Lisa Tamati USANA Health Sciences Ambassador Interview

Lisa Tamati USANA Health Sciences Ambassador Interview

Question: What inspired you to want to take on the world's highest marathon?

Lisa Tamati: I had done two races at altitude in the Indian Himalaya a 222km nonstop race over the two highest passes in the world and then the Manaslu Trail race a 212km race around the eighth highest mountain in the World and although I had struggled immensely with the altitude I wanted to try it one more time and this idea sounded very exciting and having someone like Mike Allsop with so much experience in the region made it all possible.


Question: What were the challenges that meant you were unable to complete the marathon?

Lisa Tamati: We trekked into Gorek Shep near Base Camp, a ten day trek in, acclimatising slowly to the altitude and things were going swimmingly. I felt strong despite being very nervous and to be honest quite terrified of the challenge ahead although I was in a positive frame of mind. We had a wonderful group of people with us who Mike was guiding to Base Camp and they kept my spirits high but once we got to the Gorek Shep at around 5,200m things started going downhill for me. The way it was planned meant that I had a few days up at the level to acclimatise and prepare but the freezing temperatures coupled with the altitude leaves one feeling permanently sick with headaches, an inability to sleep etc.

Then three days before we were scheduled to start we climbed up Kala Pattar a mountain where were going to start the challenge, we got up at 3.30am in the morning and headed off in horrifically cold temperatures somewhere around minus 15 to 20 degrees. I wanted to do the climb as a recce to see where the start was to be able to visualise (we had to climb Kala Pattar before the start of the marathon) and that was an incredible experience to see the sun rise over Everest but it was to be my undoing as when you are breathing really hard climbing and the air temps are around -20 odd it's very easy to get an infection and that is unfortunately what happened. I got down ok but the sore throat, sinus and eventually chest infection come one pretty quickly.

I really struggled to breath and couldn't sleep; every time I drifted off I would stop breathing momentarily and wake up panicking for breath. Attempting something this on the limits of endurance at this altitude with a chest infection was going to be dangerous. I wanted to go and do it anyway and to give it everything I had but with just hours to go and after speaking at length with Mike and the film team... I had to face realities that despite the fact I had trained for whole year, spent so much time and effort getting there, digging up sponsors with Mike's help, planning and preparing not to mention walking 12 days, it would have been foolhardy possibly dangerous to go and attempt it… I would have risked Mike's whole project, his safety as he would have had to help me had I gone down and possibly caused a difficult mountain rescue for the Sherpa's.

To add to the difficulties the weather was the worst autumn weather the region had had in ten years or more meaning deep snow and ice and once on the way up the pass there was no way out but through. Selfishly thinking I would like to have gone and just given it all hoping for the best but sometimes it's not just about your own selfish goals but the good of the project the team and safety of others.

So I had to make one of the hardest decisions I have ever made to back down from the challenge… it was heart breaking to do but I am proud of having the maturity to do it and don't regret my decision.

That is adventure, that is life… to coin a phrase no matter how much you prepare sometimes "shit happens" and the most important thing is to get back on the proverbial horse and not give up.


Question: Will you attempt the world's highest marathon, again, in the future?

Lisa Tamati: Probably not, I don't think the opportunity will arise again.


Question: How does running make you feel?

Lisa Tamati: Running is my freedom my meditation, it's given me confidence, inner strength, discipline, willpower, it has enriched my life and let me experience so many adventures and so many wonderful experiences.


Question: What message do you hope Australians take from your journey?

Lisa Tamati: To chase your dreams, aim high, test your limits face your fears. If you fail at least if you have given it your all, you have nothing to feel ashamed of. Better to experience, live life to the full even if it doesn't always go to plan… and in adventures on the edge they sometimes don't.


Question: Can you talk us through the USANA products you use and why?

Lisa Tamati: I have always been a believer in good quality natural supplementation and without it I have a tendency to have a number of deficiencies from the excessive training I do. I take Bio Omega, Antioxidants, Multi Mineral, co enzyme q10, Calcium, Rev 3 and the protein shakes.


Question: What's next for you?



Lisa Tamati: I am working on two TV series concepts "48hrs" which is a reality based endurance show, in NZ's and Australia's most beautiful and wild environments and another TV series called "Run the Planet" www.runtheplanettv.com with co-stars, Dean Karnazes and Chris Ord.

I am also hoping to do a 100 miles in the Antarctic next summer all going to plan.

Interview by Brooke Hunter