SubscribeToday is the day before a trail half marathon that I am going to run alone. I am going to run with 700 other people but I will not be accompanying anyone as a pacer. It is the first time in more than a year, if ever, that I plan on going as fast as I can. I am usually concerned about other people, an injury or a bigger event (marathon) when I do a half marathon.
It is a strange feeling when you plan on giving it your best for the day. I wonder if I can deal with the pain for a whole two hours. Did I eat too much meat this week? Am I drinking enough water today? Did I drink enough all week? All of my little injuries seem to hurt. I wonder if one of them will cause me to stop. Will I make my planned time? Is my planned time feasible? Did I rest enough? Did I rest too much?
Everyone has the same questions when they plan on doing a hard event. It does not matter if it is your first event or you are just planning on picking up the pace like I am. We get nervous and wonder what we should do. I have a good base fitness level so my taper is a little different from someone with a lower base. I will call day one the Saturday before the race.
- Day one – Saturday – easy 15 mile jog
Pancakes, ON 2:1:1 recovery drink, electrolyte, anything for dinner. 4 liters of water - Day two – Sunday – rest
Cereal, clam chowder, pizza, chocolate bar. 4 liters of water - Day three – Monday – moderate 25 mile bike ride
Cereal, Hammer bar, recovery drink, cheese burgers. 4 liters of water - Day four – Tuesday – hard 5.5 mile run at race pace
Cereal, Cytomax, chicken sandwich, lean steak. 4 liters of water - Day five – Wednesday – rest
Cereal, peanut butter & jelly, chicken, 4 liters of water - Day six – Thursday – easy 4 mile jog
Cereal, Cytomax, chicken sandwich, lean roast beef, 4 liters of water - Day seven – Friday – rest
Cereal, PB&J, pasta, 4 liters of water - Day eight – race day
Pancakes, 1 cup of coffee, water, and then race…..
Most lunches come with fruit and jello. All dinners come with vegetables. I would have planned a lighter dinner last night but the roast beef was good and I don’t want to be too demanding on the family for my hobbies. I do demand pasta on Friday nights because I always doing a long or hard event on Saturday morning. I make my own pancakes on Saturday mornings.
None of my sedentary friends know the difference between a 1:45 and a 2:30 half marathon. I am doing this run for me alone, not my friends and family. As long as I have fun, it is a successful taper week.
