28 April 2008
The hay is stacked in the barn.
Posted by Matt Stargardt under: Matt Stargardt .
I’m done. No more long runs for me until the race. Now its time to sit back and let myself heal before the big day. There is no magic workout between here and the race that is really going to make a difference at this point. The toughest thing for me is to resist the “last chance workout” syndrome. I have tanked many a race trying to get an extra workout or distance trying to ease my anxiety about how prepared I am for the race. The first time I ran this race I ran the course (the whole thing) hard the Sunday before and then wondered why my legs felt dead at the race.
I’ll do some tempo work, probably some 800’s towards the end of thisweek, and I might run a 8 or 9 miler…….but I’m done with the long stuff.
At some point you do more harm by trying to be perfectly prepared. Its like messing with paint or varnish as its drying…….at some point you just have to let it set.
Tonight I pulled out my mountain bike and did a quick 8 miles at a local trail. It felt good to use some different muscles. Don’t get me wrong…….I love running……but I need a change of pace. This is when I feel like I have been held hostage by my long runs…..I just want to heal and race.
I know that my long runs have been much harder than I have done in the past. Running in a group has made me work harder. Its strange that normally I would do most of my long runs alone, when this year has been the total opposite….I think I have run 1 1/2 long runs by myself……since December.
So this is the taper. Run less. Heal up. Run enough so your legs don’t lose their spring, but not so much as to put them in the tank. Trust that your completed long runs and the frostbite you earned will not abandon you come race day.
Matt
2 Comments so far...
Nasreen Fynewever Says:
29 April 2008 at 1:19 pm.
Thanks for the post Matt. I enjoyed the perspective, especially the last paragraph. Trusting the training is a hard thing. I too have gotten to the point where a little of the joy is gone and a hostage crisis seems to be looming. Therefore taking a little pressure off and finding the balance of tapering is forefront on my mind too. Best wishes for race day!
Shelly Says:
29 April 2008 at 2:41 pm.
Thanks, Matt–I needed to hear all of this from someone else even though I try to talk myself thru it daily right now. I am a mental mess about this race–my poor husband doesn’t even want to think of what I’ll be like if I can’t make it to the start in one piece! But you are right–we have trained smart and we will make it!
(And Nasreen–thanks for keeping up with all of us through this process! Wish I could meet you in person to thank you–knowing people like you are out there reading these really helps!!!)