Grandma's Marathon - Getting your Taper On

This Big Horse is notorious for hating to taper.  If I am training well, I often run 130+ miles 3 weeks before the marathon, 110+ miles the week before and 80-90 in the week with the marathon.  For 50 mile races, I will usually have 120-130 miles total in the week with the 50 miler.

The other thing I like to do is to punish myself for falling down (See previous blog).  After I have a bad day(s) eating or take a few days off running, I love doing a series of really long runs, getting a ton of miles in a week, to bring my body back into rhythm.

Last week's 66 miles left me feeling sluggish and pissed off.  What I want to do most - Punish myself with some epic long runs (30+ miles).  But it is less than 2 weeks until Grandma's Marathon - Today is 8 days before the race, so taper is in order.

With my weight back up to 220# I am a long shot to break 3 hours.  So what better time to try something different ... a real taper.  The 66 miles last week was week #1 of taper, I will show restraint and only be at 75-85 miles this week (Its killing me) and will run < 40 miles pre-marathon next week.

Maybe a real taper is just what I need to get this fat, old body back under 3 hours.  All you skinny speedsters can laugh at how easy it is to run a sub 3, but do it weighing 220# and you will know how hard of work it is!

I may steal another Sub 3 I do not deserve or I may epically fail with a 3:15-3:20 ...

Good running to all!