So, that's that then
Less than 3 weeks to go, and training is pretty much done and dusted. It's time to taper. Of course that doesn't mean three weeks of doing nothing, I've got a half marathon this weekend and a 10k next weekend, and I'm still going to do some decent runs before the big day, but I've done the last of the really long ones.
Even though it "only" ended up being about 18.5 miles, I'm really proud of myself for doing it. I was away for the weekend at the rugby, and quite often in that situation I'd take my running stuff and tell myself that I'd run "if I felt like it". I'd then sink copious amounts of alcohol, or food, or have a late night and of course I wouldn't feel like it in the morning. Or I'd worry about getting lost, and I would back out.
This time, I told myself I was running. I found myself a route that I couldn't get lost on (hmm), and I made it non-negotiable. I was running whether I felt like it or not, so my focus on Saturday shifted to making sure I did feel like it. If I was going to have to run I ought to make it as painless as possible. So I didn't drink (much), and I ate sensibly and I had an early night. Running was my priority, and although I fitted in watching the rugby, I didn't feel the need to accompany it with mindless alcohol consumption.
So, Sunday morning dawned, I got up early, and I went out. My target was 20+ miles along the Taff Trail, a signed cycle route along a river (signposts and a river to follow! Surely I couldn't get lost?) At one point I knew that it split into a high route and a low route, and if I was feeling good my aim was to follow the high route until it met up with the low route, come back on the low route and back to the city centre. But I lost the signs as I headed up the high route, and instead headed on to one of those long steep hills that I hate. It was lovely, through a forest with wild garlic by the side of the road. But it was also a long, long drag. I will admit to breaking into a walk when I took an energy tablet, and realising when I got to the top of the hill that (a) I didn't know whether carrying on would bring me to anywhere I could find a different route back from and (b) if I started going down and then turned round I'd have to run back to the top before going down and heading back to Cardiff. So on the basis I'd been going for an hour and a half and was planning to turn about 1 hour 40, I decided to cut my losses and head straight back down.
I did add an extra small loop when I got back to the hotel, and ended up covering about 18.8 miles, which wasn't too bad although a bit short of target. Still, at least I was still running right to the end, and even though I've not made it past 20 miles in training, I'm far more comfortable this year than I was last year with getting to that stage.
So now for the taper. The hard work is done, now it's time to let my body recover from training and gear up for the big day.
Even though it "only" ended up being about 18.5 miles, I'm really proud of myself for doing it. I was away for the weekend at the rugby, and quite often in that situation I'd take my running stuff and tell myself that I'd run "if I felt like it". I'd then sink copious amounts of alcohol, or food, or have a late night and of course I wouldn't feel like it in the morning. Or I'd worry about getting lost, and I would back out.
This time, I told myself I was running. I found myself a route that I couldn't get lost on (hmm), and I made it non-negotiable. I was running whether I felt like it or not, so my focus on Saturday shifted to making sure I did feel like it. If I was going to have to run I ought to make it as painless as possible. So I didn't drink (much), and I ate sensibly and I had an early night. Running was my priority, and although I fitted in watching the rugby, I didn't feel the need to accompany it with mindless alcohol consumption.
So, Sunday morning dawned, I got up early, and I went out. My target was 20+ miles along the Taff Trail, a signed cycle route along a river (signposts and a river to follow! Surely I couldn't get lost?) At one point I knew that it split into a high route and a low route, and if I was feeling good my aim was to follow the high route until it met up with the low route, come back on the low route and back to the city centre. But I lost the signs as I headed up the high route, and instead headed on to one of those long steep hills that I hate. It was lovely, through a forest with wild garlic by the side of the road. But it was also a long, long drag. I will admit to breaking into a walk when I took an energy tablet, and realising when I got to the top of the hill that (a) I didn't know whether carrying on would bring me to anywhere I could find a different route back from and (b) if I started going down and then turned round I'd have to run back to the top before going down and heading back to Cardiff. So on the basis I'd been going for an hour and a half and was planning to turn about 1 hour 40, I decided to cut my losses and head straight back down.
I did add an extra small loop when I got back to the hotel, and ended up covering about 18.8 miles, which wasn't too bad although a bit short of target. Still, at least I was still running right to the end, and even though I've not made it past 20 miles in training, I'm far more comfortable this year than I was last year with getting to that stage.
So now for the taper. The hard work is done, now it's time to let my body recover from training and gear up for the big day.
posted by YP at 8:17 PM
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