Tapering is not for the faint of heart

I just re-read a blog from just before my May marathon and my sentiments are pretty similar this week. Tapering is the pits.

So here’s a re-cap of how I see tapering:

All this energy! Feeling really fit. Feeling I could run forever. But forcing myself to run less and sit more. Yes, sit more. Trying to keep the legs fresh. Still eating a lot even though I’m not burning it this week. And sleeping a lot.

The week before a marathon is the pits. I need to rest and trust that my training has worked. I need to stop worrying that that I’m getting sick.

But on the upside, the niggles in my legs are going away. I have time and energy to do a little more in the evenings. And I suddenly have more family time. And I have time to plan my travel and couple days in Vancouver prior to the event.

I don’t think my fitness will decrease this week but I’m still running a couple 5k training runs, and one semi-fast speed work session this afternoon.

And this is the week to check that I am signed up for another race, so I have a goal as soon as I am done the marathon. I am indeed signed up, but I can’t focus on that one yet. I need to get through this week. Next week, while I am still hobbling and moaning, I can plan my training session for the next one.

For this week, I need to dispel the worries, anxiety, and what-ifs. I trained for this, I can do this.

Here’s some more advice from another taper-er who is also perhaps “cranky, irrational & moody”.

And another arcle: “You’re Probably Tapering for a Marathon if…”

Any other advice for race week?

Tapering is the Pits!

All this energy! Feeling really fit. Feeling I could run forever. But forcing myself to run less and sit more. Yes, sit more. Trying to keep the legs fresh. Still eating a lot even though I’m not burning it this week. And sleeping a lot.

The week before a marathon is the pits. I need to rest and trust that my training has worked. I need to stop worrying that that I’m getting sick.

But on the upside, the niggles in my legs are going away. I have time and energy to do a little more in the evenings. And I suddenly have more family time. And I have time to plan my travel and couple days in Vancouver prior to the event.

I don’t think my fitness will decrease this week but I’m still running a couple 5k training runs, and one semi-fast speed work session this afternoon.

And this is the week to check that I am signed up for another race, so I have a goal as soon as I am done the marathon. I am indeed signed up, but I can’t focus on that one yet. I need to get through this week. Next week, while I am still hobbling and moaning, I can plan my training session for the next one.

For this week, I need to dispel the worries, anxiety, and what-ifs. I trained for this, I can do this.

Here’s some more advice from another taper-er who is also perhaps “cranky, irrational & moody”.

And another arcle: “You’re Probably Tapering for a Marathon if…”

Any other advice for race week?