I will. Mixed emotions. How we weekended.

(Pants, shirt, shoes)

Eleven miles @ 8:34 pace, I am now OFFICIALLY in the taper.   I have welcomed it with open arms.  Very open arms, ha.

However, on Saturday, during my run, I was thinking about how sad it is that I won’t be running this high of mileage again until late in the summer when I want to start marathon training again.   Feeling two very different emotions at the same time is something I’ll never get used to.

Eighty miles for the week, and the first time I’ve done that since Boston training last year.  PS I am already having Boston FOMO.

I have dealt with the taper tantrums since I started marathoning in 2010.

For my first marathon, I decided to take the entire week of the marathon off from running.  I’m not sure why I chose to do that, but there wasn’t a lot of information online about marathoning, so I just assumed that feeling extra extra rested before the race would be the best plan.  My plan for this marathon has me running 21 miles leading up to the race, but I’m unsure if I will hit that because of travel and the kids.  Who knows, maybe I’ll take off the whole week like I did for my first marathon;).

Either way, I know what to expect during the taper because it happens to me every time:

*I will think I have an injury even though it isn’t an injury.  The drop in mileage always makes my body cranky.  I’m sure I’ll go in to have whatever injury I think I have looked at because I’ll be positive that my hips/knees/feet/hamstring are falling apart.

*I’ll start a new hobby.  I will have all of this extra energy from the drop in mileage and decide to create a new me… I’ll probably even waste money on this new hobby only to find myself dropping it as soon as I’m running again like normal.

*I’ll get a cold.  It might all be in my head; it might not.  We will never know.

*I will also be able to hear every sneeze or sniffle within a mile radius and do everything I can to go the other way.

*I’ll look over my Strava over the last few months each time I doubt myself.   At least one run will have me questioning how I’ll run a 2:XX marathon when five miles at an easy pace feels incredibly hard.  Looking at all the workouts leading up to the race always helps me regain confidence.

*I’ll get ticked off over something that usually wouldn’t bother me because the taper doesn’t always make us nice people.

*I will not be doing a carb depletion.  I am still shocked that I lived through that experience twice in 2019.

*I will use this carb-loading calculator and stick to it like glue.

*I will listen to any and every podcast that Deena Kastor is on because her mental game and gratitude are unmatched.

*I will delete my weather app because I know I’ll be stressing out anytime the weather raises a degree;)

As challenging as the taper can be, it pays off to do it right (source):

Right after my run, we went straight to indoor soccer.

Back on the street again in our camping chair.

1000% of the time, they are happiest outside.

We drove by a creamery, and I’m so thankful we decided to go inside at the last second.

Sunday vibes.

We celebrated my nephew’s birthday over at my sister’s house.

My mom’s lasagna hit the spot.

Have a great Monday.

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Do tell me any tapering symptoms you have experienced.

Two weeks, three weeks, or other for the taper?

Give me a highlight from your weekend?

Two emotions you have felt at the same time recently?