Blog is Moving!

So "Adventures of a first time marathoner" has found a new home! I made the realization that wordpress is a far superior blogging application then Blogger (sorry google) so I made the switch.

From now on i'll be blogging at www.tara26point2.wordpress.com. Follow the link right now and subscribe! As the marathon nears i've got a lot of great info that I plan on publishing and once it's over I will continue to blog but it will be about all things running and wellness.

I appreciate my readers, if you know of anyone who is into running, or is thinking about running send them my blog link!

Thanks!

I reached my fundraising goal!!!

I am soo happy, I hit my goal of $4,000!! Thank you so much to my friends and family who contributed, I could not have done it without your help.

To learn more about what the Leukemia & Lymphoma society is doing to help people living with blood cancer and how your donation's are making a difference, check out www.lls.org.

THANK YOU!!!

What does running 20 miles feel like you ask....

It feels great! No, really, it did, but not in the way you are thinking. Sure, it hurt, it was hot as all get out, and it took hours, but it was the best I have ever felt in, well, I'm not sure my whole life, but its up there in the top 5!

After I had hit the 5 mile mark on Saturday it was as if I just hit my groove, and it all started to become effortless. My feet were moving and my arms were swaying in perfect sync and I was mentally clear. I tried to simulate race day and pace as much as possible so I could be prepared for what that would be like. I kept my pace card with me during the run and aimed to follow the 4:35:00 marathon finish time pace.

Here's a picture of me at mile 10 after I had just turned around and was heading back out for another 10...I was going too fast for Ernie's lens so I had to turn around to pose :) This is really genuine happiness...

I encountered the most challenges from miles 15-20 naturally, but they were good learning experiences. When I was approaching mile 15 I started to feel a bit lightheaded and not 100%, so when I reached the water stop I took a 1 minute break to collect myself and get my head back to normal. I think I started to experience some over-hydration, as I was consuming a lot of fluid on the course, more than I needed perhaps.

Miles 15-18 I got a bit faster and was really pushing myself to stay on pace with my goal finish time, which was 20 miles in 3:35:00. I had gotten behind slightly from extended pauses at the water stops, but I was doing a pretty good job of making up the time during the run itself, so I was feeling confident. After I hit mile 18 I got really excited 1) because I knew I only had 2 miles to go, and 2) because I was beating a new mileage goal as 18 is the longest I had ever run.

Here is a shot of me around mile 17-18...as you can see the singlet was no where in sight, it was so freaking hot outside I was forced to strip it off :)

I would be lying if I said the last 2 miles were easy, because they weren't, but they were the most meaningful. I have to send a huge THANK YOU to Coach Sandy for following me the last two miles on her bike and keeping me motivated, without her I'm not sure how strong I would have finished. The weirdest thing did start to happen to me around this time, I got cold! I was sweating bullets but having goosebumps at the same time! My body temperature started to drop, which I have heard is normal, but still strange. I can understand now why it's so important to thrown on a sweatshirt or towel of some kind when you finish the marathon to bring your temp back up so you don't get sick.

As I caught a glimpse of the finish line I pulled together all of the energy I had left in my and sprinted to the end, and was able to finish in 3:42:00. Not exactly on target with my goal pace, but, I know the next time I run this distance, on race day, it will be easier, and all of the adrenaline from the crowd and the race atmosphere will keep my on track.

The most important thing I discovered after running 20 miles though...

I am soo ready for this marathon and I can't wait!!!

Almost there!

I can hardly believe that I am waking up at 5 am tomorrow to run for 20 miles....20 miles!!! What am I crazy?!?! Sometimes I think so, but a little crazy is good for you :)

Tomorrow is the last major run before the marathon and I am really excited about it. I picked up a new outfit for the race that I'm going to try out tomorrow and I have my pace card ready and am going to do my best to follow along the 4:35:00 pace time. That would mean that I need to complete tomorrows run in at least 3:30:00. This will be a great test to see if I am at the level that I need to be for race day.

So it's another Friday night that I am at home while my friends are out having fun and I have to admit that I am looking forward to gaining some of my social life back after the marathon is over. As amazing as this whole experience has been, it has been a huge time committment and my life in general has changed quite a bit to make this a priority. But the expereince has taught me a lot about myself.

I can't think of anything in my life that I have set out to do and made a priority quite like this. When I said I was going to run a marathon, I think a part of me didn't believe it, it sounded like a great idea, but could I actually go through with it? I have been so diligent with my training, not letting a vacation, a late night at work, or laziness get in the way of reaching my goals. That in itself has made me a much more focused and organized person, 2 things that I was really needing in my life.

When I reflect on how my life has changed, its the small things, but they add up. I have become more organized with my things, my bills, clothes, my finances. The little things don't tend to bother me as much as they used to. I've realized what being healthy really feels like, and it's great! I always ate pretty healthy, but now I eat smart, and it's become so easy to do.

Losing weight has been a really nice perk of this whole expereince, not my main goal, but I can't really complain about it! I've lost a total of 10 pounds since the beginning of this year and am in the best shape of my life. I might need to buy some new clothes, but that would be the only unfortunate side effect :)

I'm still not sure what I'm going to think of the marathon, how can I really, but i'm keeping an open mind. Will I want to do another one, or will I curse them? Who knows, i'm not going to make that kind of decision until after the race...but the one thing I do know is, regardless i'm going to enjoy the downtime!

It's getting late and i should be sleeping, 5 am will come awfully early! After my ice bath and nap tomorrow I will share my (hopeful) success!

Pic's from Big Bertha

rThis is delayed, crazy week...but last weekend I finally had the chance to conquer Big Bertha...or, a really steep hill in Clermont, lol. The hilly route was definitely a challenging journey, but the sight of the hill ahead was kind of scary. Running up the hill, or, whatever it was that I was doing, was crazy hard! It felt like i wasn't even moving, but what a reward to get to the top! There was such a beautiful view at the top of the hill that it made it all worth it. It is so amazing how the land changes only 20 minutes away from Orlando. I went up and down the hill 4 more times before heading back. It was definitely a challenging morning, but, I'm glad that I accomplished it!

Here are some pics:

The beginning of our journey..





Who says runners never smile?!?!






Heading up...





And back down..



The look of accomplishment :)

I Ran 18 Miles!!!

5 am came awfully early on Saturday and it was rise and shine for what would be by far the most challenging run yet. I met my training group at the West Orange Trail-Winter Garden Station at 6 am and we headed out in the darkness for our 18 mile run. We started earlier than normal since the run would take a few hours and it has started to get pretty hot by 9 am.

It was so early that we heard roosters as we started on the trail...then saw them running around people's front yards, it is a bit country out that way. The sun rose quickly by 7 am, around 4 miles into the run. I had paced with some new girls that I had not run with before, Amanda and Stephanie, who were super nice. We would end up running the entire course together and be a good support team.

My leg was a little stiff the first few miles into the run as usual, but started to feel better by mile 4. To say that the run was hard would be an understatement, it was incredibly challenging. Once we passed the 12 mile mark, which passed our starting point, it was very enticing to stop right there at the sight of my car. But we had to go 3 miles out, and 3 miles back. Thinking of the run in small segments is a great mental technique for making the run a little easier, when you think of shorter destinations the task does not seem as daunting.

As we progressed to the 3 mile destination, we found the section of the course that was wide open with no tree cover, and it was around 8:45 am, and it was getting hot. The sun was beating and there was no sign of relief in sight. Once I hit the 14 mile mark my legs, hips, and everything else started to feel pretty tired and sore. I had to take a few walk breaks and used the water stations to do quick stretches before heading back out. We all as a group started to feel the pain at this point, and seeing the turn around point was a huge relief. All I could think about was the finish line, a cool drink of water, and sitting down.

I searched for some inner strength along the 3 mile journey back, and kept chanting to myself "you got this" to encourage my legs to keep moving. It was good to know that even at mile 17, I was able to push it harder and pick up the pace, which will definitely come in handy on race day.

Seeing the "finish line" was a God-send and it felt so wonderful to sit down and stretch. My training group and I were all in the amazement that we just accomplished what we did. 18 miles is an incredibly long distance on foot, and I was able to do it in 3 and a half hours, which was not bad all things considered. If I can improve on that a little bit in the next two weeks and save up more energy, I think I will be able to run my goal time of 4:30.

Taking the suggestions of my team members, I stopped on the way home to pick up 2 bags of ice that I would use to create an ice bath. And let me tell you, I think that may have been worse than the run itself. It was FREEZING!!! I think I was supposed to stay in it for 15 minutes. HAH, I was in there for maybe 2 minutes but it felt like forever. As terrible as it was, I do feel pretty good today and think that may have helped.

Next week is hills, then the big one, 20 miles! More to come...

A Mission Moment

This is a story I received in a LLS newsletter article about one of the services the LLS provides to patients and is funded through programs like TNT. Thank you so much to everyone who has donated!

Christine and Tom Wonika had what many would call the perfect life - they had a new daughter, they would soon move into a new home, and Tom had just started a new job. But in March 2002 Christine found out that she had acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). It was a major challenge and they tackled it together.

Christine, like most AML patients, was encouraged to begin chemotherapy. While Christine was getting this treatment, her husband Tom contacted The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) for advice and guidance. He soon learned about the First Connection program, which matches patients with trained peer volunteers who have been through blood cancer.

Christine was able to talk to someone else who had also had AML. It was a great relief.
"We shared our experiences. Just hearing the similarities that we had was very comforting. It was good to know that I wasn't alone or crazy and that other people felt the same way," says Christine.


Christine was in remission after her first phase of chemotherapy, but her cancer returned nine months later. She had more chemotherapy, and then had a successful bone marrow transplant in November 2003. Throughout the entire ordeal, the family counted their blessings. Christine and Tom's parents were able to step in when needed, and Tom was able to continue working.


Despite the challenges that came with cancer Christine admits that she feels the experience of living with AML was one of the best things that could have happened to her. She's stronger, and has more compassion and passion for life.


"The fight against cancer is really bad. But the light at the end of the tunnel is more amazing than you can ever imagine. Now I have the chance to really appreciate the things that I fought so hard to keep in my life - like the sun shining and my daughter's smiles."

Visit www.active.com/donate/tntcfl/tokeeffe to make your donation!
To learn more about LLS, please visit us at http://www.lls.org/.

Essential Foods for Runners

This month's super-food: Asparagus!!!

I myself was never a big fan of the green, odd looking vegetable known as asparagus, but in the past 6 months or so I have been digging it more. I read a feature in Cooking Light magazine that showed various ways to prepare it, and it intrigued me. The only way I have ever cooked it is coat it in olive oil and sprinkle some salt...but low and behold there are other ways!

Click here for asparagus 5 ways: http://www.cookinglight.com/cooking/fd/inseason/article/0,13803,1175355,00.html

And funny enough, one of the features in this week's Runners World newsletter was all about the nutritional benefits of asparagus. Here are some fun facts:

• One cup of asparagus spears supplies 115 percent of your Daily Value for vitamin K, which is vital for bone health, and 65 percent of your Daily Value for folate, a B vitamin that promotes healthy blood cells and helps prevent birth defects.


• Many runners--especially those who avoid meat--don't get enough iron; that's because nonmeat sources of the mineral, such as vegetables and grains, are not as readily absorbed. But eating foods high in vitamin C, like asparagus, increases iron absorption from nonmeat foods.


• Asparagus is loaded not only with folate but also vitamin B6. When combined with vitamin B12, this trio works together to lower circulating levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that wreaks havoc on artery walls, leading to heart disease.
  

So how do you prepare it? According to the experts it is great in a salad or prepared as a side dish with your dinner. I tried one of the cooking light recipes the other night for dinner and it was awesome and so easy! Try it for yourself! Asparagus is in season so be sure to look for it at your local grocery store.

Sautéed Asparagus and Shrimp with Gremolata

Sauté the two main ingredients separately to avoid overcrowding the pan. A fresh lemon-herb topping rounds out the flavors in this entrée. You could also try this recipe with chicken and broccoli. I accompanied this dish with some roasted potatoes and it was delicious.

Ingredients
Gremolata:
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced

Shrimp:
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
3 cups (1 1/2-inch) slices asparagus (about 1/2 pound)
1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined medium shrimp
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation
1. To prepare gremolata, combine first 5 ingredients; set aside.
2. To prepare shrimp, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 teaspoons oil to pan, swirling to coat; heat 20 seconds. Add asparagus to pan; sauté 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove asparagus from pan; keep warm.

3. Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil to pan, swirling to coat; heat 20 seconds. Add shrimp to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until done, stirring occasionally. Add asparagus, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper to pan; sauté 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle evenly with gremolata.

Yield
4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 240(29% from fat); FAT 7.6g (sat 1.2g,mono 3.7g,poly 1.7g); PROTEIN 36.1g; CHOLESTEROL 259mg; CALCIUM 115mg; SODIUM 403mg; FIBER 1.6g; IRON 5.6mg; CARBOHYDRATE 5.2g

Lorrie Hulston , Cooking Light, APRIL 2008

One month to go...

So last week I mentioned that I would be running 15 miles while I was up in St. Augustine for the weekend with my girlfriends, and I kept me promise! Up at 6:45 and out the door by 7:15, I hit A1A for my long run. The weather was absolutely beautiful, no clouds in the sky and about 75 degrees with an ocean breeze. My goal was to run to downtown St. Augustine and turn around, about a 7 and a half mile distance one way. Unfortunately there was not much of a beach view for most of the run, but getting to downtown St. Augustine was an awesome reward! You climb over the Bridge of Lions that crosses over the St. Augustine Inlet right into downtown. What a beautiful sight! The inlet is filled with boats and offers a really refreshing breeze. That was awesome motivation to make my journey home...although there were some minor hiccups. My leg pain has been acting up again and I did have to make a few stops to stretch out, but I made it back successfully.

(View from the Bridge of Lions into the inlet)

This week I have been trying not to push it too hard in anticipation of the 18 mile run I have scheduled for Saturday, I am even contemplating taking today off altogether since my shin has been really sore. I am pretty nervous about Saturday, again this will be a new mileage "milestone" (no pun intended) and a true test of my readiness for the marathon. I am starting to get pretty anxious about the whole thing, there is so much preparation and anticipation that it feels like it will never come...but I know that one month from today I will be running a marathon!