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 **

Dopey Challenge – Day 3 – Half Marathon

Posted on January 11, 2014 by tootallfritz

The third day of the Dopey Challenge brought us the half marathon, much larger crowds and AMAZING fireworks to send off each and every corral.

The atmosphere today was serious. Fewer costumes ~~by a lot~~ , many runners who were tackling the half distance for the very first time in their lives, Goofy Challenge runners who were nervous and anxious to start their journey, then us Dopey Challenge participants who were visibly tired, not necessarily even from the running but the travel, ~~ridiculously~~ early wake-ups for multiple days in a row and sleeping in hotels/condos, etc where we aren’t really resting like would at home. As for my Dopey Rockstar pals, we had a 2am wake-up {1am Chicago time} and were on the road by 2:30 to make sure we were in the park with plenty of time to spare. We waited, then waited some more, then hit the potty 15x, then tried to flub our way thru a “muscle” photo and just kinda fell flat all together. Here is our lame attempt at muscles. Sorry, it was the best we had at the time.

Along with the change in atmosphere, the numbers increased four fold. We were at about 10,000 runners for each of the last two races and today we moved up to the about 38,000 participants. There were people as far as you could see in any {and every} direction. Then Donald Duck and a slew of fireworks sent us on our way. Hey, Donald!!

Then we ran. Along the highway, which had plenty of room. Along the backroads thru the Magic Kingdom and Epcot. UNDER the entrance sign for the Magic Kingdom.

Under a pond in Magic Kingdom where the runDisney sign was displayed.

Down Main Street with amazing spectators ~~who had to get out of bed WAY too early to come cheer for us~~ and breathtaking views of Cinderella’s castle.

I really, really enjoyed the run today. I had some tummy troubles that required 3 potty stops but we were just running leisurely anyhow and having fun so it didn’t make me panic cuz of the time I was loosing or anything ~~which was nice~~. Judy and I even stopped to take a photo with Lilo & Stich. Thanks, Judy! Thanks, Lilo & Stitch! I’m a big fan. 🙂

We finished in 2:23 with smiles on our faces. Then we collected our medals featuring Donald Duck.

Grabbed a new wristband.

Then we headed home to eat and nap. We were all well aware that today was the most important day of the Dopey Challenge. The one where we need to slow our roll. Stay hydrated. Fuel. ~~Avoid pooing our pants.~~ And basically stay ON TOP of the game so that we can come back tomorrow and complete the challenge with the full marathon. Today was huge and we finished happy and relatively pain free. We are ready do ROCK the marathon tomorrow. And for those of you who are contemplating the Dopey Challenge for 2015, I want to let you know that you can do it. Just take each day easy. Don’t take yourself or your running too seriously ~~cuz that’s just laughable here and SUPER boring~~. Don’t get overwhelmed by the entire challenge but focus on each task at hand individually. Run the race you’re in, don’t think about tomorrow. Enjoy the journey.

** Always Believe ** Amanda – TooTall Fritz **

Dopey Challenge – Day 2

Posted on January 10, 2014 by tootallfritz

Today brought us the race at Disney which I was awaiting, the Inaugural Minnie Mouse 10K. I’m pretty sure I signed up for the Dopey Challenge JUST to run this race cuz really, who would come all this way to run a 10K? Maybe me but I added in a few other races to make it seem legit ~~for hubby~~. Without further adoo, my photo with my girl, Minnie. We are totally BFF’s now. She hugged me and complimented me on my outfit. Total BESTIES!

Of course, before I got to the point where Minnie and I got to have a real girlfriend “moment” we had a few things on the agenda. First, it was a 2:45 am wakeup call. That’s 1:45 am Chicago time ~~and yes, I’ll keep mentioning that in EVERY post~~. Then a short drive to Epcot where we lucked out in getting the best parking spot ever {totally hoping we luck out like that on marathon day!}. Next, into the “holding area” for some amazing photos. I’d like to thank my Dopey Rockstar pals for being particularly cheery, amazing sports, and VERY photogenic for my most anticipated race of the series!

We even got to meet a couple TTF readers Becky & Amy, see photo below {and let me apologize to Kristina S from yesterday who I met but neglected to take a photo of her in her amazing costume. Kristina, find me tomorrow, ok?}

A few potties stops later and we were packed into B corral and ready to roll. The corral starts were much slower today with maybe 10 minutes between corrals. This was due to the congestion in and out of the park for yesterday’s 5K event and I, for one, appreciate that they noticed. Once again each corral was sent off with fireworks and I managed to snag a shot today!

Off we went with a group of 10,000 total 10K runners. Remember that approximately 7,000 are Dopey Challenge participants. Today certainly SEEMED bigger, even though the numbers were about the same as yesterday. Today also brought more costumes, some which were even more amazing than yesterday. The 10K bought us a better race route too. Space. Fun. And loads of amazing people and sights. The people watching at the Disney races IS one of the main attractions and I was constantly blown away by the creativity that some showed on their artistic costumes. Kudos to you creative types. I super impressed ~~and somewhat embarrassed that I didn’t try harder~~!!!! Needless to say the 10K flew by. I played music and sang in the boring parts of the race course. I waived and yelled to the crowd and volunteers. I really hammed it up during the race and LOVED every minute of it. I loved it so much that I had a brilliant idea to attempt a jumping photo with my Dopey Rockstars at the finish line. Not my most brilliant moment of the day. In my defense, I was excited. I was also assuming with the 5 billion photogs at the finish line, that SOMEONE would manage to get our jump shot. Yeah, well, the amazing action shot that they managed to capture wasn’t exactly what I had envisioned as I slipped on the wet pavement and fell down ~~on my ass, while simultaneously hitting my head, scraping my elbows and spraining my thumb~~ a mere step away from the finish line. Yes, I’m okay. No I’m not really embarrassed, more irritated that I ruined our photo. No, I won’t be trying again for the jumping photo tomorrow. I mean, like I’m not ~~totally~~ stupid. And yes, I’ll post the action shot later of me slipping and falling IF it doesn’t look like it will scare my mom too badly. No, I didn’t remember to stop my Garmin as I walked across the finish line in a very dazed and confused state. Fortuneately, my Dopey Rockstar friends did usher me in the proper direction for Dopey Challenge Finishers. Disney officials then made a mark on our 5K bracelets before giving us a 10K wristband to add to the collection.

And they made sure that I got my medal. Priorities!

Finally, we made our way to the line to wait to see Minnie Mouse. I thought sure since we were Besties now that my friends and I would get to skip the line. However, the Disney officials are very professional and didn’t want anyone to think that we were getting preferential treatment, due to my friendship with Minnie, so alas we waited in line ~~with everyone else~~ to see her but it was TOTALLY worth the wait.

Great race. I really did love every minute of it ~~minus the few seconds that I was flat on my ass at the finish line letting everyone get a glance of my “under the skirt” attire~~. Thanks, Minnie. Thanks, Disney. Thanks, Dopey Rockstar pals!

Dopey Challenge – Day 1

Posted on January 9, 2014 by tootallfritz

Despite a few minor snags with travel arrangements {due to weather}, I managed to get to FL with plenty of time to hit the expo, pick up the Dopey Challenge packets ~~have a few beers~~, and be ready to run the 5K by this morning. Myself, Jason & Judy at the expo.

As expected, the expo was packed but we did our best to look around, make a few unique purchases, grab all of our shirts, and get the boys skirted by Sparkle Athletic. All 6 shirts are pictured below. A green cotton tee for the 5K {which I got in Michael’s size}, a red gender specific long sleeve for the 10K, a navy gender specific LS for the half, a powder blue gender specific LS for the full, a black gender specific LS for the Goofy Challenge, and a white gender specific LS for the Dopey Challenge. I know a lot of people don’t like white but I was super happy with that being the color of the Dopey shirt. The color alone upped the chances that I’ll actually wear it. See the shirts below, along with the two bibs. We will be wearing the green bib for the 5K & 10K and the grey one for the half & full marathons.

This morning started bright and early. We got up at 3:30 am (2:30 am Chicago time!) and hit the road by 4am. The race started promptly at 6:15am but that was the only thing prompt about the day. There was a lot of time spent getting into position in order to run the race, which gave us plenty of time to scout the crowd, pick out our favorite outfit, and find our friends. I’d like to send an unofficial shout out to the family who was dressed as the 101 dalmations, even the young tot was decked out in dots and had a dog collar. Then another favorite of mine was seeing young Belle {from Beauty and the Beast} who was dressed in her blue frock with white apron and she was even carrying a basket and a book WHILE she ran the 5K. Wow. That’s dedication to the charactor. As for myself and my friends, we were decked out in the Sparkle Athletic skirts and even the guys were good sports and joined the fun.

We were in Corral B. There were only 5 corrals for the 5K with approximately 10,000 people running the event. I must say that I saw A LOT of Dopey bibs!! The race started in the dark with fireworks sending off every corral {yes, I missed the photo of the firewords}.

We ran the majority of the race in the dark while attempting to be carful of footing and watching for slippery spots due to a light rain which fell prior to the race start. The majority of the 5K took place in and around Epcot. All the lights were on and everything was lit very well. It was a beautiful run, even if a bit crowded. Jason, Dawn, Judy and I at a prime photo spot.

There were a couple spots for Disney Character photo ops too but the lines were pretty long, especially for Dopey. I bet the little guy never knew he was going to be so popular. 🙂 In all we busted thru Epcot for the 5K in about 29 minutes (with several photo stops). The pace was very random. There was a lot of weaving around people. It was exactly what I expected: super cool, crowded, fun, loads of amazing costumes, families everywhere run/walking, happy volunteers and beautiful sites. So far, so good.

As soon as we finished the 5K, the Dopey people were herded into a separate area to receive our bracelets.

There is a bit of confusion as to what will happen next. Some say that we will accumulate a bracelet every day, for a total of 4 by the end in order to collect our Dopey Challenge medal. Others say that volunteers will cut off our 5K bracelets tomorrow and replace them with one which shows that we also completed the 10K. I’m not really sure ~~and too lazy to look it up in our info booklet~~. Time will tell. I’m in no rush this weekend so just plan to take in as much as possible and not worry so much about details. 🙂

So that’s what’s happening so far in the Dopey Challenge arena. I’m off to take a nap now and attempt to recharge “my battery” a bit. I’m definitely tired from traveling and the new schedule, plus I’m having a few aches & pains due to a few snow related incidents that occurred at home before I left. I’m definitely not a 100% (or even close) and I felt it for sure today in the 5K. With only 3.1 miles down and another 45.5 miles left to run, I will be focusing on recovery quite a bit over the next couple of days.

** You May Be Goofy But I’ve GONE Dopey! ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

Run OUTSIDE? In the Cold? Are You Nuts?

Posted on December 17, 2013 by tootallfritz

It’s holiday time. It’s chaotic. It’s cold. It’s snowing ~~again~~. The weather makes the treadmill look mighty inviting. However, there are some positive aspect to getting out the door for an outside run!

First, have you noticed that you can still hear your kids fighting, screaming and hitting each other when you are plugged into the treadmill? It doesn’t matter how loud the music or movie may be, you can still hear them screaming “MOM” at the top of their lungs ~~as they torture one another~~. A lot of the mental benefits of running are lost when you are constantly leaping off the treadmill to ~~beat~~ chase down your little angels. My hubby used to ask me why I would go outside in negative degree weather to run. Alone. In the dark. In rain. In the snow. In the sleet. He doesn’t ask why anymore ~~because he is too busy chasing the children around to break up their fights~~.

According to an article in Men’s Health, here are a few other benefits to running outside in the cold:

You burn more calories in the cold because your body not only expends energy for exercise but also to keep you warm.
Combats Seasonal/Winter Depression by keeping your serotonin levels high.
Increases “toughness” both mentally and physically. Your body adapts to the weather/temps and your mind realizes that new things are possible.
Your body learns to use oxygen more efficiently.

A few things I do to force myself out the door on those cold mornings:

I commit to a group run or meet up with friends:

I pick a new or different venue to explore.

I have a race lined up that will force me to keep logging miles outside so that I will be accustomed to the elements.
I sometimes treat myself to coffee or breakfast after a particularly cold, dismal outdoor run.
I keep things light, fun and disregard pace.
I take a long hot bath when I get home and think about how happy I am that I’m not shivering in an ice bath.
I will occasionally buy a new piece of winter running gear to get me excited about trying it out in the cold, like those Athleta PolarTec Power Stretch 2 tights that I’m loving right now (and also wearing in every photo above).

How about you? What do you do in the winter to keep yourself focused and heading OUTSIDE for your runs?

** Disclaimer – If it’s icy or the weather conditions reduce visibility, stay inside for safety reasons!

** I Run Outside ALL Year Long** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

Inspire, Be Inspired, Meet Tonia

Posted on December 6, 2013 by tootallfritz

Everyone comes to the TTF website/blog for a reason. Many of you are friends, family or running associates. Some of you are Team Tough Chik members or fellow Fit Approach Sweat Pink Ambassadors. ~~A lot of you are trying to figure out how to get extra entries to win the AWESOME~~ ~~Tough Chik~~ ~~fleece hoodie that we are giving away on Monday~~ ~~HERE~~. Some are looking for a bit of inspiration.

Regardless of the reason as to why you have visited today, I think it’s important for all of us to remember how things used to be for EACH.AND.EVERY.ONE.OF.US. If all your friends are marathon runners, it may seem “normal” but know that only 0.5% of the US population has EVER ran a marathon, that’s less than 1%. So your friends, no matter how cool, are not the norm in the US. Not even close.

Do you remember how hard it was when we started working out and focusing on a fit lifestyle? Or how hard it was to come back from that crazy injury? Or how hard it was to come back after the last baby? If you are JUST STARTING to focus {or refocus} on your own fitness then I want you to know that you aren’t alone. There are lots of people doing the same exact thing, right this very moment. If you haven’t yet taken the plunge to begin your own fit journey, then do it now. It’s not to late to start today, no matter how poor your fitness or how many kids you have or how busy you may be, it’s not too late. However, tomorrow is a different story. We will never know what tomorrow may bring. There are no guarantees. No promises of tomorrow. Start today. Or restart, if you must, but do something, anything, NOW.

Please meet my friend Tonia and BE INSPIRED. Last year in October, we had our {cough} 20 year high school reunion. See photo below. Tonia is on the end in the blue shirt. Hi, Tonia!!!

We talked. She was nice, pleasant but very quiet. Some people just aren’t big talkers, right? Well, it was more than that. Read Tonia’s story below in her own words,written December 1st, 2013.

I didn’t like to have my picture taken at all when I was that “big”. I seriously considered not going to our 20 year class reunion because of my weight. Then when I saw pics posted on Facebook of our whole class, I felt so embarrassed of how big I had gotten. I had been depressed in 2009 while I was laid off from work for 9.5 months. I finally got to be way beyond what was even acceptable to me. I had to do something about my weight. I was concerned about becoming diabetic or afraid something else bad would happen like stroke or a heart attack. I was worried. So on June 22, 2013, I started my first AdvoCare 24 Day Challenge. I lost 13 lbs and 18 inches in that first 24 days. I was excited to see what it was doing for me. I felt more energetic and my clothes were fitting better. As the weeks went on, I stuck to the clean eating and even started running. I started with the Couch to 5K app on my phone. Shin splints stopped me after about 3 weeks. I was still walking some and bought compression socks to help with the shin pain. A week before my first 5k I got my very first pair of Brooks running shoes at Three Rivers Running Company in Fort Wayne, IN. It made a huge difference in how my legs felt while running. I’ve lost a total of 50 lbs in 5 months. I’m still on the journey of losing weight. To be honest, I’d like to lose 50 more! I want to show my kids that when you want something bad enough, anything is possible. My son is now showing some interest in running. He’s only 9, but he goes with me when I’m only running a mile or so. I love it because he assumes the title as my trainer and says little things like “keep up the pace” or “keep running, you can do it”. My daughter likes the lifestyle change too. She loves the healthy foods in the fridge. She’s always eating all of my fruits and veggies. Lol! She also loves tilapia and turkey burgers. I don’t have to worry about anyone eating all of my plain no fat Greek yogurt though! Please see my before & after pic below. The “before” was in March 2013 and the “after” was the morning of my very first 5k, November 23, 2013.

Thank you, Tonia, for sharing your story! We are all so proud that you were strong enough to step outside of your comfort zone to do something for yourself and your family. AMAZING progress; keep it up!! Please keep us posted as to how things go in the future; we are all rooting for you!!

As for the rest of you, Inspire & Be Inspired!!

** Inspire & Be Inspired ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

Black Friday at Waterfall Glen {2013}

Posted on December 3, 2013 by tootallfritz

In the spirit of holiday traditions, each year I host a run at Waterfall Glen in Darien, IL on the morning of Black Friday and Good Friday. The run is scheduled at 8am and EVERYONE in the local running community is invited, and encouraged to bring friends. Each year the run gets a little bigger. The 2013 Black Friday Run brought us almost 40 runners despite the very cold temps and a “bit” of a wind-chill.

2013 Black Friday Runners:

I arrived a little early for ~~some photos~~ a few extra miles and also met a few members of a local run club, Run to Eat. It was super fun running with them and meeting a few new people!!

The Waterfall Glen trail is a 9.5 mile loop and “most” of the time, it’s well marked. There are a few spots that could possibly be confusing but if you run the wrong way, you will quickly end up at a parking lot or a road where the trail will end. For the most part, I just run counterclockwise in a loop fashion. It’s pretty easy to follow, and most intersections have an obvious direction.

I love the scenery. Thru the trees. Up and down.

I love the serenity, especially on days where everything is frozen.

I love the trail. The wildlife. The varying terrain. I also love that the trail is usually smooth and trail shoes aren’t needed ~~although I did wear mine to try to break them in a bit more for Huff~~. I love that there are people who are brave enough to come run with me!

This is one of those trails that I wish were just a little bit closer to my house. I only go twice a year now but if it were closer, I would be out there all the time. It’s the perfect length for me. I love a good 10 mile run! And I KNOW those hills will make me strong eventually! Great trail. Great location off of I-55 & Cass Avenue. Multiple parking options. A couple port-o-potties, usually near parking. Well kept trail. If you are running long, take your own fluids. Dress for the elements because there are wooded areas as well as long open stretches where you will be more exposed to whatever Mother Nature is delivering. Smile

** See You on the Trails ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

Running For Kicks 4 Mile Turkey Trot – 2013

Posted on December 2, 2013 by tootallfritz

I love the holidays. I love spending time with my family. I love getting in an extra run here or there when I can. I love that running has not only become a regular part of my life but one on which I now center a few holiday traditions. Thanksgiving is one such holiday. I run the Running For Kicks 4 mile Turkey Trot every year not only because it has become one of my “traditions” but also as a way to gauge my fitness level on an annual basis. The race is always post Chicago Marathon season, in a relatively low mileage month, on the same course year after year, and at time when my fitness is decent. Plus the weather is pretty steady usually ranging from 20-30 degrees. All of the above factors produce decent conditions for a realistic comparison on an annual basis. So let’s get to Turkey Trotting!!

This year was a normal year. I was healthy. Conditioned. Ready. Going in I felt fit, somewhat fast and was ready to see what I could do. My only concern was that I had registered Aby and in my head, I was tossing around the idea of running with her. The course is HARD. Lots of rolling hills. Aby is good on hills but a Thanksgiving race puts her out of her season and not anywhere near peak conditioning. It’s the end of running season for her and the start of volleyball. Last year since I was just coming off an injury, I ran with her ~~and she~~ ~~wasn’t necessarily grateful.~~ We normally do not race together but rather “run our own race”. Since that time, we made another attempt to “race together” and while it went much better, the fact of the matter is that we are different runners, have different strengths {and weakness} and to be honest, it doesn’t do either of us any good to make the effort to race together. We don’t “need” each other and in reality we hold one another back at various points, resulting in neither of us having our best race. So, I decided to let it fly off the start line and she would either follow, or not. Pre-race photo while we ~~shivered~~ waited. Me & Aby on the left. F’N Runners on the Right: Pam, Brian, Aby, Me & Nicki.

So I let it fly. This race is different than most. Since it’s so hilly, I have to focus on really running the straights/flats & downhill’s as fast as possible because I’m a ~~crappy~~ poor uphill runner. I once described this race as a 4 mile fartlek session. It’s a constant variation of pace due to my uphill running weakness. So I run fast when I can, like off the start line. My only indication of how the race goes is the finish time cuz let’s just say that running it never feels great and pace is sporadic. Here is my “history” with this race. I started running it in 2007 after a much more “relaxed” Turkey Trot in 2006. I wanted more structure. More challenge. I found it. And I keep coming back year after year.

2007 – 34:21 – I was a bit in shock over the hills. Hardest road race to date.
2008 – 32:33
2009 – Mr. Michael arrived
2010 – 31:53 – Under 8 min/mi average – HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY!
2011 – 31:55 – Consistent, Plantar Fasciitis was at it’s height & I was preparing for time off running so happy with the result.
2012 – 34:29 – Recovering from torn tendon in June 2012 (damn PF!!), only been back to running for a couple months, decided to run with Aby “for fun”.
2013- 31:02 – Proof that fewer miles, the addition of CrossFit & regular Chiro sessions with Dr. Alexis has been a winning combination for me!

Great day that brought us an amazing run with a local food bank as the choice charity. Great swag, several store coupons, plus lots of free stuff, mainly socks, which was pitched into the crowd while we awaited awards. Plus, they raffled off 7-10 pair of shoes at the end of the event. Aby happened to win a pair of the FREE shoes but in the spirit of Thanksgiving, we are sending them to a young lady who happens to need a pair.

Aby improved a lot this year too. Last year she ran a 34:25. This year a 33:14. Her time was good enough for third in her age group! Yay, Aby!! Love to see the progress!! I have high hopes that this will become one of her cherished Thanksgiving Day traditions too. See you next year, in Palos Hills on Thanksgiving Day!

** Who Runs to Eat? ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

Kankakee River State Park, Over the River & Thru the Woods ….

Posted on November 26, 2013 by tootallfritz

I’m on a mission to run every trail in our area before the Huff 50K on December 28th. Why? Because it’s fun!! Plus, I’d like to hope that one of these trails will give me a tiny bit of preparedness for the event. Okay, probably not but at least I can say that I was out there, running real trails, and making an effort to prepare for possibly the most difficult thing that I’ve attempted ~~so far~~. I also know from a previous trail adventure ~~involving the Grand Canyon and a group of pretty ladies~~ that one of the most important things you can do beforehand is to prepare the feet/ankles and break in the shoes before show time. Let it suffice to say that I think my shoes are officially broken in, if being dirty counts. Now can someone just recommend a pair of insulated tights that will cover these LONG legs??

So last Saturday, I met up with a few runners from the Kankakee River Running Club to run some backwoods trails at the Kankakee River State Park. I say “backwoods” cuz well, you won’t find them unless you are ~~lost~~ following someone who knows where to look. After running out of the parking lot, across a grassy area and then ducking under a gate, we found the semblance of trails. Very rough trails.

However, most of the time we were running thru area like this:

We saw lots of cool things and the Kankakee runners were kind enough to stop and let me take a few ~~billion~~ photos. I am a bridge lover and LOVE to find random bridges ~~in the middle of nowhere~~. I also like stairs. A lot. Who loves stairs while they run? Me!!

We also passed the river several times and even found a teepee! See Mike S, lounging ~~on the frozen ground~~ in the teepee. And thanks to Jodie & Amie for stopping for a photo!

And my favorite part of the day, besides hanging out with new runners, was definitely when we lost the trail and had to climb thru a fence to continue the run. So.Much.Fun.

I had an amazing day out at the Kankakee River State Park. I loved the backwoods section as much as the beautiful paved trail that runs directly next to river. More info on the easy to follow paved trail HERE.

I encourage you to get out in the “off season” and make your next run an adventure. No need to pound the same trail, every single day, change things up. Have fun. Leave the watch at home. Enjoy the moment!

** Run the Trails ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

CrossFit Day 39 & 40 …

Posted on November 21, 2013 by tootallfritz

Who would have thought that I would be able to manage 40 CrossFit sessions this year? Not me! I still can’t believe that Jared said yes to opening “the box” at 5am a couple times a week. Major shout out of thanks to Jared & CrossFit New Lenox! You’ve made a lot of lady runners excited about getting strong. That’s a big step in our world.

CrossFit Day 39 – If I get to name it, I’m calling “Ball Buster” cuz I was sore for a day afterward.

Push Press – 5×5 & Pull-Ups 5×5 – All about getting stronger while using those free weights that are so darn intimidating. My group just loaded up the bar with 10 lbs on each side. I think we had a 31# bar so that’s a total weight of 51#s of lifting. We did 6 reps of 5 lifts ~~cuz we had a few extra minutes at the end~~. For the Pull-Ups, we are still using the bands for assistance. I have to use 2 bands. 6 reps of the 5 pull-ups, alternating with the push presses.

12 Minute AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) – Move thru each of the moves and just keep going as many times as possible. Do the moves in order. Pray the clock beeps sooner rather than later so you can stop.

5 Front Squats – Bar only but I think we moved up to the 45# bar. I’m super knowledgeable, I know. They say lift it and I just do it.
10 Sit-Ups
15 Overhead lunges with a 10# plate
Repeat all of the above, as many times as possible before the clock beeps.

We had a decent size group so this was fun and slightly chaotic.

CrossFit Day 40

EMOTM (every minute on the minute – 20 minutes)

Odd Minutes – 6 Ring Dips ** Even Minutes – 15 KettleBell Swings (26#)

5 Rounds

5 Burpees
10 Supermans
5 Push-Ups
10 Sit-Ups

I was super thankful that today was mostly strength work. My legs were a little fatigued from a rough treadmill session late last night so today was good, although tiring.

** Getting Stronger, One Day At A Time ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

TooTallFritz

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

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Kankakee River State Park, Over the River & Thru the Woods ….

CrossFit Day 39 & 40 …

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