1. My RHR (resting heart rate) has returned to the low 40s.
2. I sleep well without waking at all because of sore or stiff legs.
3. Massages are awesome again instead of enough to send me jumping off the table.
4. My libido has returned. Perhaps Matt’s favorite side effect of the taper.
5. My last track workout was all over the place. Since I’m more rested, the same effort produces 800 repeats in the 3:15-3:20ish range. I finally hit the 3:30 (prescribed at 3:34) pace with Danny pacing me and it almost felt conversational for the first lap. Crazy hey? Repeats looked like this: 3:16, 3:22, 3:31, 3:31, 3:28. I still suck at pacing within each lap, but at least I only suffer for a little while before it is over.
The bad:
1. A slight twinge in my soleus muscle is probably making me freak out more than it should. Luckily, it doesn’t hurt while running and therefore doesn’t affect my stride. Lengthy warm-ups and not spending all day on my feet seem to be the key to rehab. Good thing I’m on the mileage downslide. More rest, yay!
2. I’m planning my summer already. May be nixing the R2R2R in favor of a Yooper 50M race and a fall road marathon. California International Marathon is starting to sound like fun. If you’ve run it, did they manage the number of people well? Wait, aren’t I supposed to be agonizing over Green Bay now?
3. Yup, I am. Inserting things into both Runner’s World and McMillan training calculators has given me some pretty good ideas on where I am right now. Goals will appear in a post next week.
4. Anyone want to pack for my trip? Three weeks of craziness with so many different activities, I think I’m gonna need about 100 suitcases worth of stuff to manage it all.
I can definitely notice my energy returning. The house has been spotless and I am cooking a lot more. I’ve returned to being Super-Wife! I leave for the U.P. in less than a week now and I’m already working on how I’m going to pack everything I need into one checked suitcase.
Did I mention I’m backpacking for a few days too? Need all that stuff as well. I’m pretty sure that my bag will be 80% outdoorsy things and 20% everyday clothes. I’m bringing one pair of jeans for three weeks, but four running/hiking shirts? My, how this life has evolved.
Matt has also subtly requested I bake him a bunch of heat-and-eat meals and several loaves of bread. How sad, married just for five years and he has forgotten how to cook. Luckily his birthday is Sunday, that will somehow be tied into his present.
Now you can see how I’m not going stir-crazy on the taper, right?
Do you enjoy marathon tapers? How do you deal with the extra time and energy?
1 comment:
It's been a long time since I did a marathon taper, but since being injured I sure have noticed the extra time! Unfortunately I haven't used it to become SuperWife. In fact if something falls on the floor it stays, since it hurts to pick it up.
Sooo..you are backpacking the North Country Trail? And no R2R..bummer! Would have been hard to fit it in anyway..
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