Rest, Irritation, and Performance Enhancing Awesomeness: Taper Time

Two weeks from today, Emily and I will be running the San Antonio Rock and Roll Marathon. This fact doesn’t terrify me as much as it has in the past, although running a marathon all-out is still an intimidating proposition. I like to think that this time, unlike last time, I’ve truly done everything to be ready on the day. Is that true? Beats the hell out of me. I thought I was ready last year, ran 23 miles at 2:29 pace, then blew up like a car with 4 flat tires and a missing axle. That’s on fire. Good news is there are a couple of things I can take confidence from:

1. Better long runs and long tempos. I actually sucked it up and ran the full 26.2 miles sometime in August, and 2 weeks ago ran a 24 mile tempo at 5:58 pace - much faster than I’ve ever run for a steady run of that length. Confidence, increased.

2. Mileage has been pretty good. I don’t actually know if it’s any higher than last year, but I’ve averaged something like 108 miles per week since the beginning of June, when Em and I got back from our honeymoon. Pretty good. I would call it lower mileage for a serious marathoner, and I know I could definitely do a little more next time around, but for working full time and fitting this running nonsense in around a life, I’m pretty happy with myself.

3. Additionally, this marks the first time I’ve been training full steam and been in good shape for an entire year leading up to a race. I haven’t been seriously injured or derailed in any way since January of 2010.

4. I haven’t had a bad workout since the end of September. I think I’m on a hot streak. Maybe. Okay this one is more of a hunch, but the past three weeks have been pretty good to me, and I think just maybe I will have this marathon thing figured out enough to survive.