...and by Taper, I mean I quit doing almost everything.
This week has me just doing short runs only. 5 miles is the max, and Saturday includes a 5k race. I stopped swimming last week. This week, I haven't picked it back up yet either. I felt like I was just doing too much.
I SOARED through a hilly 10-miler on Good Friday. Trista mapped this one, and I just enjoyed the scenery. It was really great to not worry about where I was going, and just enjoy the feel of the legs moving.
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| 5 of the neatest houses on the route, and in Q-Town |
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633 ft
Start Elev; 702.0 ft
Max Elev; 164.0 ft
Gain
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Things started off feeling odd, as usual anymore. This is a breakdown of the run:
It really doesn't look that bad, but I kid you not, those hills were alive with glute-torturing steepness! I would really prefer to see the 9's at the beginning, and the smaller numbers from mile 3 on out. OR not see the 9's at all and keep the 8:45's and better throughout the entire run. I am really impressed with mile 6. Last time we did a 10, our GU mile was over 10 minutes long! We are getting faster at fueling and back to it. That is great! Right now I feel pretty good about my chances at finishing the Half!
Funny thing about hills though... once you start, you can't stop. I ran another hilly route on Sunday after Easter festivities were done. Monday had another route that was less hilly, but by no means flat. I took this one nice and slow and stayed with the JW Group.
Tuesday ended up being a complete rest day, although unplanned. I was feeling physically drained and completely awful. I had planned to get up and go to the gym to lift weights if nothing else. It didn't happen. I slept. I wanted to be at home that day with a heating pad... That didn't happen either!
Wednesday I made sure to drag my behind out of bed and get a good 5 miles in. The first 2 felt like I was slogging thru mud. At a pace of 8:55 that will happen... Then I started picking up and things felt great. 8:37, then the last 2 miles were 8:10. Those last 2 miles were just pure GOLD! I wanted to keep going, but found myself back at Starbucks. It was coffee time :)
Thursday was just odd. I was planning the run and getting things ready, then all of the sudden, when run time was upon me, I did not want to go. That doesn't generally happen to me. I ran anyway. I got the group to TRY going 4 miles. It was an amazing thing! That alone got me out there. I did 4 miles. The first two were at what is becoming my easy pace again 8:31. I love that as an easy pace. Things just feel right. The next mile was 8:17. Gotta love that! Oh and my final mile on a run that almost wasn't... 7:56!!!!!! We call that a case of Happy Feet. I ended up with a few blisters thanks to not wearing socks with my vibrams, but hey, I can get over that pretty quick.
So, here we are, at another Friday. I am resting up for a race tomorrow morning. It will follow the same route as the Ring A Bell in December. If the crowd is what I expect, I may take home a medal :) That's how we have a somewhat Taper week. Run your booty off and then run a race, with a mile warm up and cool down. Gotta love the life of a runner!
Next week, we get back to swimming, and if I am lucky, I get to get my bike out on the road and skip the spin class! WOOHOO!!! Hello outdoor activities!
~Happy Running, Cycling, Swimming, and Lifting~
