GPS Kids | Peg’s Posts: Taper-time tension

Jake, my partner in blogging and other adventures, is less than 2 days away from his marathon. This pic’s from our first adventure, the KC half marathon in 2007. I still have a week … or roughly 183 hours … to go. But who’s counting? Me, that’s who. I’m not only counting the hours until my second marathon. I’m counting hours of sleep and trying to stockpile minutes. ‘Cause getting a good night’s sleep the night before the race will be, well, just a dream. I’m also meticulous about what I’m eating these days, while consuming lots of vitamin C on the side and drinking my Echinacea tea. Oh, the joys and the nerves and the second-guessing of taper-time. Can anyone relate?

Just as taper-time doubts were starting to cloud my clear focus on my goal (like Jake, I’m also going for a Boston qualifying time), I got inspired by something I read in Runner’s World. Happens pretty much every time I open up that magazine. Also happens anytime I read anything about Ryan Hall, now a Garmin-sponsored elite and American record-holder who trains with a Garmin Forerunner. The latest inspiration came from Hall’s golden rules for successful marathon training (Nov. issue of Runner’s World). The rule itself was nothing I hadn’t heard: slow down on recovery days. It was Ryan’s personal take on it: “For a long time, I lacked the confidence to back off on easy days. As a result, my body couldn’t absorb all the great training. Now I have the confidence to run easy on recovery days, so I can bring the fire for hard workouts and race days.” Profoundly put by a pro. Somehow Hall’s words gave me the assurance that taking it easy in the coming week is exactly what I should be doing. What a relief. Now if I can just be patient for 183 more hours. But who’s counting?

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