat fest.

On a rare occasion, I notice get a glimpse into the other side and it always makes me go hmmmmm?  Last week I caught glimpse of a mom who looked and dressed like the skinny version of Marie Osmond with aviator shades, heels and a nice leather jacket…….cruising the bleachers at a track meet.  Hmmmmmm…..

Then today I dropped Aby off at a friend’s house and Mom was all made up, dressed to kill and walking the house in heels.  Hmmmmmm……..  Is our small town turning into home of the Stepford Wives?

Everywhere I turn women are looking hot & sexy and I’m covered in sweat, wearing dirty clothes and running shoes, hmmmmm…..

As of today, my Sporty Spice look and attitude isn’t feeling too “cool”.  I try to reassure myself with, “Hey, but YOU ran 20 miles this weekend”.  However, I didn’t get in my FRI night bike ride due to scheduling, my SAT run was a nice press but not uncomfortable and the run today was down right leisurely.  My body feels like I took the weekend off, which is not how I normally feel on a Sunday night.  Hmmmm…..

Are you a Sporty Spice, a Stepford Wife, or something totally different?  How do you label yourself?  Or are you lucky enough to live without and/or beyond labels?

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway for the PersonalSavers.com pepper spray and the Woman’s Safety classes from the Safety post HERE.

Amanda – TooTallFritz

Schubert & Sauk Trail Woods Group Run

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This morning as I got up to thunder and lightening terrifying my dogs lil man, I was thinking, “Wow, nobody is going to show!” However, the rains soon stopped and we had a nice group show to run Schubert Woods. We parked at the Chestnut Street entrance and invaded the Park Forest Running & Pancake Club’s turf. Fortunately, I used to be a Pancaker and know many of them and they are all very cool and welcoming. I knew they would be happy to have more people “running their turf” rather than feel violated like we were taking over. Today’s Schubert Crew from left: Kim, Lori, Aby (my 10 year old), Aurelia, Brian, Kevin, Matt, Wayne & Mark B (also a former Pancaker who was gracious enough to come and run hard with our F’N men).

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As I have mentioned before, I am really excited about this trail, just shocked that it is so underutilized. It is easily one of the most beautiful trails we have in the area and I feel “qualified” to make that statement as I have been running on the Southside of Chicago since circa 2004 and have covered a “few” miles in that time. My favorite things about this trail include: the foliage that shades you from the sun and gives houses a variety of visible creatures, the constant turns and small rolling hills, and the fact that the trail is newly resurfaced and without ruts or holes which some of the more popular trails have due to so much use. This trail also has a nice sized lake, which you can see at several points, and a few old bridges which I really love.

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All in all, if you can make the trip to Park Forest to run Schubert & Sauk Trail Woods, it’s worth the trip. You won’t be sorry and you will probably see me and a few Pancakers on the trail if you go on a Sunday morning around 8am. Today, Pancaker Alexis joined us, but was too quick to catch on film, plus we saw Ray & Margaret on the trail. I’m sure others, who we missed, were also floating around in the woods. It was nice to see the trail was alive and bustling with activity…….just as it should be.

See YOU on the Trail,
Amanda – TooTallFritz

You Might Be Serious About Your Training IF…….

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Some people call me motivated, others call me crazy.  It really doesn’t matter as long as I am focused and moving toward my goals.  I’d like to think that I am Making It Happen for me, not just out there day in and day out being “crazy”.  In my quest to Make It Happen, I recently just got back to swimming HERE and onto the bike HERE in prep for my 2012 TRI season. One thing that I have realized over the last month, jumping back into TRI mode, is that I didn’t have all this damn hair the last time I had a SERIOUS TRI season.  When I’m in transition, I don’t have an infinite amount of time to try to jam this mop under a bike helmet.  Ponytails & bike helmets don’t mesh well.  And I’ll just skip the details on trying to get a bunch of hair under a swim cap.  OUCH!

So I pulled a pic of me in TRI season…..

Yep, it’s a slightly younger version of me and my baby girl, Aby (now 10) but obviously there wasn’t any trouble shoving that hair under a bike helmet.  So the plan was to chop off my hair as soon as I could manage getting into a stylist amongst the family, training & Aby’s track schedule.  I understand that I look more attractive with long hair that I can actually style but let’s be realistic, I have a two-year old and it’s been since Christmas a while since I styled my hair.  Yes, it has actually occurred to me that you “might” be crazy serious about your TRI training IF you chop off all your hair to be faster in transition.  Then vs Now:

Thank goodness I have lots of PunkeeLove Headbands now to use in my hair for fun & “styling”!  If you need a few stylish, kick ass headbands, don’t forget to use the one time per customer code:  tootall20 for an extra 20% off!

So now that I cut my hair, I thought it would be fun to do a You Might Be Serious About Your Training IF segment.  I’ll start and then I’d love for you to add to this in the comments below!

You Might Be Serious About Your Training IF

  • You cut your hair to better fit under your bike helmet & swim cap.
  • You own a bike that cost more than some people’s car.
  • You carry your workout clothes in your car “just in case”.
  • You know exactly how many miles you have run this year and how that works into your 2012 goal.
  • You plan “A” races and “B” races (AKA – Practice Races).
  • You spend more $$ on training/workout clothes than you do on your work wardrobe.
  • You don’t mind having black toenails, you can cover them with dark polish, right?
  • You schedule your life around training runs, bike rides and swim workouts.
  • You get up before your children the sun on the weekends to get in some training before “life” gets in the way.
  • You gave up high heels in favor of running shoes to tame the plantar fasciitis.
  • You have dropped all most friends who don’t workout or run.
  • Your social life revolves around your running/TRI friends….. if you have enough energy for a social life.
  • You make beg your mother go on running vacations since your hubby refuses.
  • You adopt/buy a dog based upon whether they will be a good running partner.
  • You consider your GPS watch one of your most “precious” possessions.
  • You start a blog to talk to strangers about running to keep your hubby from being bored from all the “gory” details that you just need to share with “someone”.

How about you, can you add to this list?  Please keep this going in the comments below!

Happy Training,                                                                                                                Amanda – TooTallFritz

Stealing Time…..

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I frequently find that I do not have enough hours in the day to get done what I want and what needs to be done.  Therefore, I am always stealing time from somewhere.  I steal time from the sleep column to run.  I steal time from work to run or swim.  I steal time from my commute by driving verses taking the train so that I can squeeze in a longer run.  I steal time from my family by requesting hubby to do the daycare pickup so that I can squeeze in a run, swim or bike……  Or I sneak out of the house in the early mornings on the weekends to put away some miles before the family is really awake and “active”.  There is never enough time but you make time, or steal it if you must, to squeeze in what is important to you.  Fitness is either important or it’s not. 

Wednesdays are my biggest “time” stealing days.  I not only leave work a few minutes early, but I also drive to steal time from my commute, plus hubby does daycare pick up and manages the kids for an hour after he gets home.  I love my Wednesday runs, they are my favorite part of the week.  It is not normal for me to get out for a group run during the week but I have made it a priority on Wednesday’s and the family has flexed to make it happen each and every week.  Thank you, Family!  I normally am able to squeeze in 10 miles on Wednesday nights and that really makes my week.  I don’t run daily, usually only 3 or 4 days a week, so when I get out I try to make it count.

It’s not easy, you have to make the effort to get in the things that matter to you.  How do you steal time from your life to get in those “extra” things to really make it count?

Happy Running,                                                                                                           Amanda – TooTallFritz

Running Alone In The Dark….

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I haven’t had the pleasure of running in the morning for quite some time.  Shortly after the marathon last year, we moved Mr. Michael into a “big boy” bed.  The idea was that I had been spending a lot of time in the rocker sitting beside his toddler bed and I was EXHAUSTED.  So we moved the lil man into a full size bed, which we put on the floor cuz he was so tiny and I feared he would fall out and get hurt.  During the bed swap I prayed that he would have the space he needed to stretch, turn & flip throughout the night without waking but apparently that wasn’t the real problem.  He really just wants his momma with him all the time.

So for the last 6 months, I have been floating between beds, half asleep, confused,  and not sure where I am when I awake.  I just follow the screams for “momma”.  This has left zero very little time for morning runs.  Frequently, hubby has to wake me up because I’m still sleeping in Michael’s bed when he leaves for work.  Not good!  But things have been changing over the last month or so.  My lil man is sleeping til about 5:00 or 5:30 am before he bullets out of bed to start his day.  And most importantly, he is sleeping for longer stretches at a time.  Good, Great, AWESOME!  So I decided to try to start adding the morning runs back into my routine. 

How do you feel when you haul your ass butt out of bed to run alone in the dark?  Are you scared?  I am!  I never used to be but dang, with each year of age, I think I develop a bigger pile of nerves.  Thankfully I live in the middle of nowhere so traffic isn’t an issue.  We don’t have any a lot of creepy people roaming our country roads, so basically it’s just me, the coyotes and any unleashed dogs that decide to give chase.  Ugh!  I’ll take the coyotes before those biting dogs any day! 

There weren’t many stars out this morning but everything was clear and still frozen.   Thankfully I had the light of the moon since I couldn’t find my knucklelights.  The road was actually well-lit with this lopsided moon. 

I tried not to focus too much on the moon since I didn’t want to fall into a hole, or off the side of road, while obsessing looking toward the sky.  So I just tried to focus on running an even pace in the middle of the road.  I have a default pace when I’m tired, grumpy, can’t see, scared or it’s dark:  9:30.  I’m pretty sure that my pace for 4 miles this morning was a 9:28ish.  That’s my pace.  My comfort zone.  The spot I go back to when everything else is uncertain.  Running in the dark is very uncertain.  So many things can happen.  I wouldn’t recommend it.  However, if you are trying to get more time out of your day and need to run in the dark, here are a few tips:

  • Be aware of your surroundings at all times.
  • Don’t use an ipod and if you do because you too hate hearing coyotes kill other creatures of the night, then only use on ear bud and keep the volume low.
  • Run against traffic so that you can see the drunken madman swerving all over the road and be prepared to dive into the ditch.
  • ALWAYS assume the vehicular traffic CAN NOT see you.
  • Wave to cars like a happy idiot as they pass you.  This will foster a sense of community between you, the runner, and them, the driver.  They will start watching for that “idiot runner” when they are driving to work.
  • Take your cell phone.
  • Tell somebody your intended route or leave a map by hubby’s coffee pot.
  • Avoid routes with unleashed  aggressive dogs/pets.
  • Always trust your gut feeling, if it feels wrong it is wrong.  This FREQUENTLY changes my route. 
  • Carry pepper spray or something with which you are comfortable using if you need to defend yourself.  I like the Wrist Saver from Personal Savers, they have a pink one now!  Here is a pic of mine:

Check out the link HERE on how to defend yourself with pepper spray!

  • Wear reflective clothing, multiple items.  I don’t even buy clothing without reflective accents.
  • Use a headlamp or KnuckleLights.
  • Be ready for anything.

Ideally, it is always safest to run during the daylight hours and with a friend if possible but as a mother, wife, full-time employee, runner & triathlete, that’s not always possible for me.

Do you any have any running in the dark tips?  Anything I missed?  Help me out!

Happy SAFE Running!                                                                                                 Amanda – TooTallFritz

Taking Back Schubert & Sauk Trail Woods

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I know that the Schubert & Sauk Trail woods have a poor reputation due to circumstances beyond their control.  But I have now ran the area 2x and I am telling you it is not only a safe area but also one of the best trails we have in this area.  I was amazed today with the beauty and old world feel of this trail.  There are old bridges made of stone and railings of iron that we just don’t see on our normal trail runs.  This trail is one to be seen and enjoyed by the public.

I have started both times at the spur that begins on Chestnut Street, off of Western Ave just north of Sauk Trail, since that is where the Pancakers begin on Sunday mornings.

I love that I get to conquer a nice hill as soon as I get out of the car!

Each time out, although I fail to arrive on time, I have seen a few Pancakers on the trail and my new friend Alexis.  I saw her in the distance today and had to run a few tangents, and speed up to a pace much faster than I “wanted” to run to get close enough to shout her name.  But it was worth it, we talked and ran a short bit together before she had to turn off toward home.  She did kindly oblige my photo request before we parted.  Thanks, Alexis!  Good to see you again!

After Alexis dropped me headed for home,  I slowed down to a more leisurely pace and grabbed some photos that I didn’t have the opportunity to take last time.   These are all from “The Shoot”, the spur that crosses Sauk Trail at Ashland, runs southwest for 1.5 miles, then makes a u-turn at Steger Road & Western for a return to the loop.

Love the moss on the trail!

The noisiest creature on the trail.

Second noisiest creature.

Back on the main loop, which is 4 miles in distance, I saw lots of runners & walkers out enjoying the day!  Here is a pic of Sauk Trail Lake from the trail.

Cute little stone bridge over a stream.

Today was a very peaceful run and I really enjoyed it.  Although, I enjoy these quiet trails with low traffic, I really feel as if this trail is under utilized due to its reputation.  The trail is safe.  It’s beautiful.  It’s the perfect length with both a 7 and/or 4 mile option.  Let’s run this trail together!  I’m going to set up an event thru Facebook for next Sunday, April 15th, 7:45 am to run Schubert & Sauk Trail Woods as a group.  Let’s take this trail back and enjoy some of our tax dollars!  If you don’t get a FB invite (because we aren’t friends), then please feel free to show up at the Chestnut entrance to the Thorn Creek Bicycle Trail (south), in Park Forest at 7:45 to join us for a run.  If you can’t run, then bring a bike, it’s worth the trip!

See you next Sunday!

Happy Running,                                                                                                      Amanda – TooTallFritz

1309 Days……

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It has been 1309 days since my last non-trainer real bike ride and you probably think that I have been missing it. And you’d be wrong. People laugh when I say that I swim to TRI or I ride to TRI. They think I am joking really don’t understand that the other two disciplines which I practice are done only so that I can toe the line in a Triathlon. I swim and bike quite possibly so that I appreciate the run more. When I swim, I pray to my Lord & Savior to get me out of the water safely and onto the bike. When I am on the bike I am loudly cussing begging to be delivered to my running shoes. Then WHY do I TRI? I do it for the “fun“, for the challenge, and so that I will put my running shoes on a pedestal from which they will never tumble. I LOVE TO RUN. I AM A RUNNER.

So the bike shop laughed when they saw my brand new bike from 2007. I put some serious miles on it in 2008 training for a 70.3 but as soon as the race was over, it went on the trainer and has not come off until its trip to the bike shop yesterday. Why, you may ask? I was trying for Mr. Michael and soon after that 70.3, I got lucky and conceived. I am a restricted activity preggo woman who is allowed to walk. Nothing else, walk. As if you don’t think a normal pregnancy is not an eon, now think of a preggo runner who is not allowed to jostle her little package, at all. I was told I could walk. I asked if I could elliptical and I was told, NO.  “NO! No marathons for you. You can walk. You can only walk!”……Now go back and repeat that quote in a Japanese accent. It almost isn’t the same if you can’t hear the words in the Japanese accent of my 5 foot tall OBGYN. I could walk, I could only walk. Okay, I walked and ate. The two things didn’t go real well together. By now you have probably figured out that what goes into the body has to be somewhat countered by your activity level and your calorie burn. It wasn’t pretty but I had a beautiful baby boy so it was ALL worth it!

On September 7, 2009 my bouncing baby boy arrived 366 days after that 70.3 in 2008. Lots of extra things going on with him so it took me a bit to get back to the run. 2010 & 2011 focused just on my lil man the run and now 2012 brings Triathlon back to me. One way or another, I’m going back to triathlon. I have already registered for two 70.3s this year. You may think it would have been wise to get back on the bike PRIOR to registering for a few races but that would be self-defeating. I knew I wouldn’t get back on the bike without the TRIs already on the schedule. So today was Day 1 of TTF on the bike. All I can say is OUCH. The first 13 miles with the wind at my back was awesome. Cold but awesome. The 2nd 13 miles was good because I was on the trail and I saw lots of my run friends, some of whom were doing their 20-22 milers today for the Illinois Marathon on April 28th. The last 13 miles sucked. Really sucked. Uphill into the wind sucked with tired legs, a sore upper body and a pain in the neck and shoulders. Sucked. Now I am totally wiped out, mad at the bike, and hoping I bounce back so I can get a good run in tomorrow morning.

My number one thought on the bike: I’D RATHER BE RUNNING!!! What do you think about while you ride?

Happy Running or TRIing,                                                                                       Amanda – TooTallFritz

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Good Friday Waterfall Glen Run {2012}

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What a beautiful day to hit the trail and meet some new people.  In fact, we had so many newbies show, I can’t even remember everyone’s name!  That is a huge success in my book.  Thanks to everyone who took time out of their busy schedules to come run with us this morning!  It is much appreciated and I hope to see all of you again!  The morning crew, courtesy of Maggie – MagMileRunner, from back left:  Kathy, Wayne, Joe, Christy, Fredric, Mark, Eric, Jim, Brian, Lonna, Cathie & Amanda W.  Front left:  Maggie, Me, Kim, Susan, Keith, Missing a few names:  girl in blue, girl in black, girl in pink, Angela.

I apologize on the missing names, if anyone can fill in the blanks, I will make the edit.  Sorry!!!

In addition to the sunshine, we also had temps in the 40s, and the woods were alive with springtime noises, scents and active critters although I didn’t actually see anything of significance.  Here are a “few” photos of the day.

I think we all had a great run.  Our paces were far and wide but we all made it back in with a smile on our faces.  I really love this trail.  It’s not too technical but is a nice jaunt thru the woods.  There are a few hills but nothing too taxing and the scenery is totally worth the short drive.

Thanks again to everyone who made the trip. Next “official” Waterfall Glen trip will be on Black Friday.  Plenty of time to plan for that one, right?

Enjoy your race season, folks.  I’ll see you on the trail or on the road.  Get after it this year, who knows what next year will bring!

Happy Running,                                                                                                              Amanda – TooTallFritz