The Taper Capers

I am officially taking it easy. I have T minus 11 days and counting until Riverbank and I am feeling great. Last week I strung together some of the best running I have done in years. I feel light, focused and confident that I have done the work needed to run a good time on the 12th. For the next couple of days I am going to do a couple of moderately difficult workouts and then cut back my mileage and just focus on keeping my intensity the same. I am also going to cut back on my carbohydrate intake until 3 days before RB and then pack in the carbs to fill up the glycogen reserves. Lots of protein and veggies rest and hydration for the next 11 days. Its exciting to get here. I am ready to go. Time prediction for RB? Shooting to run consecutive 7:04 miles for as long as I can. Judging by the last few runs of my training cycle I should be able to do this.

Taper...

I have been running 37 - 55 miles a week for the past 4 months. I have taken off a few days here and there, but for most of the time I have been running. Running at times can be brutal on your body. The day after a speed workout feels like you were beaten to a pulp in a prize fight on the previous evening. 75 percent of the way through a 19 mile long run in 80 plus degree weather makes you question your sanity, your choice of a hobby, and your whole philosophy on life. As will most things in life the idea that all things do eventually come to an end is true. This end comes after hundreds of miles of training, hours of early morning sleep lost, pain, doubt, fear, excitement and a few sweet and simple moments of personal victories. I have reached the end of the pain / work part of this cycle, and am just one run away from rewarding myself with the greatest gift of all.. The Taper. I will be taking Sunday and Monday completely off and then cutting my mileage for the next 11 days in half but keeping my self sharp with the intensity of my runs.. I am so excited to get to this place.

Final Speed Workout

Its all about timing I guess.  Last night I ran a 10k time trial as my last speed workout of this training cycle.
I felt strong, fast and ready to run the Riverbank Run in two weeks.  My 41:57 effort was at about 90 - 95 percent so I now have the confidence to allow myself to run sub 1:50 25k pace.  Some days you have these breakthroughs that allow you to grow.  The timing of this run could not have been better.  One more long run on Saturday and then its time to taper and ready the horses to run.

On Tired Legs

Winding down and sharpen up

This morning I ran one of the last 2 speed workouts of my RB training cycle.  I will run one more towards the end of this week but for now, the work has been done, and its time to put those horses back in the barn. This morning I ran a 4 mile time trial at around 85% effort and felt great in the process.  6:47 pace starting with a 7:01 mile and working my way down to a 6:39 mile for the last mile.  My stride felt clean and strong.  Most of my tempo runs have been run at my 25k pace of 7:19 so I have not been pushing myself down below the 7 mpm pace much in the last few months.
At this point in the cycle these runs are more psychological than anything else.  There really isn't anything I can do to get any stronger or faster in the next 3 weeks.  We are almost done, starting to rest and getting ready to run hard.  I find 4 mile time trials at 30 seconds faster than my MP to be my perfect workout to test my overall fitness, and instill some confidence into my bones.  Today's workout also gave me a little insight into how I am going to feel during my next training cycle that begins 3 days after RB and focuses my efforts on the 10k and getting faster.  Its from this next cycle that I will build my Fall marathon plan.  Its all down hill from here.  Staying healthy, and maintaining a high level of confidence are on the top of my list for the next couple of weeks.  Here we go. Here we go.. Here we go.

10k challenge

So I have all this off time in between the 25k training and the beginning of Marathon training.  What is my plan?  I am thinking about focusing on a little 10k racing.  I hate the 10k.  Its brutal.  You go as fast as you can and it takes forever.  My goal is to I find the secret to developing grit in the next couple of months.  I lack it, and it needs to be tapped.  I am going to sign up for my local 10k challenge and run a 10k  a week until I start my serious marathon cycle.  I know how to work hard, but now I need to learn how to grow some balls and run fast.

20k

I have about 10 more days of training to go until I start my taper.  Yesterday after taking it easy for a few days I started my last full week at 100%.  I have a slight hip injury which I am taking care of and monitoring, but I feel like I will be fine as long as I stay on target. (stay on target means do not race with people on Wednesday night..) My run yesterday was on the River Bank course and I ran 20k of the course.  First 10k I ran at my normal LD training pace, and I allowed myself to run a negative split for the second half.  The second half of the course is where all the hills are, and I felt pretty strong as I hit mile 7.5 on.  My plan on race day is to run my ass off for the first 9 miles using the flat course to my advantage.  My goal is still to use the first 13.1 of the course at a corral qualifier for Chicago.. So.. in theory I am treating the first 21k or so as the main bulk of the race.  We will see how things go.  I am getting very excited to run this race.  I feel that I have done a lot of great training runs, and am ready to put the horses in the barn for a couple of weeks and then let them run.  Beast Mode Continues..

Snags

One of the reasons I keep a detailed training journal is to remind myself that I am human.   Looking back on the last couple of cycles I have found a very important piece of useful information. I have a hip injury right now.  I know why, and am doing everything I can to speed my recovery.  The funny thing is that  during the last 3 of my training cycles one month before my race I have injured myself.  The data proves it, and points me directly at the cause of this current injury.
Looking at the data, I can see where I go wrong every time.  By this point in the cycle I feel really strong, and wind up upping my speed workouts, or in the case of this current cycle my intensity, and hill training.  I am going to use this data in the future and see if I can manipulate my training so that I peak earlier and avoid this prolonged state of feeling like I am holding back the horses a couple weeks too long.  I am thinking that I will shorten my marathon period to 10 or 11 weeks.  Luckily for me I am still on target with my training for RB and I only missed one of my prescribed miles last week.  I ran 44 instead of 45.. Big deal.  As long as I change up my reckless behavior and return to my plan I will be fine.
In response to this injury I now need to focus my training around 7 days on and 2 days off.  I have not been getting enough rest days in between the intensity and its taking its toll on my body.   I have been doing 5 or 6 days on, and for the last 2 weeks my only day off has been while driving 800 miles in a car.  Okay, big mistake, I got it.  I will not make this mistake again in the fall.
I have 86ed the Reeds Lake Challenge until after the RB and am planning on running none of my miles under 7 mpm until my next training cycle.  Its obvious that its time to run a little faster, but its also painfully obvious that I can not do this at the end of a long build up.  Lets leave the horses in the barn for a little longer and I am sure I will be able to utilize their power come race day.
I am hoping that these 2 days off will act as a reminder to me that staying on target is the philosophy that I live by, and that I do not need to learn this lesson the hard way.  I should be excited to know that my body is ready to run, and save all my pushing for the morning of RB.  So, here is to a second day of rest, rejuvenation and hope.

33 days to go...

I am slowly getting closer to the end of my River Bank cycle.  After weeks of build up, my training is about to hit its peak in the next two weeks.  My workouts are getting harder, my pace is getting faster, and my rest in between repetitions is starting to decrease.  Over the next 2 weeks I am going to push myself deeper into the realm of chronic fatigue.  Welcome to the danger zone.  In theory I am training my body to be able to run my key workouts in a state of chronic fatigue, so that when I replenish my energy and rest my legs during my two week taper, on race day running will feel effortless, allowing me to push myself harder than before.  Its a theory, and I love to try new ways to train.  Whatever the case, or theory, the next couple of weeks have some ugly workouts on deck.  I am running the RB course this week at 10% slower than race pace,  Doing either a full on MP 10k run on Wednesday, or 5x2 mile repeats, and adding a couple of doubles to the week to take down the length of my easy runs.  My nutrition is going to be key for the next month, more greens, more nutrients, more water, more sleep, and no more alcohol.  Removing alcohol from my diet a month before a race ensures proper hydration, and increases my ability to sharpen.  I do have a slight hip/upper glute nagging pain that I hope to workout on my easy days this week.  Stretching is your friend.  I have to remember that.  So, here we go.  Going deep.

Back to Reality

I am leaving the Catskill Mountains in the morning.  My legs are sore, my mind is clear, and I am ready to push myself into the last month of training for the RB run.  I worked pretty hard in NY, hitting the hills, running mile repeats and most of all just staying on track with my training.  These next few weeks are going to be pretty intense.   After running on these monster rollers everyday I think my body will enjoy the flat low altitude training that we do in Michigan.  Going to try to get in a few miles in the morning before I drive, but am ready to just pack up my children and rest my legs for 12 hours or so. 

NY

Trying to train at the same intensity while on vacation can be difficult.  Yesterday I finished my required running for last week.  I just barely made my mileage goal factoring in my driving day and one rest day I was only able to muster up 5 days of training this week.  Not ideal, but still on target.
I have been enjoying the rolling hills of this wonderful landscape out here.  Had one good strong run, in the snow that climbed for 2.5 miles.  I forget what it like to live in the mountains, and  how intense it can be.

It is really hard to judge how I feel this week.  After this coming week things start to get really intense around here.  I have decided to take the Strider 10k challenge and race the 10k course in East GR weekly.  I have always hated the 10k.  Its too fast for how long it is.  I figure, I can use this as my tempo work, for the rest of the weeks leading up to RB, and use the challenge as a goal for the downtime between RB and the beginning of my Chicago Marathon training.  I am sure I can run 42 and change before summers end.  Maybe.
My diet has been getting a little out there without being in my own element, but this is to be expected.  I have been trying to not drink too much alcohol, and stay base line hydrated.  I figure, the week after I get back home I am going to have to really work on getting back to my ultra-hydrated self.
All and all, I am a little tired from all the extra stimulation, having both my children sleeping the the same bed as me and the change in my normal sleeping patterns.  I feel good.
A 90% week has started today, so this will be a difficult week to get in mileage wise.  I might just double up one of the next few days just to get in the mileage.  Driving on Friday or Saturday, so I will have to put off my long run until I get back home.   We will see.  Beast mode continues for another 38 days.
38 days and counting until I let the horses out of the barn and see what they have in them.