Posts Tagged ‘tapering’

4:30 into my last 12 mile run before the marathon.  I wiped out on the sidewalk.  Opened the exact same spot on my leg from May’s fall with the added bonus of a swollen shin and punctured hands.  I even matched the top of my left knee to that previous fall, as well.

A second after it happened, I sat up and began bawling like a baby, tried to blot the blood with leaves and considered my options.  I could go home and try again later or just go home and crawl into bed.  Or I could finish the run.  I ran.

Just got back from an ok run, 12.5 w/2X(4MP, 4:30 rec.).  Was ok, nothing amazing to report as far as effort or HR, plus I’m feeling like a teary, cranky mess thanks to Lady Time, so this hasn’t been my finest few days.

I took yesterday off for an unprecedented 2 days in a week, the reason was two-fold: the weather was sucking for the 2nd day in a row (high winds and rain) and I was supposed to do my MP miles in it, which wasn’t worth contemplating but also, my gut tells me that I need rest more than anything at this point – “the hay is in the barn” as they say, so taking that extra day off wasn’t a hard decision.

In other news, unbelievably, the Boston Marathon filled up yesterday…in November!  I am so glad I decided to sign up a couple weeks ago, thanks to my pals on the sub3:20 thread, because otherwise I’d be shit out of luck, which sadly, is the story for some of my dear forum friends.  To think so many people were waiting for Philly and CIM and a few other races about to happen, naturally assuming they’d have time to get their applications in – after all, last year it filled up early but that was in January!  So I’m only hoping that Boston will do as they did last year and reopen for a week so that those qualifying in the next few weeks get a chance to sign up.

OK, I’m done with this post, I need to be in a bad hormonal bitchy mood for awhile.  Talk amongst yourselves.  xoxoxo

I was today, when I got home from my Long Run all covered in gnats.  Crazy run, btw.

Catching up the last few days, I got out late on Friday for my 12.  Not genuinely late, but with daylight savings time it was, I ran the last hour or so in the dark, which was really fun!  I’d always wanted to do that but was too scared of rapists and murderers in the park at night, but since I finished around 6pm, it wasn’t really freaky, still lots of people around.

Yesterday, I did 10 easy but was not feeling it.  First run in a long while that I just wanted to pack it in early, but I’m stubborn, so I completed it.  This is when I realized that I am officially tired now.  So I was wondering how I’d do today.

Today’s run was 17 “Steady” as per Hudson.  I swiped my aforementioned mentor’s (A Muse) recipe for his last LR before taper: MP+5%-10%, though again, I was feeling on the tired side and gave myself a pass to go slower if needed.  I ended up with 8:05 avg for the run, though the funny thing was I had done a hard reset on my Garmin 205 but forgot to turn autolap on, so as the run progressed, I was all “damn, but I am steady!” because the lap pace hardly veered.  Turned out it was one long lap for the whole run, and when I put it in Sporttracks, saw that I’d done some 7:50s and 7:45s in there.

The bad part of the run was I brought my small water bottle which I emptied at around mile 11, and by mile 13 I was ready for a fountain, but the stupid Parks commission removed them all, as they do each year, so I was dying of thirst for a major portion.  Luckily, about 1 mile before home, there’s one fountain they leave on longer which saved me for the final trudge.

And with that, finishing off an 81.57 mile week, I’m finally entering taperland for real.  Bring it on, baby!

On to my most favorite new ingenious item that I recently bought: Now that I live in a tiny apartment, when I wash my running clothes there aren’t places for me to hang them in their wet state, so I was putting them in the dryer for a while there but that’s the quickest way to ruin sportsbras and other stretchy stuff (you know when elastic gets crispy? no gooda).  I was looking at drying racks on Amazon, but those accordion floor ones suck, they don’t hold that much.   And then I found it…Drying Rack Mecca!

This cheap thing ($8.96 before shipping) is sturdy, holds 20 items and doesn’t take up a bit of space.   Me love.

Since this week is so stark as far as running, I don’t have a lot to chat about, so I’ll take this time to mention the cool emails we Steamtowners have been getting from the Race Director.  He’s quite a funny guy, so it’s a pleasure whenever one of these hits my inbox.

I might have mentioned this in a comment but not on a regular post that we’ve been warned (and this is actually not a joke) not to pee on Forest City High School.  Last year a couple ladies were found doing this, despite the huge number of porta-potties around the start line.  I was pretty impressed that they could pee on a school (I don’t think they were on the roof) though I shouldn’t be surprised since my standing-up experiment does allow for horizontal aiming.  Btw, I neglected to mention that the second time I tried this method (while on our road trip out west) I wasn’t half as successful, so I won’t be using it again in future.

Another interesting thing is we’ve been alerted that Bill and Hillary Clinton will be in Scranton on race day for a baptism.  My thoughts never even came close to, “Oh cool, the Clintons” which I would have under ordinary circumstances.  Instead my only thoughts were, “They better keep their damn motorcade away from our race!!”  Visions of Secret Service Men tackling the crazy-eyed runner who just rolled over the hood of their car on an unstoppable mission…

As far as taper goes, I’m actually doing great with the running less aspect of it.  I never wanted a break during the cycle, but I’ve got no problem being slothlike this week and don’t feel antsy to get out there like so many people do.  Of course, it’s only Monday, so that might change.

Ah, let’s talk about what’s going on for everybody else!!  This last weekend marked the beginning of the multi race reports rolling in on the Marathon Training Forum – marathon season is now in full swing.   A couple ladies I’ve been virtually training with these past months in the Women’s BQ thread raced St. George on Saturday.  The weather was horrible with rain and headwinds the whole time.

Their reports brought tears to my eyes because these gals pushed to the very end, they were not about to back off, even though it became harder and harder as it went, one even ending up in the med tent after crossing the finish.  Their BQs proved elusive, but only for the environmental conditions.  Both came within minutes of their goal and there is no question that, had it been a normal weather day, both would have succeeded.  HikerGirl and Wendy, you have my complete, unabashed respect for the effort you put into your races.  I only hope I complete mine with as much strength and mental fortitude that you gals put forth.

Beyond my gals, there are a handful of other reports to read and rejoice or commiserate with from all sorts of runners, zoomy to mid-pack and beyond.  But the one constant is that there’s no telling what’ll happen on raceday.  No matter what kind of speed you own, you can do what you can to prepare yourself, but ultimately, there are good or bad days, it’s simply not up to us.  I find this hugely comforting (when it doesn’t terrify me…control freak that I am), since it’s a universal truth and somehow that takes the onus off.

Happy running to you, friends, and have a great week.  I’ll try to come up with something worth posting in the next couple days, but without a long run or an interval session, I’m a bit of a yawn.  Perhaps there’ll be some morsels of major freaking out (that’s always good for a post) but I’m hoping for some peace of mind these next few days.  Yeah, right.