Words can’t express just how happy I am for it finally to be Friday! Between quarter end at work, a tough start to my tape, and desperately needing to catch up on sleep I am more than ready for the weekend!
Is anyone else feeling this way?
My taper has started off a bit rocky. Though the taper plays a lot of tricks on us so I’m just trying to take in stride and take one day at a time. I also see it as pretty fitting after a very “up and down” training cycle.
Tuesday’s workout was a complete and utter fail. It has been POURING rain since last Friday. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it rain this much. I had to head to the gym to try and get my run in. The goal was 1 mile warm up (which was done outside in the rain before the gym opened), 7 miles sub marathon pace (7:24), and 0.5 – 1 mile cool down.
From the very beginning my legs felt flat. Our gym doesn’t turn on the air until they open so it was a completely sweat fest from the beginning. After 3.5 miles I called it quits. I went outside and got soaked finishing up the last 3 miles. It just wasn’t worth killing myself this close to race day.
Post workout I sulked a bit, talked with my husband, and his coach to help decide how to go from here.
My second attempt at a small marathon pace run was Thursday. It was still raining, so begrudgingly I had another date with the treadmill. Another sweat fest, but I felt better and did 2 mile warm up (first outside), 4 miles at marathon pace, and 1 mile cool down for a total of 7.
I’m just moving on from it all. I’m letting go of the fact that I’ve had to run so much on the treadmill the past week, the bad workout, and a crazy busy week. Nothing I do between now and then will change my race; it simply keeps my legs working and my body on its schedule.
Today I wanted to share some fun things I’ve found in regards to Chicago! I have a tendency to do a little too much reading going into a race, and I thought some of these contained excellent information regarding the race.
The super speedy and awesome Tina sent me this link from Runner’s Connect.
(source)
It is extremely helpful for making your race day plan. From what I can remember of the course, it’s pretty accurate and also takes into account for crowds. For faster runners (i.e. my husband) this doesn’t seem to be a problem, but if you are in the masses like me you have to plan for your first 1-2 miles to be a bit slower.
A Video of the Chicago Marathon Course.
I love to watch as many videos as I can going through the course. Obviously, nothing can replicate the real thing but being familiar with the course helps a lot.
It also really gets me pumped up and excited to be there!
Old Recap from Chicago Marathon 2014
When I am having a tough time during the taper, I love watching highlights from previous years. It gets me excited seeing the crowds and a great reminder that the race needs to be FUN!
What do you like doing leading up to a marathon?
What do you use to plan your race?
This rain is no fun :/
And omg….I love the new design!!!
Thanks lady! 🙂
Just discovered your blog while searching for other runners’ experiences with the taper under the Hanson’s Marathon Method as I was a bit more than concerned that my legs would not recover by race day. Your take on it was great! I am two days out from my marathon and things are still not ideal in the leg department, but moving in the right direction. Good luck on your taper and race! And I, too, read way too much as the marathon nears (as evidenced by finding your blog!).
Cheers!
Good luck on your marathon!!!! It’s normal to be tired, at least it always has been for me! Just focus on resting those legs before the marathon. You’ve got this!! Make sure to come back and let me know how it went 🙂
Hey! Thanks for your reply. In the end it was a bittersweet experience as I ran the first half at my A goal pace, then faced a significant headwind in the second half that really took me out of my rhythm and hampered my ability to maintain pace. Added to that I experienced a bit of a bonk in the last 5k, clearly indicating that I wasn’t fully prepared for those last miles, and managed a big PR, but the result left something to be desired. Guess it’s a good thing that I haven’t peaked! Lots to learn from this. Too bad the Hanson’s method didn’t work out for me as well as it had for others. Still, I think I will tackle it again with some tweaks to get through that last 10k stronger. Cheers and good luck on your race! I was also going for 3:15, and hope that you totally break that mark! I managed 3:24 in the end, so not the end of the world given it was a 33 minute PB. 🙂
33 minute PB is AWESOME!!!! It may not have been the race you wanted but you still rocked it!!
I’m not going for a 3:15 anymore it was a bit too big of a jump but we will see what happens! The best case a 3:20 but I’ll be happy with a PR! Just going to take what my body’s got that day but going to give it everything I can!
You are so much smarter than me! Respect all the way on your approach. Now go kick some ass!