Welcome to the Taper
Sunday’s 20 miler #3 probably could not have gone any better. Maybe if it were about 5-10 degrees cooler toward the end, but by then, the end was so near that it didn’t take much to hunker down and get through the increasingly sunny (read: gorgeous) temperatures. It was my first time doing the CARA Ready to Run 20-Miler, and it was fun. Running south for an entire run was just lovely… and again, the fact that we had such great, cooperative temps, and that we were hitting our desired pace (or faster), I think, gave all of us a great confidence boost for 10/10/10. The pic (below) is of Erin, Chris, Stacey, and me after we got back to Erin’s car at Foster Ave. Don’t we look like we’re glowing after such a great run?!
I had been writing before that the taper really wouldn’t officially begin until this week’s final *big* speed workout, 10×800. Well, Mother Nature had different plans in store for us tonight around 7pm, so we bagged it after running 8 and seeing the lightning over Lake Michigan move increasingly closer and closer to us… probably a good idea, seeing as how it’s damn tough to run a marathon (or run at all) if you’ve been struck by freakin’ lightning.
SO – that said – it’s on. I’m not really one to throw a “taper tantrum” or get increasingly antsy during the time that I’m not running (when I usually would be), so this is pretty welcome right now 🙂
For all the other fall marathoners and racers out there in the throes of their taper, greetings. It sure is nice to be here, at last.