Big goals and a big job (s)

Hello world! I cannot believe we are already 8 weeks into Honolulu marathon training. It always feels SO FAR in the future when you register for a marathon lol. We’ve had really great runs for the most part but a couple of really bad ones too. The heat has not let up all summer and we’ve been struggling to start early enough to be able to finish before the sun hits - like a brick wall. Technically it’s good for us to be training in the heat because it will be hot and humid in Hawaii, but even just a little break will be welcome. So far no sign of that!

When I hit the half marathon part of full training it’s really weird because it makes me realize that I’ll be doing that, and much more, every weekend, until DECEMBER!!

Tomorrow we do 14 miles which is David’s longest run yet. I love to celebrate new miles and we are as prepared as we can be. Look for us out there on the mean streets of the ATL. If you see us, please wave (or give us mimosas!)

Want to hear some really cool news?????????????

I’ve been chosen as one of 9 people to be a StART representative for the Olympic marathon trials coming to Atlanta in February. This stands for Strategic Athlete Response Team and I have a list of 57 amazing women athletes who I’m in charge of communicating with through the event. ME. Former fat ME! This is a huge honor and a big job and I’m already LOVING it. I’m looking up all the people on my list (except SHALANE!!!! because I already know who she is!) and just being even more inspired by their stories. Some have struggled with weight. Some have had great comebacks from injury. Several were pregnant when they qualified. Everyone is so unique and so utterly bad ASS. Not to mention really nice. Their response has been truly surprising. Almost human lol. And the nice things they have to say about the Atlanta Track Club gives me the confidence that we can pull this off and show them how awesome “Running City USA” is!!

Sorry only qualifiers get my email lol

As if that weren’t amazing enough, I’m OFFICIALLY pacing my first race next saturday as the back of the pack. Again, I can’t believe I was picked for such a high honor and I’m going to give it my all. The cutoff time is 3:30 and I’ll be celebrating with the party in the back when we cross that finish line together!

THEN I found out I got picked for the Thanksgiving Half as well. Same deal. Party in the back. I’m nervous about being responsible for everyone hitting their goal but I have a lot of experts to learn from and I’m really looking forward to giving it a shot.

So yeah, this whole post was about running but I’m still doing my yoga and my weights and spin but it gets harder and harder to fit it in as the mileage goes up. But, that’s how marathoners are born!

Hawaii FIVE-0

Not that I’ve been keeping this a secret or anything but SURPRISE! I’m running marathon #4. Is it the best idea ever? Probably not but come on y’all – it’s ON my 50th birthday – in HONOLULU and how could I not?

Training starts this week and I had a mid week knee shot* which makes this saturday my first official training run. We will do 7 miles which is what we’ve been doing most weekends post Peachtree. Oh and the WE is David – he’s doing it with me and it will be his first full! We have a few other friends joining us and of course I HAD to do a team logo so…. I’m very pleased to introduce Team Banana Shark! Anyone is welcome to join – you just have to get to Honolulu! Oh and run a marathon!

I’m not really sure what happened with this. I just saw the image and knew it was meant for this purpose LOL

The knee REALLY feels so much better already just from the one shot and I have 2 more coming. It’s basically a joint lubricant for arthritis which they can’t fix with surgery. I blame myself entirely for putting my body through carrying that weight all those years but I’m glad I did it when I did or it may have been past the point of no return.

SO back to point. Marathon training. It’s serious business and it’s hard AF. “Respect the distance” is what I tell people I help train. It’s not like running two half marathons – It’s a different beast altogether. Honolulu is a little different in that it starts really early (5am) and has a generous 8 hour cutoff time which makes it walking friendly but it’s still 26.2 miles and it will be hot and humid as the day goes on. I’m excited for the challenge and to take it on with David by my side. I’ll be even more excited when it’s over and we get to enjoy Honolulu and Kauai and 50 years of me :)

I promise to respect the distance. I promise to do my midweek workouts. I promise to stay hydrated. I promise to stretch. I promise to not be mean. I promise to fuel properly and not eat crap all week as a reward for one run. I promise to enjoy the process. I promise to run the mile I’m in. (if I say it on the internet I have to do it)

Love,

Tina (I don’t have a problem and I can stop anytime) Tait

*Disclaimer: The knee shot actually only requires 24 hours rest but I used that as a big fat excuse to not run a single mile this week or do any other workouts. I’m going to yoga tonight which will not make up for missing weekday runs and Saturday will be miserable but I did that to myself!

The last day

Today is a hard day. It always will be. More than the actual day. Today is the day I want to cherish and never let go. Tomorrow is the day that changed everything forever. The one I want to forget.

I’ve told the story before - how it was a crazy fun weekend and we passed out in the guest room on that Saturday night. The next day, this day 3 years ago, it was simply a great day. I woke up before dawn to hike stone mountain with my friends. He told me I was crazy and went back to sleep. We met up after for some brunch and a trip to REI to buy him his first REAL bicycle commuter backpack . We randomly ran into our dear friend Stephanie in the store and had a few laughs and then carried on with our day.

I will never forget that fucking backpack. (Sorry mom) The paramedics cut it off of him the next day. It probably made it 2 miles before he died.

This was his last Facebook post and I’m glad I went to find it because I finally took the time to read all the messages that were left - the ones that were too painful to read at the time. The great stories and pictures have eased the pain a little today because he was SO loved and SO special. More than most and that’s not just me being biased.

Live every day like it’s your last. Love everyone like it’s their last. Cherish it all.

Love,

Tina

Party Down Peachtree

Holy moly that was a fun one. And we WON the t-shirt design contest!

I found out at mile 2.36 (as noted by David) when I just randomly looked up and saw someone walking back wearing it. I was just pointing and yelling at the poor guy. Now it was REALLY time to party :)

We did really well and had a BLAST despite finishing to find I had missed all the media coverage and shirt celebration at the finish. I had already sent David off to the after party and truth be told, once I realized, I had a total fat girl left behind moment. That anxiety crept up in a flash and made me sick to my stomach and I almost sat down in the middle of the park. BUT I’m stronger than that now. I stood up straight, swallowed that demon whole and walked up to get my shirt. MY SHIRT. I told the volunteer ladies in the size small line (still can’t get enough of that) I was the winner and we all jumped around and took pictures. I’ve never been more thankful for our cheerful, wonderful volunteers.

I couldn’t wait to get back to David and all my incredible friends at the after party - especially since I had invited 50 of them to my house for what we were hoping would be an epic victory party. THAT it was!!!! On SO MANY LEVELS.

Sweaty hugs

Hello world! I have a million excuses for not writing anything in months and none of them are valid so here’s what’s been up…

I have been doing everything in my power (and my wallet) to rehab my knee and it’s finally better! After my knee scope surgery, I ended up having a stem cell shot (currently not covered by insurance, barf) BUT then I found the magic with the best duo ever - a pilates/running form instructor and a physical therapist only 10 minutes from home. BUT with all the PT exercises, pilates, yoga, weight training, running drills and walking, It has seriously been a ton of hard work. I’ve sucked it up like a good buttercup and it has paid off. I even got to do a 5k trail race in a severe thunderstorm with my mom who just turned 70 and it was FUN!!

Saturdays are my long run days which are currently my “super fast long walk days” getting ready for the worlds largest 10k, my favorite, the Peachtree Road Race. I have the privilege of leading a group of runners and walkers every year through the Atlanta Track Club training program and year after year, I commit every Saturday to them and it’s one of the greatest joys of my life. There are those that come back year after year and those that are brand new and have never done anything like this in their lives. We just did our longest run of the program – 8 miles – which was the longest distance for some of my group! Even though the race is only 6.2 we have to prepare them for the mileage AND the logistics of a race that involves running with 60,000 people in the hot sun on the 4th of July in Atlanta.

I come home every Saturday with a huge smile on my face. I’ve accomplished those miles plenty of times on my own but it’s even more rewarding to help other people reach their goals. And it’s not just this training group but the running community as a whole. Monumental relationships have been formed – even a boyfriend! It’s a wonderful place to have landed.

I still have a lot of work to do this summer with some big goals on the horizon, but I know that everyone is there for me and that’s what keeps me going – lots and LOTS of sweaty hugs!

**Stay tuned for answers such as “Did she win the t-shirt contest?” and “I thought she said no more marathons?”

Full-assed February

I used to wonder A LOT during the time I was in my peak running shape what would happen if I got injured and couldn’t run away from my fatness and my food addiction. Well now we know!

Last July, during a super fun, happy 8 mile Peachtree training run, my left knee just stopped working at mile 6. We stopped for water halfway up cardiac hill and I couldn’t pick up my leg anymore. I walked the 2 miles back to home base thinking it was a strain or something and that I could walk it off. Then I thought it was runners knee, treated it as such and managed to interval run through Peachtree. And it just wouldn’t get better.

I finally had an MRI which revealed a loose piece of bone that was digging a little trench between my bones and was never going to get better without surgery. And so I gave in and scheduled it for right after Thanksgiving.

I really didn’t think it was going to be a big deal. The surgeon said a few days on crutches and no need for painkillers. Ummmmm….yeah…no.

I was on crutches for more like 2 weeks including a trip to ER with blood clot symptoms where I shocked my boyfriend by admitting to the nurse that my pain was a level 10. I’m a MARATHONER. I’m not a baby and this beat the crap out of me.

So here we are and it’s February already. Almost 8 months since my injury. I had a wonderful holiday season celebrating with my friends and making new memories with Davids family. One of the best Christmases I’ve ever had. And all that fun and no exercise comes at a price. I’m up TWENTY POUNDS and I’m pretty freaking depressed about it.

Sure, this recovery has been a bitch but frankly, I’ve been half-assing it. One or two workouts a week is not a comeback. I just had my 6 year surgiversery and I’m not going to eff that up by keeping this extra baggage on my body and in my brain.

So, I’m going full-ass on February. I feel like I’m starting over but when I really REALLY dig deep, I can tell myself what would tell someone else in the same situation…like actually practice what I preach. I’ve scheduled all my workouts and planned our meals. I’m dusting off my (way too tight) workout gear. Getting myself in the right mindset is crucial for this.

So, Ms. Tait, You are not starting over. You have 20 pounds to lose not 130. You can already walk a 5k again. You have a great fitness base and a rockstar support staff. You can still do things you never dreamed possible. In fact, as @wellnesswithJenn would say, you’re a bad-ass unicorn. Just stick with that for now.