New Product: Tara v. 26.2

NEWS RELEASE: Product launch – Tara v. 26.2

That's gold, baby!

YAY, I did it!! Successfully finished my first full marathon!

Awesome run support from Carol!

Quick Summary:

Had an amazing time, and absolutely enjoyed myself, except for the agony. The course went from Tukwila, past Lake Washington, and through downtown Seattle. The mountains were visible, the sun shone, the music was fun, the spectator support awesome, and race organisation was superb. The half and full marathon courses were the same until Mile 9, so I stayed with my best run pals, Sue and Carol till then. The second half of the 26.2 mile course was 2 out-and-back fingers, the second tricking me by approaching the finish line, and then going out for another 3 miles.

The road conditions were a crime against humanity, primarily a cambered surface for 80% of the race, and on concrete for most of the last 12 miles. I will never run in Seattle again unless they do major road works.

Vital Stats:

Time to cross the start line: about 45 minutes

Time to do the whole race: just under 6 hours

Calories burned, according to my run computer: 2753, about 1.5 times as many calories as a normal woman consumes in a whole day

Time behind Katie Holmes: 29 minutes (oh well!)

Weather: hot and sunny!

Scenery: Lake Washington, Mount Rainier, Lake Union, downtown Seattle, The Space Needle

Point where knee pain made me think it would be sensible to “just do Half”: Mile 7

Point where I decided I’d have to do another marathon, as this was just not my day: Mile 15

Point where knee pain was heinous and unbearable in both legs: Mile 19

Point where I started swearing around strangers: Mile 24

Point where I quit the race because it hurt too much: NEVER!!!!!

My choice of post-race food: tuna tataki salad

My new Indian Name, awarded by my run partners: “will run for salad.”

Number of medical margaritas consumed post-race: 6 (2 each for 3 of us)

My New Car!

I bought a new car yesterday. It's a 2009 Subaru Impreza. It was the demo model, so I got a bargain. I didn't totally impulse-buy it; I thought about it overnight :) I have both eye shadow AND nail polish that matches it exactly, so I felt this was a sign that she was meant for me. I had been kinda pining for an Audi A3, but if you look at that car, it really looks the one I bought.....but costs $15k more. I think she is too beautiful to be called a Lesbaru, so would love some suggestions for names.

For those who care about these things, it's got the Sport Shift transmission and 2.5 L engine. AWD is standard on all Subarus. She goes pretty good. I can definitely continue to drive like a lunatic! Well, until I pick up MacDog. He gets car sick when I drive stupid.

I've had my last dance with the Lesbaru. Farewell, old girl. You were a wonderful, reliable, frumpy car.

What the Heck are Tara's Plans? Summer 09

As is common for me, I just received an email: "Hey Tara, where are you? What are you doing?"
Following is my response.....

well, strangely enough, I'm at home in Kamloops, BC, Canada TODAY
but tomorrow, I'm leaving for the following trip:

• Vancouver till Thurs
  run a marathon in Seattle on Sat, June 27
  fly to LA for a week, then back to Seattle July 5
  drive down Oregon Coast to North Cali
  join group and start backpacking into Yosemite July 12-21
  drive toward Wyoming, with undefined plans to hike/explore Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Glacier Natl park
  go to Calgary, and fly to UK July 31
  UK - visiting various people Aug 1-12
  fly back to Calgary
  drive to Kamloops for friends' wedding Aug 15
  start driving north to Whitehorse, Yukon Aug 17
  Aug 19-31: undefined plans to day hike, explore, etc in Yukon and Alaska
  hike Chilkoot Trail Sept 3-7
  run Klondike Road Relay Sept 11-12
  head back south about Sept 15, possibly hiking near Mt Robson Provincial Park about Sept 18-22 or so
  return Kamloops, BC late Sept

You should probably already know this, but anything that I have not registered nor purchased an air ticket for, that could change.
And if you want to join me for anything, that would be awesome! Email me or try my cell 250 318 9894

One Week to Go

Is excited the same as terrified? Def freaked out at the prospect of the FULL MARATHON. Actually wrote a funny typo today, saying in week from now, I'd be on the marathon curse.

But I'm also feeling overwhelmed. Every time I think about my friends supporting me, and being sooooooo impressed that I have run so far, and will run farther, I tear up. I am sure my mom will be on the website, tracking my progress, and that makes me tear up. (Not sure if that ability exists, but if it does, she'll be doing it.) My acupuncturist, who I went to jamaica with, wanted to come to Seattle to cheer me on. WOW! She has no passport, so can't, but WOW, make me cry. Every time I think about the finish line, I tear up. HOLY, this will be huge. Wow, I have battled injuries, had training meltdowns, had people diss me or whatever, and here it is - a week from now, it will all be over.
OK, I gotta hit the hay. My final training is to get up insanely early every day, to prep for race day! I won't meet my run partners till 7:30, but I'll be up at 5. I have definitely lost it. :)

A week from now, I'll be a new me: Tara version 26.2

First Aid with Boys

Adam in his dirt-biking gear. But don't let this sweet face fool you!

I spent last week staying with my old university friend, Sandra, and her family.

We were riding around in her brand new van, and Adam (8) and his brother Robert (10) were in the back seat. Of course, they were goofing around/fighting, and I turned around to notice Adam's nose dripping blood. And of course, because he's 8, he had a huge smile on his face.

So the first panic was, "AAAAHHHHH! Don't get blood on the new van!!"
Young boys are pretty industrious, so Adam took off his sock to use to staunch the flow. Then he started complaining, "Ewwww, it stinks."
My comment: "If you can smell your sock, you're not pinching your nose properly. Pinch it harder!"
I then called him Sock Booger for the rest of my stay. He loved me.

New Car?

Well, I have to admit, it's about time for me to get a new car. The Lesbaru has been a great car, but she's got over 230 ooo km's on her, and she's jinxed anyway. http://cartwheelingtara.blogspot.com/2008/09/topsy-turvy-day.html


Andie in LA helpfully sent me the following email:

Tara, got this car for you so you can have wheels AND spending money! It's ready right now. I'll pick you up at the airport on Sunday! Xxxme

And she sent a closeup too "...just so you can see that it's an angry chicken!"

Wow, and I could have instant employment too! Awesome.

A Cow Story

Yesterday, I ran 20 miles. (The longest run of my life. 4 weeks till the race.) At about the 14 mile mark, we came across some cows on a hill. As soon as they saw us, they started running away. I started shouting at the cows, "Oh #*!$ you! You're just running to show that you can go faster than us. #*!$ you cows!"
[You run 14 miles, and see if you don't shout at anything and everything - except your running partners.]
So one of them stopped, and turned to face us. Uh oh. Then 3 more stopped, stood their ground, and stared at us, with menace in their eyes. I expected, "Are you talking to me? Are you talking to me?!" Next it would be like The Matrix, and one would lift a hoof, to beckon me forward to a kung-fu duel! Yikes, scary!
We managed to get away without anything getting worse, but still expecting a bovine ambush, probably with 3 bottles on their hooves, like in Warriors. "Run-ners, come out and pla-aaay."
[all the oxygenated blood in my body is in my legs at that point. I got NUTHIN in my brain.]

At the end of the run, we were having a picnic in the shade, and I was laughing about telling the cows to #*!$ off. I looked up on the hill, and saw more were RUNNING down the hill, toward us. OK, I have learned my lesson. I will not swear at cows anymore! I am gonna get my ass whooped!

Marathon Mind

Marathon training is far harder than I thought it would be. I mean, obviously it would be physically demanding. I've been eating like a teenage boy with worms for months now. I'm tired. I'm sore. I've had all sorts of little injuries. But I had no idea that it would be a massive mental challenge.
A few weeks ago, I compared the miles in my training plan (oh yes, one MUST have a training plan) to that of some gals who will be running the same race. Their mileage was waaayyy more than mine in May! And so I freaked, and made the cardinal error of increasing my miles and ignoring my training plan. And as any coach would have predicted, I crashed, and absolutely fell apart.
2 weeks ago, I went out for a planned 20 mile run. At the 14 mile point, I felt like I'd been going pretty fast, but I had taken about 20-30 mins longer than I ever had to complete that distance. I was exhausted; I was miserable. So I accepted failure and walked 4 miles back to the car. :-(
All the previous week, I'd been tired but couldn't sleep. I had lost my appetite, and had a stomach ache all day, every day. I was hating running. Actually, I was CURSING running.
Then last weekend, I just skipped my long run. (FYI, this is something I am terrified to do. You cannot cram for a marathon! If you don't train, you will pay dearly in injuries and agony on the day.) Skipped it anyway.
Then, I got horribly depressed and discouraged. I was a failure. I am a failure. I always will be a failure. I get that a marathon is huge, but I've never heard of anyone who started training for one, and then bailed. Guess I win Biggest Loser this year. I can now run a half marathon anytime with no more prep than a big meal, water in my CamelBack, and plenty of snacks in my pockets. I can do it hungover. Intellectually, I get that is amazing, that I am insanely fit, strong and capable, but ...uggghhhhh, if I can't do a full marathon, what use am I? I suck to the nth degree.

I set yesterday's run as my decision point: if it was beyond horrible, I'd get a grip, and run my best half marathon ever. But if it was anything better than that, I'd carry on, push on through, and finish the full 26.2 miles on June 27.
So now I am thrilled that I ran with my greatest supporters, Sue and Carol, and that I bought Magic Pants. I am sooooooooo pleased that I did 20 miles, and it was FABULOUS. And I'm into the Taper Phase of my training - I get to take it easier for the next 4 weeks, to prepare for race day.
The champagne at the finish line is going to be the sweetest, most-deserved quaff I've EVER had.

The Magic Pants (Too Detailed for Non-Runners)

Wow, yesterday I ran 20 MILES (32 km), and it was EASY. (ok, as easy as I could possibly imagine it could be!!!!) I ran 10 km close to the house (dead flat, mostly gravel) then came home, ate, drank water, then drove 20 mins to meet the gals. We drove 21 KILOMETRES away from where I parked, and started running. It was a mix of up and down, first 7 km on pavement, then 12 km gravel, final 2 km on pavement. Overall, it was downhill, which (trust me!) is pretty dang hard.
It took a really long time, as we had to yell at cows, stop for oranges and other snacks and drinks, get stones out of shoes, etc. etc. And we finished with a picnic of smoothies, oranges and almonds. Perfect!!!
But I'll tell you what I think made this week so successful:
1. melting down physically** the other week, then taking last week off from a long run, I rested my body. It was obviously needed.
2. at least twice this week, I ate until I was really uncomfortable. The steak I had Thurs was embarrassing, actually, as it was grotesquely large. Bigger than my face. And LOTS of potatoes. I find them to be the best pre-workout carb for me.
3. I tried new technology. A guy recommended compression tights to me a few months ago. He'd been powder skiing 6 straight days in Fernie, and said he was never tired nor sore. And I met him on a trans-atlantic flight the day after all this skiing. And he was fine. He should have been crippled! So...... I went to the local running store Saturday, tried on about 10 pairs, and dropped a hideous amount of cash for some full-length tights. They look really cool - I dress like a super hero with cool stripes and stitching all over my legs!
http://www.cw-x.com/ExploreProducts.aspx?gender=womens&product=tights&by=activity&sub=run
The girls kept asking me if the tights were making any difference, and after 10 miles, I still wasn't sure. But after 15 miles, I KNEW they were magic! I won't lie - I was sore. But maybe 30% as sore as I would have expected. And I was able to lengthen my stride at that point. I could go fast; I could "sprint" up hills (after 15 miles, a sprint is only perceptible in comparison to snails and tortoises, but I could tell!) By 19 miles, I felt so good, I knew I could finish the full 26 that day, if I wanted.

Last Friday, I saw my acupuncturist/Doctor TCM, and she was really worried about how run down I was. She advised me to stick to a half marathon, as she worried that my body would not be able to cure my cancer recurrence if I got more exhausted. This morning, I saw her again, told her about my MAGIC PANTS and how great my training run was. She checked my pulses and tongue, and she concurred that I am indeed FAR stronger than she would have expected! I'm better than before the longest run of my life!

P.S. 2259 calories burned in yesterday's workout!! Aiiy yai yai! Hoping I'll hit 3000 in the race :)

**see next post