Topic: Marathon Taper
My FB newsfeed is full of taper complaints lately. Runners do not like taper. I get it. They say it's a necessary evil and taper will spring load your legs and body so on race day you feel superhuman. Knocking off mile markers like 400's. Thumping out a pace well below anything you've ever done before. That taper will fix everything and your body will come together and do what it was trained to do.
Well, I tell you right now. I think I'm different. I don't see how this will work. I thrive off high mileage. The more mileage, the faster I get with less effort. I see my body as a machine. A machine that works well and does great with repetition, or if left alone in a rotting tobacco field it will forget everything.
I don't want to be a rusty old tractor.
I want to keep my body doing what it likes best. Practice makes perfect, right? Use it or lose it! I'm not watching freaking Rachel Ray sitting on the couch playing with the dog. Wtf? NO!
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| This is more like it! |
So I will keep reading the literature and try to force an understanding on this phenomenon called taper over the next few weeks. I will do it. Only because I am an all or nothing type of person and would not dream of deviating from my schedule this late in the game. And so if I roll up with a 6 hour marathon I can say, HA, it was taper damn it!
Mind you taper hasn't started yet. I'm 3 weeks out. I have 22 on Sunday. I shouldn't be whining just yet but the finality of my "last long run" puts a little regurgitated protein bar vomit in my mouth. Breathe...
Quite frankly, I thought I'd break my leg by now so I haven't mentally prepared for mileage reduction..da, da daaaaa.
Okay, topic change...I'm starting to fidget. lol.
AB Update!! I'm still doing abs 5x a week after I run. I'm fine with this for now. I don't have jelly belly. It could be worse. Eh..
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| I added a 10lb medicine ball. |
Well, I'll recap after my 22 on sunday. I've had a great week. Awesome mileage.
Happy running friends!
xo
Laura
Hey so on the abs thing. I follow a lot of body builders who say they get their abs by doing dead lifts, squat thrusters and that kind of stuff. Actually no specific ab work. And to get those muscles showing they do 3-4 sets of 6-8reps. With as heavy weight as possible. Like as much weight were you can only eek out that last rep before you wish to die, or your form goes to crap.
ReplyDeleteI have tapered for races... and I have been too impatient and fake tapered for races... I always run best with the first approach even though no one else wants to be around me that week!
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