Now That's More LIke It

This is the first taper week of my rescheduled SLO marathon training program after my unceremonious DNF in LA. 

It feels so much more like a taper week should than last time. I'm antsy today after yesterday's short, easy long run.  I'm Energetic.  Bouncy.  Yay!

M: Walk 1.5 to recover from Sunday's long run at the Oakland Running Festival.

T: End of quarter work insanity.  Onsite at clients, fire-fighting, and lucky E got to manage dinner while I kept working into the evening.

W: More end of quarter madness.  Finally decide that something is better than nothing and sneak out for a quick easy 1 mile at 10:10 and 0.66 walk back to the house.

Th: Track workout with F & D.  0.53 miles w/u (2X150 pickups); 3 X 600 (alternating 200 hard, 200 med, 200 hard); 3 minute jogging recovery interval between 600's. Splits:  (50, 1:15, 53); (50, 1:17, 54); (49, 1:27; 55) -- Yeah, I needed some serious recovery on that last 600 medium effort, and even with it, could only manage 55 on the last 200.  0.53 miles jogging c/d followed by 0.13 miles walking.  I was happy with this workout, but amused.  It took me 15 minutes to get to the end of the speedwork and totaled only 2.05 miles of running, including w/u and c/d.  I was careful not to push it even though it was such a short workout -- reminding myself that the turnover and hard cardio needs to be helpful and not hurtful this close to a marathon.  It was ideal for a taper week speed workout, for sure.  But funny to me, that a group of us made the effort to drive to the track just to get in less than 30 minutes of total work.  Also, on the last 600, I think F may have finished almost a minute before me.  She is *FAST*

F:  Rush to finish close of quarter work for many grumpy clients and realize I'll have to work over the weekend.  Grrr...  Decide that if I'm going to have to work over the weekend, I can stop working at 4 PM and build the new rotating compost bin as a strength workout.  No Joke.  2 hours of pushing, pulling, using a screw driver 'til both wrists were burning, holding steel parts in place, etc.  Oddly therapeutic and rewarding to have the finished product.

Sa:  Sleep in.  Head out for a nice easy 10-miler.  First 6 by effort, last 4 at target race effort (e.g. my breathing is a little labored, but I think I can do this for the full race).  Average pace on the last 4:  9:42; 9:32; 9:32: 9:34.  And with that, I think I've got a target race pace for SLO.  No pace groups, so I have to pick something I think I have a chance of sustaining on my own.  Potentially bad weather with 20+ mph winds and possible showers.  Hills.  Yeah, I'm happy to shoot for 9:30s as the fastest reasonable option I've got under these conditions.  Unlike LA, I'm committed to finish, rather than committed to having a perfect race day.  If it takes me 5 hours or longer, so be it.  I'm going to consider it a success to finish the marathon that runs in front of my family's ranch, regardless of how long it takes me.

Su: Walk 3 miles with visiting friends.  More work.  Looking forward to Monday's short/medium run and even considered moving it to today -- *this* is the feeling I associate with taper.  Finally.

Weekly total: 19.16 with quite a bit of walking.  I feel *very* rested and fresh.