Yeah man, I’m tapering… November 27, 2007
Posted by kimayars Run
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I kid you not, this has been the topic of discussion for the past few days. I have a few great friends who are really supportive in that “I can’t believe you’re going to run 13 miles” kind of way. Every week, they check in to see how my long run on Sunday went. Reports vary from “brutal” to “not-so-bad”. Regardless, the look in their eyes is one of awe. (I am, after all, a housewife. Most housewives don’t do this kind of thing.)
Not so this week. Here’s how the conversation usually goes:
Friend: “So, Kim! How did the long run go?”
Kim: “Oh, no long run this weekend.”
Friend: “Really? Why? Are you sick? Injured?”
Kim: “Naw. I’m tapering.”
Friend: “What?”
Kim: “Tapering.”
Friend: “What’s that?”
Kim: “It’s where you take it easy the week before your race.”
Friend: “Why?”
(Kim shrugs shoulders.)
Friend: “Isn’t that a type of candle?”
Kim: “Yeah, whatever.”
I’ve said it so much my 4-year-old walks around saying “Mom! Taper, caper, paper. They all rhyme!” We’re big into rhyming now.
To be honest, I’m not sure I undertand the idea behind the taper when you’re at my level of running (which is very, very low). To me the LVHM will be just like any other training run on Sunday. Except there will be neon. And Elvis. Not many training runs can boast they have Elvis. I doubt there will be elk, though.
I’m very excited to share my experience with my clinic on Saturday. Spotty DSL has prevented me from posting a novel about that day. I’ll try and get to that tomorrow after my lesson. Let’s just say it was a marvelous experience.
I will end with a bizarre experience I had today. I did my treadmill encounter with Sherene this morning, and “held back” at 3 miles. I kept the pace up to feel like I did something, but for the most part tried to remember that we’re all about the taper right now. At the end, I finally loosened up, ready to do more. But I stopped, staying true to my training goals. Sherne kept going, taking it all the way to five miles, and maybe beyond. I had to leave before she was finished. Could it be that I felt a twinge of jealousy? Hmmm… This is indeed a sickness. *twitch*
Workout:
- Type: Run
- Date: 11/27/2007
- Time: 09:00:00
- Total Time: 00:28:35.00
- Distance: 3.1 miles
- Average Pace: 9:13/mile
Comments
You ran a 5K and felt cheated that you didn’t keep running! That’s impressive!
Tapering is important even if you are a beginner. The purpose is to recover and build up energy reserves. You are doing great!