My Taper on Paper...

It's my favorite time of the year, TAPER TIME! I have done all the long training that I am going to do and there is nothing left but to rest up and prepare for the race.I honestly hate the Taper time because I always start to worry if I did enough. Truth be told, I am not sure another long run at this time would do me any good. I had my last long run Friday, a 20 miler. It went really well and was a huge confidence boost for me. I finished it in 3:42, but here is the best thing. I felt great afterwards. I wasn't struggling, I wasn't in sheer agony either! I felt like I had another 6 miles in me for sure!

So I will take the next two weeks to let my body and mind rest, recover and prepare for the race, and here is how I am going to taper:

• I am cutting my mileage back by about 50-75% of what I have been doing. This week I will run 3, 5, 3 and 8 mile runs. The following week I will cut it back even more and run a 3, 3, 2 miler.
• I expect to feel some new pains that will worry me, but I need to remember that is part of it and not unnatural as my body is repairing itself.
• Sleep. I will not try to get excessive sleep, but I will try and make sure I am getting 8 hours of sleep a night.
• I will review the race course map and make sure I am familiar with what is coming up on the course.
• I plan on doing a lot more stretching during my taper and even some easy cross training, like swimming.
• Hydrating- I will definitely start incorporating more water during these next two weeks. I do not know what the weather will be like on Dec 1st yet, but either way, I want to make sure my body is well hydrated.

I am seriously looking forward to this race this year. I learned so much from running it last year, and I know I am more prepared. It is going to be a good time!!!

Getting Closer...

I am still trying to taper, trying to still train, but not train to hard. I am also trying to stay away from those voices of doubt and fill my self with positive thoughts, cause I know I can do this. I can run MY race, which is what it is. MY RACE, there will just be 1,300 other people out running that day, and I hope they have a great race, but I am running my race!


"It's very hard in the beginning to understand that he whole idea is not to beat the other runners. Eventually you learn that the competition is against the little voice inside you that wants you to quit"

Author Unknown