Taper!

Dude…I cannot believe my marathon is only 10 days away. That’s craziness.

I finished up my last long run last weekend, a 12 miler at a pace of 8.57. There’s not much to say about this run except I started out too fast and lost a little steam at the end. What can I say, I was feeling really good and I just decided to cruise. I know better then to start out too fast, so shame on me. I mentioned this to my coach and the next day there was attachment on “Pacing in Endurance Sports” included in our Weekly Update. Hmmm. Ok, it was a good read and I really need to perfect the art of pacing.

Here's me before my 12 miler.



View of the mountains from my run



Mountains from the trail



I have my last longer run on Friday of 8 miles, so I am well on my way into my taper. Yesterday at work I was filled with so much nervous energy I thought I was going to wear a hole in the carpet from pacing around so much. I also may or may not have been told that I’m a little on the “bitchy” side. Someone gave me an article recently titled “Taper Madness”. It was a comical article about what marathoners feel like when they go through a taper. One statement stood out: “The Tapering Marathoner will be irritable, anxious, nervous, overly emotional, short-tempered, restless, tired, cranky, depressed (even more than normal). Sounds like a great three weeks doesn’t it? It is not unlike the addict going cold turkey. This is a span of time where most Marathoners go a bit crazy.”

So basically a tapering marathoner could be compared to a woman in PMS. So a few things that you need to know:

1.) Do not give me a gun
2.) I should not be around small children or stupid people during this time.
3.) If I bite your head off, it’s not me, it’s the taper.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful week!

The Silver Maple-Running Inspired Jewelry!

A few weeks ago my friend Jacque sent me a package in the mail. For some reason, I thought it had to do with our sibling’s upcoming wedding (her brother and my sister are getting married in June), so I set it aside and went on my run. It was only a 6 miler, but it was of those types of runs where you come home, collapse, and vow to just “forget the whole damn training AND the race”. I plopped down in my chair to ice my foot and I opened my mail. Inside the package from Jacque was a beautiful necklace with my Ft Collins Marathon race date and a note that read: “before the race let this necklace acts as motivation, after the race this necklace will become total bragging rights of your huge accomplishment”! Wow, this was just what I needed to re-start that little spark of motivation within.



Jacque has just started a business called “The Silver Maple” and makes all kinds of jewelry and specializes in running and motivational jewelry. I wanted to share her website with you because in a couple of weeks, I will be doing a giveaway of one of these running necklaces. Go check it out!

Here's the link: The Silver Maple. Disclaimer: Ok, I'm an idiot, this link will take you to a page not found, just click on the link on the page and it will take you to the website, or copy and paste this link in your browser: http://www.thesilvermaple.com/


Taper has been good to me so far. No long run this weekend, just a "short" 12 miler on my schedule! Have a great weekend everyone and don't for get to go check out the Silver Maple

The Will to Prepare

"The will to win means nothing without the will to prepare."
-Juma Ikangaa, 1989 NYC Marathon winner

I look a little giddy don't I. I think it's just lack of oxygen from my run.



I finished my last 20 miler on Sunday. That’s me after I had mopped the sweat off my face and changed into a clean shirt; my running shirt was covered in sweat, gel, and other things. It’s a good thing that you can’t smell me through the picture, you all would be dropping like flies right now. My daughter could barely stand to take the picture. I showered recovered and finally downed a recovery “Mighty Arrow” beer and lunch. The thought crossed my mind to cut back on the beer until after my marathon. Nah.

Anyway, back to my 20 miler. It was tough and came at the end of a tough week of training AND work. At the 14 mile mark, I pretty much hit the wall. I had been holding onto my race pace for awhile now and my legs felt good, but I was just exhausted both mentally and physically and a well just broke and I started to cry. I sat down and called my husband to tell him how tired I was.

“Well, what are you going to do?” He gently asked.

The thought hadn’t yet crossed my mind that I could just quit. I could. No more pain, no more aches, I could just walk away and say DONE. I thought about it. Then I thought of all I had been through in the last 6 months. I thought of all those times where I had pictured me crossing the finish line in the San Antonio Marathon and the fact that I never got the chance to do it. I pictured the words that my coach had put onto my schedule: “This is your last 20 miler before the race Tara! Make it count!” Quitting would be too easy, I haven’t come this far to walk away now.

I replied to him:

“Well hell…..I’m not going to quit, I’m just going to keep plugging away until I’m done. I’ll call you with an update later.”

Make it count. Yup, I managed to hold onto my race pace and I finished in 3 hours. It was tough, but I have a feeling that my first marathon will be even tougher, so it was good mental practice.

17 days to go. It’s all in the bank now and I’m into the taper. Oh man, does taper sound good right now. The scary thing to me is, I have NO idea what to expect from the marathon.

Slacker

I have been blog slacking again this week; I really need to catch up on posts. I’ve been skimming, but not commenting, shame on me. Work has been busy again this week and this is my peek week for marathon training. I have actually scheduled pee breaks on my work calendar; otherwise I will just sit there at my desk until I almost wet myself. That wouldn’t be good.

Before I forget and in case I don’t comment on your blogs before you leave, I just wanted to wish my friends’ Jill, Meg, and Katie A. GOOD LUCK in Boston on Monday!

Meg-Glad your 6 miler went well yesterday and that you are feeling refreshed!
Jill-Have faith in yourself, it’s all going to come together for you on race day! Smile and have fun girl!
Katie A. - Hang in there with work, I KNOW what you are going through with the busy work schedule AND trying to fit in workouts. You’re almost there! (Don’t forget to schedule pee breaks).
Slomo-can you send a slice of happiness to us all?

Just a little about training:
Last week was rest week, so no long run. I did a Brick on Saturday, which is a run off the bike. It went really well, but I couldn’t figure out why I was getting so many stares on my run. I finally figured out that I had forgotten to take my bike helmet off. Duh. I’m sure my Coach was mortified when I told her and she probably had no idea that she was working with such a “special” athlete.
Sunday I did a trail run at 8,000 ft in altitude. It was hard. Happy Trails, how do you guys manage to pull of 17 milers at that kind of altitude??? You all rock!

So this week is peek week in training and I have some pretty hefty workouts on my schedule leading right into my last 20 miler on Sunday. I can’t wait until next Monday!

I’d like to share a poem that my coach included in my workout schedule this week, although, I’m sure she probably wanted to take it off after the whole helmet debacle. It’s really inspiring to me and I hope it will inspire you as well!

Winners Are People Like You

Winners take chances.
Like everyone else,
they fear failing,
but they refuse
to let fear control them.

Winners don't give up.
When life gets rough, they hang in
until the going gets better.

Winners are flexible.
They realize there is more than one way
and are willing to try others.

Winners know they are not perfect.
They respect their weaknesses
while making the most of their strengths.

Winners fall, but they don't stay down.
They stubbornly refuse to let a fall
keep them from climbing.

Winners don't blame
fate for their failures
nor luck for their successes.
Winners accept responsibility
for their lives.

Winners are positive thinkers
who see good in all things.
From the ordinary, they make
the extraordinary.

Winners believe in the path they
have chosen
even when it's hard,
even when others can't see
where they are going.

Winners are patient.
They know a goal is only as worthy
as the effort that's required
to achieve it.

Winners are people like you.

Nancye Sims

Hope everyone is having a great week!

Ryder Eyewear Giveaway Winner.

I went out to Random.org to pick a number for my giveaway and it gave me the number 6, which means that Amanda from Run To The Finish is the winner!

Congrats Amanda! Now, go to http://www.ryderseyewear.com/eyewear/adrenaline_sunglasses_/list.ashx website (copy and paste in browser, I'm a retard when it comes to adding these types of links) and pick out a style and color, then e-mail me, and I'll get your glasses to you ASAP!

Thanks to all who entered. Have a great weekend!

Giveaways and Hawaii Pics

I just wanted to mention a super sweet giveaway that is out there in the blog world. Beth, from Shut Up and Run!, is giving away two separate prizes to both a male and a female winner. The female winner will receive a GoLite Tank, GoLite running skirt, and a pair of Ryder Drill Glasses. I don’t know what the males get and quite frankly I don’t really care, because I’m not a dude. All I know is I that I really want that skirt, I would sell my soul to the devil to win that skirt; it’s a shame that he already laid claim to it a long time ago. You all know I’m kidding right? I’m a little angel. Quit rolling your eyes.

Also, don’t forget about my Ryder Eyewear giveaway, which ends on Friday, April 9th at 5:00 MST. Go ahead and enter mine, but don’t enter Beth’s, I’m only telling you about her giveaway because I want another entry for that skirt. At least I’m honest.

I’m so glad that my 20 miler is done. I was stressing big time over it since the last time I ran a 20 miler, I ended up in the hospital three days later with that dang embolism. My anxiety level was REALLY high, especially since I didn’t know what the hospitals in Kauai were like, but it’s done and I celebrated with a Mai Tai. Ok, it was more then one Mai Tai, but who counts those sort of things in Hawaii. Even though I had to endure the high winds, I realized that running at my goal marathon pace at sea level is a heck of a lot easier then at altitude!

I will have one more 20 miler and then a taper….I think. Only 30 more days!

I did a lot more then just run my 20 miler, here's some photos.


I sunned myself on the beach. Ooops that's a monk seal, not me. Same idea though.



I went snorkeling



My husband and I did a zipline tour. I look like Corkey in my special helmet.



There I am way back there on the zipline. I'm afraid of heights by the way.



Saw lots of cool waterfalls and rain forests



Watched gorgeous Hawaii sunsets.



And celebrated my one year anniversary with my husband (we've been together for 8 years, but whose counting). We were married on March 21st, 2009.



The Kauai Marathon is September 5th, I think I might sign up just as an excuse to go back.

Aloha from Hawaii - Ryder Eyewear Review and Giveaway

Aloha! OK, I lied, I'm not physically in Hawaii anymore, we got back to Denver last night. Mentally, I'm still on the beach guzzling Mai Tai's and slathering suntan oil on my white body. I had a blast despite having to do my 20 miler in 30-50 mph winds, being chased by Kauai chickens (I thought they were going to catch me at one point in my 20 miler while I was headed uphill and into the wind), and losing my bikini briefs in the Pacific Ocean while boogie boarding.

Anyway, onto the Ryder eyeglass review/giveaway. A few weeks ago, Beth from Shut Up and Run! reviewed a pair of Ryder Eyewear Running glasses and I left a comment about the glasses on her blog. The next day, I was contacted by Devon from Outside PR who wanted to know if I wanted to review a pair of my own. Now, I've always been jealous of other bloggers because they always receive free crap and I never get free crap, so I jumped at the opportunity. She sent me not one, but TWO pairs of glasses. I received both the Duchess and the Drill eyewear.

The Duchess is a stylish set of eyewear and I used them for lounging around on the beach. I loved them, not only are they scratch resistant and provided 100% UV protection, but they survived a whole week in the black hole that I call my purse and if they can survive in that sort of environment, they could survive in anything. Tornadoes, hurricanes, you get my drift; I highly recommend them. Plus they are just cute.

I'm wearing the Duchess glasses in above photo of me riding in a boat along the Napali coast. Beautiful place....I'm not trying to make you jealous.


Now onto the running glasses or The Drill. First of all, Devon sent me a pair that are hot pink, which is a ok in my book, I love hot pink, so had me hooked at the get go. Second, they are extremely lightweight and comfortable for running and have high performance features such as the anti-slip nose pads and temple tips that get more tachy as you sweat.

I ran in the Ryder Drills when I had to do my 20 miler in Hawaii. Now to some of you sick puppies out there, this may sound like a great time, but Kauai was under a wind/rain advisory the day that I had to do my run. That's right people, I did my 20miler in gale force winds of 30-50 mph. I know that you are out there strumming that tiny violin, so I'll move on. The Drills were great, they stayed in place in the rain and wind and were very comfortable.

Here I am after my 20 miler sporting my new eyewear.



Yes, I think that I am cool with my 2-0 hand signs.



Now, I'm just delirious and the flower that I put in my hair had bugs in it.



After my run, I put on my bikini and compression socks to go to the beach. My husband threatened divorce if I were to post a picture of me in a bikini and compression socks on the internet, so I didn't take a picture.

Anyway, now to the giveaway! This is my very first giveaway EVER, so I'm really excited! I'm giving away a pair of the Ryder Eyewear from the Adrenaline - Essentials collection at http://www.ryderseyewear.com/eyewear/adrenaline_sunglasses_/list.ashx

Here's what you have to do to enter, don't worry, it's very easy.

1.) Become a public fan of my blog. Duh.
2.) Leave me a comment telling me how great I look in my glasses. I'm just kidding, leave me a comment just to say hi, I love reading all of my comments.
3.) Link my giveaway on your blog and leave me a comment letting me know (this will give you extra entries).

The giveaway will end on Friday April 9th and I will pick a winner at random. Once, you know that you have won, I will have you go to the Ryder website and pick out a pair from the Adrenaline - Essentials collection. Good luck!

Now, I've been gone for a while, so I have a ton of posts to catch up on. See ya soon.

Mahalo!