Pachaug Trail Marathon–Voluntown, CT

Posted on October 30, 2020 by tootallfritz

As we all know, 2020 has brought its own set of challenges and running & triathlon racing has not been the priority. However, the US is starting to reopen, in stages. Each state is responsible for its own guidelines and like with all things, some states are more lenient than others. If you are willing to travel and/or do some self quarantining, you *might* actually be able to run a race. In person. With other living humans. Last weekend I ran 2 marathons. A trail marathon in Connecticut & a road marathon in Rhode Island. Let’s talk trails!!

The Pachaug Trail Marathon was in Pachaug State Park on Saturday, October 24, 2020 in Voluntown, CT. There was a 50K, marathon and half marathon. Each race was limited to 100 participants. The temperature of each participant & volunteer was taken the morning of the event. Each race took off at a different time. Runners were staggered & wore masks at the start/finish & aid stations. Lots of added procedure to ensure the safety of the participants, staff & volunteers.

This is a small race. I’m not really sure how I found it but its been on my list for over a year. Normally, the event features a 50 miler, marathon & half marathon. However, this year the 50m was downgraded to a 50K for safety reasons and to keep the event moving/quick due to Covid-19 concerns. My race schedule is a lot about timing around the kid schedules. I don’t usually read too much about races. I like the element of surprise and want to experience it for myself without too many preconceived notions about quality, difficulty, etc. So, with that being said, I knew this was a trail race and that it would be hard. I knew that there was “about” 2400 ft of climbing. I also knew that we started by climbing Mt. Misery. That should have been foreshadowing. If you follow me on Instagram or FB, then you’ve seen some of the photos. But let it suffice to say, that this was a difficult race. I have a new PW (personal worst) for trail running performance. But we made it to the finish line safely and as someone so kindly mentioned, we received the same finishers medal as the person who finished first. First climb of the day, Mt. Misery.

Photo credit – Jen C.

Photo from the Live Loud Running page.

Big rocks, boulders & tree roots were the foundation for this trail run. Apparently in Connecticut, the Pachaug Trail is very well groomed & runnable. If you are from the flatlands of Indiana or Illinois, then you probably haven’t seen anything quite this technical.

We spent a lot of time walking/hiking/climbing.

The venue for the run was in Pachaug State Park. Over the course of the marathon we hit the Pachaug, Nehantic & Quinebaug trails. The double loop marathon course also took us up/down Mt Misery, Breakneck Hill & onto Hell Hallow Road. As road runners we love our roads. Up/down or otherwise, the terrain is usually good!

It was a beautiful run. Very scenic. Most of the climbs were manageable.

But as I mentioned previously, we spent a lot of time hiking vs running. I love my trail shoes but if I were to do this again, I’d go with something a lot thicker on the sole. My feet were pulverized by the rocks. Plus our ankles and all the stabilizing muscles/tendons really took a beating due to our overall lack of grace when it comes to traversing rocky terrain.

Overall, great race. Great experience. But we were slow, plus we hit a few wrong turns! There were only 2 aid stations on the loop, then one at the start/finish. Everyone carried hydration packs and that was very necessary since the aid stations were spaced out and the time it took between aid stations was pretty long, particularly for us since we were riding the struggle bus.

We did have a slight issue on loop 2. We hit the 2nd loop with plenty of time to spare but we were last. Like DFL (dead fuc*ing last) and the ~~Balloon Ladies~~ sweepers were following us, cleaning up the signs and markers. We were kissing the cutoff times & the first aid station had been cleaned up before we got there. Slight stress since some of the crew was out of water but the 2nd aid station was waiting for us. THANK YOU! Everyone was super nice. And we even had a lady in a truck that kept meeting us at intersections, checking on us, who was kind enough to tell us to “take our time”. Very thankful that we were able to finish. We did beat the cutoff for the entire race, which was 8 hrs. We finished in 7:41. Yes, new PW. As my buddy Todd so kindly pointed out, if my PW keeps increasing, it will eventually get to the point where it will be UNBEATABLE. Why thank you, thank you for that.

Thanks to the Indiana/Illinois crew who traveled & ran with me. No idea how I have any friends after some of these “adventures” but this crew usually shows up to either bail me out or suffer with me. Thanks, guys!! Me, Matt, Julie & Todd.

SWAG – Buffs are all the rage now. Who knew that 2020 would be the “year of the buff”.

Pachaug was my 58th marathon (or longer) & my 34th of the 50 states. Connecticut is in the DONE column. Beautiful part of the country. I’ll definitely go back!

** Happy Running ** Amanda – TooTallFritz

The Huff 50K Trail Run …. 2017 Edition

Posted on January 2, 2018 by tootallfritz

Saturday was the annual Huff 50K Trail Run. Huff is known for bringing something new and unique each year. The 2012 race brought epic flooding. 2016 brought 6 inches of fresh powder to the start and then added freezing rain atop the snow (and us) for the entirety of the race. 2017 will go down in history as one of the coldest years on record. Temps at the start were below zero with wind chills, then plummeted further thru the day for an average of –13 to –15 “feels like” during the bulk of the race. It was a long day for those who were able to finish and there was a large number of runners who had to drop out, or were not allowed to continue after the completion of the first loop, due to weather related concerns.

The Huff 50K offers a 1 loop “fun run” of approximately 11 miles, a 3 person 50K relay & a 50K trail run. I’ve ran, and managed to complete, the 50K every year since 2013. I’ve had good years & bad years. Ones that were tough because I wasn’t up to par physically. Ones that were brutal due to weather like 2016 & 2017. I love this race and will continue to run it as long as I am able. It’s a great way to end my racing season each year. Its close to home. And love that we can pick up our packets the morning of the race! Win, win, win!

This year, due to the cold temps, I left my phone in my check bag. My iPhone has a very short battery life & the cold kills it almost instantly. None of the photos you see in this post are mine. Thanks to Tadd B, Stacey H & Sara P for sharing their photos so I could add something visual to this write-up!.

Pre-race with Tadd B & Pat H. I’m the one in bright orange.

The race started at 8am for the 1 loop runners. At 8:20 for the 50K runners. The course is different for each race. For the 50K race, there are 3 aid stations on each loop. Located at miles 4, 8 & 14. Then the warming tent at the start/finish which is also the half way point of the 50K can be used as an aid station. Other than the aid stations, there are only a few road crossings. This is not a race that you can cut short in very many places if an injury, illness or other issues result. I heard some criticism from some who were not allowed to go out for a second loop of the 50K due to time & weather issues. I can say from a safety standpoint, it was imperative to have runners off the trail by dark. Then if we add in the weather concerns, the second loop of the 50K was cold. Really cold. Plus the trails were drifting from the blowing wind & snow. It was a bit of a challenge. I had to have my face covered almost the entirety of that loop to avoid frostbite. Our bodies were burning extra energy to try to keep warm, in addition to the running, so fueling was a huge issue. And the volunteers at the aid stations were FREEZING trying to support us. More respect needs to be given to the race officials and volunteers for these races. Nobody wants to cancel or shorten a race. Its bad publicity, especially in this age of social media. However, they are liable for each and every runner. They have to do what they think is best for everyone, runners & volunteers included.

We had about 3” of snow on the ground. Flurries during the race. Roads were iced over with a little snow on top. It was a much better situation running wise than the deeper snow and freezing rain of 2016. However, it was still a tough race. Tough but beautiful.

Lots of hills. Lots of slipping and sliding. Running for most of us was slow going. I was amazed by the varying degrees of dress. I was focused on keeping my face covered to avoid frost bite, yet there were people running in shorts, or less. The conditions were dangerous. I wouldn’t recommend running with exposed skin when the temps are below zero.

Sara & I in the pines on loop 1. One of my favorite areas.

Pure joy as we cross the half way mat (after I stopped to put on my yaktrax).

And then the wind hit us. Cold. Strong. Blowing us around. Trying to cover the tracks of those before us. Time to put our heads down and just run. The yaktrax were a welcome addition to loop 2. They helped A LOT in the areas that were packed down and in the slippery areas. I wish I had worn them for the first loop but thought the snow was probably too deep for them to do much good. I’ll definitely wear them for all snowy trail runs going forward. My footing was a lot better after I put them on.

The wind made the temperature drop further but I was warm. My clothing was perfect: Athleta Polartec tights, Injinji over the calf compression socks, thin Under Armour Long Sleeve Infrared tech shirt, Nike Pro Hyper Warm Fleece Lined 1/2 Zip, Saucony Vita Run Vizipro jacket, ear band, hat, balaclava, lined gloves with a an extra pair of throw away gloves that had hand warmers inside. I used the throw away gloves with hand warmers at the start for a several miles, then again on loop 2 after a lengthy stop at an aid station. Only difference between loop 1 & loop 2 was that I had to keep my face covered the majority of the second loop due to the added wind.

Best Aid Station Ever at Dock Lake. Team Tritanium ran the aid station again with the Huff Couch. Two fires were burning. Smores, gluten free chicken noodle soup, homemade sweet bread, plus the usual ultra fare.

But really the best part is always the finish. My 5th Huff 50K is in the done column. I hope to be back for #6 in 2018. See the finishers medal and cool handmade soup mug below. Lots of fun.

Finisher stats: 50K – 118 Finishers, 57 DNFs; 1 Loop Fun Run: 139 Finishers, 5 DNFs. Relay – 24 Finishing teams, 5 DNFs, 3 DQs.

As always, a great race. If you are going to run in the winter, I’d recommend layering up and minimizing exposed skin. There will always be people running with very little on but honestly, that’s just not safe. Be smart & enjoy the beauty of the season. Running is a great way to get out and enjoy the winter months and keep those Winter Blues away!

** Happy Running ** Amanda – TooTallFritz

Wildwood Trail Marathon Race Review– Wildwood MO

Posted on December 6, 2017 by tootallfritz

I ran the Wildwood Trail Marathon in Wildwood MO on Sunday. It was my 47th marathon (or longer). I’m a runner who loves to run. I love the trails and the serenity. However, I’m not a real trail runner. Let’s not squabble over the fact that “if I run trails, then I’m a trail runner”. You know what I mean. I’m a road runner. I enjoy the road under my feet. A solid surface that does not move. One where I probably won’t trip over something that I can’t see because its covered by a forest of leaves. One where sharp rocks don’t jut out at every step. One where if I fall, I won’t stress about sliding down the bluff in the process. Road runner. Yep, that’s me.

Now that is has been clarified that I’m a road runner, my report follows.

The Wildwood Trail marathon is self described as scenic & fast. Good for road and trail runners, experienced and beginners alike. I’ve ran a lot of road races, plus my fair share of trail races. So I feel well versed and able to give a realistic point of view. Scenic, yes, in spots. It’s a beautiful run thru the woods. This race, unlike others I have ran, consisted of a lot of rock based trails. Most trail runs are on dirt trails. Wildwood has a lot of rock. Not to make this too simple but the bluffs are made of rock. The dirt wears away & only rock is left in spots. Second pic below shows it well. That looks like a well worn dirt trail, right? No. Its solid rock. Somewhat smooth surface in some spots. Jagged rocks sticking out in other spots. Pics below are from the Bluff View Trail.

The race started at a school, right off the Hamilton-Carr paved trail. Then we hit a crushed stone & dirt type trail called the Al Foster Memorial Trail. This lead us to the first detour, the Bluff View Trail which was about 2 miles into the race. That’s where things started to get interesting. The trail (seen above) was 2.5 miles of single track, some slanted to one side or the other, winding up the Bluff for an awesome lookout. The Bluff View Trail provided some of the most scenic views of the day to the Crescent Valley below.

After climbing the Bluff Trail, we made a small loop & returned the same way we went up. I must say that after staring at the course map for days, I really didn’t understand it. But thankfully, the race was marked very well and there was never a question as to where we were headed. Course map below. One note, it would have been super helpful if the course map had mile markers. For those of us unfamiliar with the area, we never really knew where we were at any given moment. I had the map in my head but as you are climbing, climbing, climbing and maneuvering the switchbacks, everything is very focused. It would have been great to know that I just had to manage the climb/terrain until mile x, then I would get some relief.

December can be tricky but we had a beautiful day with the sun shining on us. Made me happy.

Dry trails. Leaves cushioning the rock. And a few breathtaking views. After the Bluff Trail, we hit the Rock Hollow Trail with the infamous Zombie Heights. This was by far the toughest section (on the map it’s the tall section of zig zags, middle of the map) and I was zombie like, just watching the ground and trying to navigate the terrain. Rock, switchbacks, lots of technical sections, all on a single track of rock and/or dirt. We spent a lot of time hiking in this section for safety reasons. My legs felt good but I can only go as fast as I feel safe. I’m not a super coordinated person. I’m not exactly clumsy but I do try to be careful. So we saw a lot of 20 minute miles in this section. Took forever to get thru it. This was approximately mile 6 through 14. Pics below of this section show the varied terrain.

After Rock Hollow and Zombie Heights, we had a nice flat section back on the Al Foster Memorial Trail heading to Sherman Beach. Easy terrain. Well packed. Fast section.

Sherman Beach was a hot spot. By the time we got there, a lot were already headed back to the finish. Lucky them. But this was an important area. First, the only port-o-potty on course was here. It was also the 3rd & 4th aid station. And this is where the cut-off happened. Once passing thru the Sherman Beach aid station (mile 15.5ish), there was a 7.5 mile loop. We had to be back to that aid station by 2:30pm or we wouldn’t be allowed to finish. Technically we had plenty of time. But if we ran into a section of 20 min miles, then the cutoff was in jeopardy. I must say this is the first time I ever really thought about a cutoff (in any race) and it was stressful!

Leaving Sherman Beach we had a short section of flat, well groomed trails. Then we hit the tunnels. Concrete, manmade tunnels. I had to bend over and walk thru them, they were short in height and long in length. A volunteer on a bike told us that he would see us in 2 miles, once we hit the tunnels. Must say this might have been the longest 2 miles of my life. The tunnels lead to the Cedar Bluff Trail. Obviously a short 2 mile jaunt. Not as technical as the Zombie Heights but we had to be on our toes. And we were apparently rushing because of the cutoff. Both my run partner & myself fell in this section. Hard. Blood & bruises the result.

Once we were back to the tunnels, things got much better. We hit a network of trails by the Meramec River. These trails consisted of dirt & sand. Well groomed. Lots of people riding bikes, walking dogs & hanging out.

And then eventually the Stinging Nettle trail which was a sand trail taking us back to the 4th aid station at Sherman Beach. Well AHEAD of the cutoff. Smile Tamyra below on the Stinging Nettle trail.

After Sherman Beach, there was an easy, flat run back to the finish on the Al Foster & Hamilton Carr trails. Photographer caught us in this section. Yep, I’m dirty. I fell down somewhere along Cedar Bluff.

This marathon was approximately 25.77 miles. If you are a 50 States Marathon Club runner who is trying to run all the states, don’t use this one for Missouri or you’ll be short & it won’t count. Trail runs are always questionable in distance since you go where the terrain takes you. Very normal.

So, was this race scenic & fast? Yes. Obviously scenic. But its also one of the faster trail marathons that I’ve ran thanks to several flat sections where you can run faster. Good for beginners & experienced runners alike? Maybe. The flat sections help a lot. But there was a lot of technical spots too. Anyone can do it. But they really have to be invested in it. So yes, good for anyone as long as they are committed & ready to go the distance no matter what the trails present.

Overall, great race. Great volunteers. Only 4 aid stations. Stocked with trail running basics: Coca Cola, Ginger Ale, peanut M&Ms, cookies, pretzels, oranges, pickles, electrolytes, Hammer gels. Water & Heed (a Hammer product). This was a cup free event so everyone needed a handheld, water bottles or collapsible cups to utilize the fluids on course.

Small event. I had read before race day that there were 209 entrants. Not exactly how the results panned out. I’m not sure if everyone was listed but they show 89 finishers. I was #81 (6 hrs 30 min). 3 DNFs. 8 DNS. Winning male: 2:52. Winning female: 3:44. So it was apparently a fast race for some. Smile Cutoff was 8 hours. Last finisher was 7 hrs 51 min.

SWAG: Beanie, Hammer gels, Hammer Endurolytes, sample pack of Biofreeze, finishers medal & FREE race photos.

That’s a wrap on this marathon! If your interested in trail running, I’ll link to some of my other trail runs below. The hardest I’ve done so far is the Eugene Curnow Trail Marathon in Duluth, MN. That race is the warm up for the Minnesota Voyageur 50 miler. God help those 50 milers. They are tougher than me! My second hardest trail marathon was the Dances with Dirt Devil’s Lake Trail Marathon in Baraboo, WI. Easiest trail run/ultra was the Lakefront 50K in Chicago. If you need a fast 50K time, go to Chicago. Race is on a paved path along Lake MI. Fun. Easy.

Trail Race Reviews (minus the 2014 Huff 50K, which apparently I didn’t write up?!?):

Eugene Curnow Trail Marathon (MN)
Dances with Dirt – Devils Lake Marathon (WI)
Bobcat Trail Marathon (OH)
Huff 50K (2016) (IN)
Huff 50K (2015)
Huff 50K (2013)
Lakefront 50K (IL) – Paved Multipurpose Trail

Next up the 2017 Huff 50K on 12/30. Then I rest.

Happy Running, all! ** Amanda – TooTallFritz

Huff 50K Race Report – 2015

Posted on December 22, 2015 by tootallfritz

My third Huff 50K is in the books! As I mentioned on the TTF Facebook page yesterday, this is a race that just makes me proud to run. Proud of myself for going back to a tough race year after year. Proud of my run friends who brave the elements and trails, when they would rather be pounding pavement. Proud of the other participants who are constantly encouraging and showing the newbies what trail running is all about. Proud of the race organizers for delivering a great race over and over again. The Huff 50K is a class act. Pic below from top is the 2013, 2014 & 2015 belt buckles. Maybe I should buy a belt?

This event is at Chain O Lakes State Park in Albion, IN. It offers a 50K, 50K Relay & a one loop option (10.8 miles). Lots of choices. The trails are well groomed, wider, not single track like many trials. This is a great event for beginner trail runners and a great course to run side by side with a friend/partner. Aid stations are spaced about 4 miles apart and there are bathrooms and/or port-o-potties at 4 of the 5 aid stations. This is huge and not the case with all trail races. I would recommend carrying your own water to manage hydration between aid stations. Trail shoes are recommended by not required. I like to use gaiters over my shoes to keep leaves and debris out of my shoes/socks but these are not a necessity either. This is a very user friendly trail event. No fancy equipment required.

There were a few changes for 2015 both at the organizational level and on the course. I think everything went very smoothly. My brain struggled with the new course, always trying to figure out which way we went last year, but I just followed the pink markers and it went well. No idea if this course was easier than years past but this was our fastest year thus far at Huff (6:50 finish). There were a lot more markers this year and even a few spots where they put up tape so that runners didn’t get off course inadvertently. Nice touches that I really think helped the comfort level of the newer trail runners. I never had an issue before at this event but I’m an “eyes to the ground” trail runner so that I can watch my footing and the trail markers. The new course and markings allowed for more social running without fear of missing a turn off. I think Huff is a social trail race. So many people sign up because their friends are going, even if they have never ran trails before ….. and that’s why its FUN. New course below.

Great aid stations. If you haven’t ran an ultra or trail marathon before, you might want to do so just for the food. There is candy, m&ms, twizzlers, cookies, fig newtons, pb&j quarters, potato chips, pretzels, soups, boiled potatoes with salt, coke, water, gatorade, lemon bars and one spot was even grilling hamburgers. So much food. I didn’t bother carrying any gels and my tummy thanked me for eating real food. Spirits were particularly high on the first loop. Myself, Tamyra & Julie getting ready to tackle the hill in the background. Hills, smillz.

We ran the first loop in 3 hrs 15 minutes, which was my goal. Then I thought we could hit the second loop in 3:30 but I was off a bit, took us 3:35, which is still good in my book. That second loop gets really LONG. It’s almost like you cross the mat at halfway and they add a couple bricks to each leg. The hills suddenly seem steeper and each mile drags on a bit more. But we just kept moving thru each mile (marked signs at EVERY mile!) and toward the next aid station. It worked. We didn’t rush. This isn’t really a race for us but more of an experience. So if someone need to walk or potty, we stopped. We probably spent too much time at a couple aid stations but oh well. Over all, we kept moving! And we tried to keep it fun. When Julie’s hubby started texting her (probably wondering if we were done yet! Ummm, no we were not done!), I insisted we stop and take a selfie to send him. Hi, Joe! I was getting ready to stick out my tongue but we snapped the picture first with my crazy face. That’s about right, I was feeling kinda crazy that far into the race. I think we were probably around mile 28 at this point. The craziness had definitely set in. Tamyra, Me, Julie.

I’m very thankful that Julie came back for her second Huff this year. I know she didn’t love it last year. She doesn’t love trail running at all but we still do a couple trail marathons each year. Totally my fault. It always seems like a good idea at the time. Smile And this was Tamyra’s first ultra. Her third marathon distance event (or longer) since November 7th in Indy when she ran her VERY FIRST marathon. She took a leap of faith and followed us to Tulsa for the Rt 66 Marathon, and then to Huff. 2 marathons and 1 ultra in a 6 week span. She’s definitely a tough chick and I’m proud to call her a friend! Great job,Tamyra!!!

The swag. Huff always provides good stuff. This year we got a cotton tee, a Huff Santa Hat, a portable charger & a key chain with a thermometer. Then here is a close up of the belt buckle that was received at the finish. Most 50Ks don’t offer a belt buckle, but rather a finishers medal. So it’s a nice touch for Huff to give the buckle and that’s probably why this is one of the largest 50Ks in the US.

Huff is a great race. I highly recommend it. Grab some friends and run a loop OR two. Next year, Huff will be on December 17, 2016. Then the 2017 race will be returning to the first Saturday after Christmas.

Side Note: If you’re in the woods, State/National Park or not, DO NOT litter. A general rule of hiking, backpacking and trail running is that if you pack it in, you pack it out. I saw A LOT of litter & debris on the trails this year. Very disappointing. Someone has to clean that up or Huff could get fined, get belittled by other races or worse yet, lose their permit to run at Chain O Lakes. Please respect your environment. Don’t drop GU packs, kleenex, hand warmers, cups of noodles, or your SWEATSHIRT on the trail cuz you are tired of carrying it. The aid stations are close enough together that it isn’t a stretch to hold onto your trash for a little bit longer and dispose of it property. Please. Respect your trails or they will be gone. Help protect the trails for all of us, our kids, and our grandkids to come. Thank you!

2013 Huff Race Report, must have neglected to write one for 2014. Ooops. Smile

** Happy Trails ** Amanda – TooTallFritz

Happy Thanksgiving & Let’s #OptOutside for Black Friday

Posted on November 26, 2015 by tootallfritz

Hey, all! The holidays are a wonderful time of year, full of traditions. Some of us start our day with a local Turkey Trot while others are already warming the kitchen with the smell of homemade pumpkin pie. I want to wish each and every one of you a joyous Thanksgiving! I’ll be thinking of you all and hoping that you are surrounded by friends, family and someone who loves you!

The holidays are full of tradition. When I lived in IL, I would always host a Black Friday run at Waterfall Glen. There wasn’t a hashtag for #OptOutside. There wasn’t a big corporation behind the movement to get people outside. Nobody was talking about health, wellness, fitness, friends or family on Black Friday. No, they gave their thanks on Thursday and moved on to retail madness on Black Friday. Some big retail chains are saying NO this year. REI in particular started the push to #OptOutside for Black Friday by giving all of their employees the day off with pay. Many other retailers has followed suit. I encourage all of you to #OptOutside for Black Friday. Let’s wait for Cyber Monday to get all those amazing deals for our little angels, from the comfort of our home, where we can shop in our PJs. That’s what I’ll be doing.

If you need a place to go on Black Friday to #OptOutside, I’ll be leading a group run at Pokagon State Park, in Angola, IN. Details HERE. If you don’t want to follow me, then you can follow Lilo. She promises an AMAAHHHZING trail run! Or if you aren’t close to us, then REI has a link HERE to find a place to #OptOutside.

** Let’s Hit The Trails With Lilo & #OptOutside on Black Friday ** Amanda – TooTallFritz

How to Stay Motivated Thru The Winter

Posted on November 17, 2015 by tootallfritz

I can already see it. It’s happening to my group runners at the YMCA of DeKalb County and it’s happening to some of my friends. The Winter Blues are moving in and the snow has yet to fly in NE Indiana.

I know that the time change put a real damper on things. It seems like it’s dark ALL THE TIME now. But that doesn’t mean that we give up until spring. As always, let’s focus and make a plan to combat those winter blues!! First, consider trying a new fitness activity or class. Use the winter months to get stronger, leaner and even more amazing. Make this winter YOUR B*TCH.

I’m taking #1 to heart this year! I’ll be starting a CrossFit Endurance class on December 1st. Tuesday & Thursdays @ 5:30am. Feel free to join me if you are local and want to make 2016 your best year to date! I’m going to get strong AND stay ahead of those winter blues!!!

CrossFit Tactical Strength
513 Incentive Drive, Ft Wayne, IN 46825
(260) 310-5360

Second, I think it’s important to not only do some different activities during the winter months but reconnect with what you really love. For me, running is my game. I love it. But pounding the pavement gets BORING. So I really try to mix it up in the fall and winter months. The way I do that is by hitting the trails. I leave my music at home. Grab my 4 legged running partner and we run. If I get tired, we walk. If a hill is too steep we walk. I don’t have a mileage goal, we just run and enjoy the amazing environment. Bonus: the trees provide a wind break on those blustery days! Secret: Running in the fresh fallen snow is invigorating and gives a sense of peace.

Third, don’t go too long without a real plan. I know you just killed your fall races. Nailed some amazing goals, maybe even got the big BQ. Bask in the glory! Take some time off! Put your feet up in the recliner and cuddle the little ones. And then figure out what’s next so that you have a definitive point to get back to work. I find that putting a spring marathon on my calendar keeps me honest thru the winter months. I can be lazy like anyone but sometimes I need a reason to get my butt out in the cold to move my body. My 2016 Spring Marathon will be the Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon. May 1st, 2016. Far enough ahead that I get some down time. Close enough that I don’t get lazy.

Think about how you want your winter to look this year. Think about what strides you would like to make while others are spending time in hibernation. Think about the goals you have on board for 2016 and how you can get one step closer by focusing on improving yourself in the off season!

After the Thanksgiving holiday, I’ll talk more about CrossFit Endurance and how to train for the Flying Pig Marathon DURING THE WINTER. For now, I’m pretty focused on the Route 66 Marathon this weekend and the fact that I’m speaking on the blogger panel Saturday at 3pm, Expo Stage. If you are at Rt 66 this weekend, find me and tell me how you plan to make this winter YOUR B*TCH.

** Stay Motivated THIS Winter ** Amanda – TooTallFritz

Eugene Curnow Trail Marathon–Duluth MN

Posted on July 14, 2015 by tootallfritz

As most of you know by now, I’m on a quest to run a marathon in every state. And I’m on a budget. As a result, I’ve pretty much given up running races that are less than the 26.2 distance. I’ve also pretty much given up running marathons in state’s that I’ve already “checked off” unless the race is free. I pick races based on my (and Julie’s) calendar. I don’t stress about the course. Or the weather. Or the details. It’s an adventure. The bigger, the better. The more the merrier. Join me!!

We picked our Minnesota race because Julie said she wanted to knock off MN this year. I can’t say this was my first choice for MN because, well, we are road runners! But alas, it fit into our weekend warrior calendar and it was super affordable at a mere $35 entry fee. You absolutely can not beat trail races for the price, the hospitality, the fun and the level of commitment that they give to each and every runner. The Eugene Curnow Trail Marathon wins the TTF Award for the “Best Bang for the Buck” in 2015. I don’t even care that it’s only July. They already won. $35 entry fee = $1.34 per mile. Our race took forever 7 hours & 37 minutes = $4.60 per hour.

The aid stations were stocked with coke, ginger ale, sprite, powerade (BLUE!!!!), ice, ice water, pretzels, M&Ms, candy, fig newtons, sandwich cookies, frosted oatmeal cookies, gingersnap cookies, potato chips, watermelon, bananas, salt, salt capsules, and a ton of stuff that I can’t remember. I probably ate/drank more than the $35 entry fee.

There was also an army of volunteers who encouraged us, filled our water bottles, wiped our tears, recorded our numbers, pointed us in the right direction and handed us paper towels & wet wipes in case we needed to go to the bathroom clean up.

The race started promptly at 6am at the Lake Superior Zoo. There was no big start banner. No chip timing. No pomp. No circumstance. But there were people making announcements to get us in the right spot and there were bathrooms. Runners came to run and everything else is left on the trail.

The first 2.5-3 miles of the race climbed the ski trails of Spirit Mountain. Once we started hitting nice roads and fancy bridges we knew we were close to the top!

Then we started seeing the ski lifts and we came out of the trees for breathtaking views of Lake Superior in the early morning fog. Absolutely amazing.

The trail was very well marked with orange ribbons. I never once questioned our direction. Organizers spent a lot of time clearing trail for us rather than just using ordinary trails already cut in the parks through which we ran. There was a lot of planning to get us from Duluth to the finish in Carlton, MN on this point to point course. It was a creative path. A difficult one. Not the most technical of all that I’ve ran but extremely hard and probably the most fun so far (and that’s saying a lot cuz we ran the Dances with Dirt Devil’s Lake WI Extreme Trail Marathon last July). Take a peak at the various terrain from steep trails along ridges, to roped off trails to help us navigate the terrain & not fall …..

To hills, both up and down as far as the eyes could see.

Beautiful ferns. Bridges. Obstacles.

Water crossings. Mud. Roots. Rocks.

Parks. Rivers.

Every step of this was amazing. And hard. Very hard. But we smiled and laughed almost the entire 7.5+ hours. If you are a trail runner, the Eugene Curnow Trail Marathon is a must. If you are an ultra runner, then this race is just a warm up for the MN Voyager 50 Mile Trail Ultramarathon at the end of July. Like what you see in these pics? Try the Voyager and you’ll get to run it twice.

As you know from the above post, we finished. And were happy to see the car and some clean clothes at the end of the race. To our surprise, we also received a very unique handmade finishers medallion and a gender specific soft, tee. Nice!

I’m forever grateful for the good friends I’ve made over the years while “on the run”. A special thanks to Julie for running some of these crazy races with me! I can’t wait til we tromp off into the woods for the next adventure!

** Maybe We’ll See YOU On the Trail ** Amanda – TooTallFritz

Pokagon State Park–Trail Running

Posted on December 11, 2014 by tootallfritz

Trail running can be intimidating but it doesn’t need to be scary if you know what to expect. I’ve ran the trails at Pokagon State Park multiples times now and have found it to have some of the best trails in Northeastern Indiana. Why? The trails are accessible year round. There are a variety of trails from easy to hard, with varying surface types. All trails are short and within close proximity to a road, or the Pottawatomi Inn. Trails are well groomed and wide enough to run with a friend. Best of all, the trails are marked well.

And if weren’t paying attention to the last couple of signs, then look at the “You Are Here” maps, or notes/maps on particular points of interest, which are scattered throughout the trail system.

Pokagon is a place you can go with your family for hiking, swimming, camping or horseback riding. Or you can run for fun or even train for a marathon or ultra. It’s good for short distance runners AND long distance folks. I’m particularly excited to get Aby and some of her Cross Country friends up there this summer!

I usually park at the Potawatomi Inn and start on one of the trails which begin at “The Inn”. If it’s dark, I run on the roads within the park until the sun comes up. Got a great pic last weekend of some of the holiday lights.

At this time of year, there is little traffic in the early mornings. It’s a good time to tour the campgrounds, roads and paved trails while there isn’t too much hoopla. Bathrooms are still open but lacking toilet tissue. There will be a few scattered campers and park workers moving about in their vehicles. And the Inn will always have guests who are coming and going. You will not be alone.

The two trails which are easiest to connect with are those which lead to/from the Pottawatomi Inn. Trails 1 & 3. Trail 1 is easy to find by going down by the beach and it picks up to the side of the playground. A nice easy trail that is in the woods with views of Lake James and some of the houses which surround the water.

Good trail for beginners or seasoned trails runners. A couple hills but nothing scary. If you have a young Cross Country runner, or a new 4 legged friend to train, this would be the perfect trail developing an excitement about trail running while still keep everyone close to people, park roads and The Inn. Well traveled trail. Bonus, if non-running family members want to go with you to the park, they can play on the beach and playground while you take a short trail run. Big win for everyone!! Trail 1 & 3 highlighted in yellow below.

Trail 3 starts in the parking lot of the Potawatomi Inn, in the Northeast corner. You can park your car and be on the trail in 30 seconds. In my opinion, Trail 3 is the heartbeat of the entire trail system at Pokagon. You can access every trail in the Park, plus the Beechwood Nature Preserve loop via #3. If you ever get lost, run towards 3 and you’ll eventually start seeing signs for The Inn ~~which is why I suggest you park your car there~~. The trail starts in the woods, runs across some wetlands with a few cute bridges with benches for sitting. Great trail, not too technical.

Then #3 leads wherever your heart desires, just check the map and go!! Since most of the trails are loops, if you have a long run to do, you can run most of the trails without backtracking or even thinking too much about what to do, or where to go. I see a sign for a trail, I just take it. It generally loops me back to the trail I was standing on when I saw the sign. Super easy trail system, I promise!!

Hardest Trail – #9. This trail takes you up, Up, UP and eventually overlooks Interstate 69 before going back down to reconnect with Trail #3.

Point of Interest – Hell’s Point, on Trail #3. I expected it to be harder to get to with a name like Hell’s Point but it wasn’t too difficult, just follow the signs and run the trail. Fun set of stairs and a nice view from the lookout!

Hidden gem – Beechwood Preserve Loop, which is not part of Pokagon but accessible from Trail 8. Lots of wildlife. Short loop which is good for walkers. Super secret parking lot off of 127 to access this area and make it a family friendly adventure (no strollers). Even has a half loop sign if you want a shorter route. One big hill if you do the full loop. Yeah, I walked that hill! Smile

Easiest Trail – #7. Grassy loop with a nice view of a wetland. Lots of water fowl in this area. Benches everywhere to sit and rest or watch the wildlife.

Biggest attraction: Toboggan Slides. Open from the Friday after Thanksgiving thru February. Yes, I’ll be taking the kids. Looks super fun and slides pick up speed of 35-40 mph. Sounds terrifying and exhilarating! Image source.

Pokagon State Park is amazing, go check it out cuz I know you’ll love it as much as me! It offers over 1200 acres of fun from water activities to hiking and trail runs. Great fun for the entire family!

** I’ll See YOU On The Trail ** 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 **

TooTallFritz

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

Tag Archives: Trail Running

Pachaug Trail Marathon–Voluntown, CT

The Huff 50K Trail Run …. 2017 Edition

Wildwood Trail Marathon Race Review– Wildwood MO

Huff 50K Race Report – 2015

Happy Thanksgiving & Let’s #OptOutside for Black Friday

How to Stay Motivated Thru The Winter

Eugene Curnow Trail Marathon–Duluth MN

Pokagon State Park–Trail Running

Bobcat Trail Marathon–Glouster OH

Dances With Dirt – Devil’s Lake Marathon

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