c'mon taper!

Somedays my blog writes itself; that is exactly what happened his morning - while running.  I went on my last long run on Saturday (14 miles) and it was HOT and sticky.  We did 7 miles on the road and 7 miles on the trail with the thought being that it would be shadier on the trail and a good switch up for our legs.  Yes, that was true, but we spent 7 miles in pretty direct sunlight without much shade and it took its toll on us for sure.  Normally I wouldn’t bring 2 water bottles for a 14 mile run, but since it was my last long training run I thought it would be good prep, so I did and was very thankful that I had both water and an electrolyte drink (that I did share).  This was a bit of a rough run, though we didn’t talk about it until after we finished and then we shared how tough it actually was.  We laughed at knowing that even though we both felt shitty that we kept the appearance up for each other that it was OK, because it was. I felt done at about mile 11, but I’ve trained for 17 weeks and wasn’t about to blow the confidence that I have been building during the last 3 miles. Ok so you see where I'm going with my Saturday run - not the best ever and not the worst. 
 
Sunday I always take the day off to rest, minus that this Sunday was Mother’s Day and my sister wanted to take a walk with her munchkins – sure I’ll take a walk in my vans – bad move.  We walked the rail trail near her house getting 2.4 miles in and as many of your probably know vans are great lounging hangout footwear, but they are not sneakers and they hurt my poor little pinky toes like nobody’s business. 

Ok still with me?  I didn’t sleep well Sunday night and woke up Monday tired and really not wanting to do much of anything – especially going for a run in the pouring rain.  I skipped it – it’s Monday whatev, I have the rest of the week to work it out.  Woke up this morning to rain showers again and was so comfy cozy.  I wasn’t into it again, but the difference between yesterday and today is my rule is I never take 3 days off from running in a row (and this would be day 3).  The second conundrum is if I want to take Friday and Sunday off then I need to run today to get my days in this week.  Boooo! I sucked it up and got out of bed, found some clean running clothes, grabbed my ipod and my hat and went out.  I cursed in my head all the way up the street and then it switched  - just like that.  Yeah it sucks getting up when you’re tired and have to go to work in an hour and a half, but I have worked unbelievably hard and I am going to be at the start line of the KBVCM knowing that I trained my best e v e r yday, because I did. 

The bargain that I made with myself to get out the door was that I just needed to get 5K in.  A mile and a half in and I started to think strategy for the last 5K of the marathon because I would be tired and should have some sort of plan.  I approached the rest of the run by embracing that yes I am tired and that is why this is the start to my taper. On my way home I felt strong and fast and the voice that tells me “I’m tired” was finally silent.  I got my 5K in and I’m happy with that.  After months of training and logging every single mile I am ready to take the taper in, get some rest and get to the start line. 

“That which is dreamed can never be lost, can never be undreamed.” ― Neil Gaiman

f l o a t

Yesterday was a huge day for me.  I ran 21 miles in 3 hours 55 minutes and 2 seconds - wow - I love writing that! It makes me feel exceptionally proud.  I am three weeks out from running the Keybank Vermont City marathon and I needed a good long run.  The last few 18+ milers were really tough both physically and emotionally and then yesterday was fun - honestly fun (sometimes tough but that is a given with the distance, time and terrain involved).  I ran to Rosendale to meet my running partner (at mile 11) where we ran around Rosendale out Rt 32 and then onto the rail trail out to New Paltz - so 14 miles road and 7 miles on the trail.  A 21 mile run is uncharted territory for me because in my long runs I have done a 17, a 19 and an 18.5 so my goal yesterday was to get between 18-20 miles in and to try and not feel like I was dying (and I won)! 

All of this is planning, strategy, training and luck of the day.  I told myself going out that I needed to make this good; to feel why I want to do this because these are all things (tangible and intangible) that I will need to draw upon when I run the marathon. I needed the confidence that you get from running 20 miles because I know firsthand that you don't need a 20 miler under your belt to run a marathon and feel good.  I did it last year with two 30K runs, but I want to not only finish, but beat my time which is the work and ridiculous emotion that goes into multiple long runs above 15 miles.  These runs test endurance while also being the testing ground to getting this right.  While I don't have any control over the temperature of the day; I have control over when I go out, how I fuel and I how hydrate and these runs have helped me with that.  I finally found the right hydration drink that I can stomach and enjoy over 3 1/2+ hours running (thanks nuun lemon-lime) and Thrive's date energy bites you work for me.  I found the right socks so no blisters which is HUGE and a problem that i have been dealing with for over the month (painful and not so pretty). 

That's the technical part of endurance running; here's the fun part - I loved it.  I felt joy, love and pride in what I did yesterday - so much so I feel like I can't express it in words other then saying it was all encompassing freeness. After all these weeks of dreading the long run I found it; what I have been looking for.  I look forward to going to Burlington and doing this for real with heart, knowing that I can.  What I take from all of the training (the tears, the fear, and the friendship); is that anything is possible - this is real and just like life - don't ever give up!
Today I am still riding my high of yesterday and recovering by relaxing,  Tomorrow I begin again.  35 miles this week - so proud! And I have the most amazing tan and dirt lines to show for it!

"Happiness is being on the beam with life - to feel the pull of life." -Agnes Martin