Big Sur Marathon. 12 days to go.
That means taper. Cue the Taper Madness.
I may be a running coach but I am also a runner. I am not immune.
Here is the list of current taper tantrum items.
Fast running is still creating toe joint pain. The pain appears but it doesn’t get worse. It stays about 2/10 for the duration of faster running and that includes marathon pace. Easy pace, no problem.
I informed Coach Lee that I would not do the 5km of prescribed threshold running in Saturday’s 2 weeks-to-go long run. I demanded to do 10km marathon pace instead. I probably could have asked him and he would have recommended this anyway…. But the taper tantrum.
I saw my new chiropractor (partner of original chiropractor) on Monday for a third session of acupuncture. I “fired” her on Tuesday. Like I cancelled the rest of my appointments before my race. That was definitely taper tantrum. I did it nicely with an email explanation. I’m no longer willing to engage in aggressive treatment this close to my race. I don’t want to be waking up at night and having to go get an ice pack for treatment-created pain. It feels too risky and I want to be conservative. Also, I really hate the acupuncture with electric stimulation and I am no longer willing to do it. If this ab (specifically abdominis rectus) adhesion is still there after my marathon race and down time, I will explore other options with my osteopath.
I squeezed in some coverage of Boston Marathon on Monday, 13 days to go, during my breaks at work. It was thrilling to track my friends and to witness the historic moment of Desi Linden crossing the finish line as first American woman to win in 33 years. I thought that Boston Marathon would leave me all fired up for my own marathon. Instead, it mostly left me feeling worried.
Evidence to fight the Taper Madness
Now here is the evidence and the resourceful thoughts that I shall use to fight the taper madness.
The running evidence: I actually felt the way that I wanted to during my 26km long run. I eased into the marathon pace. I let the effort ease in instead of forcing it and the easing-in brought me the number I wanted on my watch. I would have kept at this marathon pace had I stayed on flat Marginal Road. Instead, I run 3km uphill home, on purpose, to simulate Big Sur. Obviously my pace slowed but I focused on keeping the effort the same. Watching the pace trend up was valuable: “this is what happens. This is normal” Then the 10km at marathon pace ended. At Big Sur, I will have downhills that come next.
On Saturday, I told my friend Tash that I still had 2 weeks to inch closer to being painfree. That is true.
Dialogue with Tash: my girl Tash is a longtime training partner from Cliff’s Antique days. We’ve both battled long injuries. Hers have been longer. Tash is running London and is talking about just being “so damn happy to be running.” She says that she is not fully pain free but the thrill and excitement of running a marathon is bigger than that.
I will adopt that too: so damn happy to be running.
On a really hard and cold day this winter, Tash and I were running an extended cooldown to reach some freezing high mileage long run number. It was brutal. We came through Marginal Road and we saw a bald eagle flying amidst the Seaport’s packing container equipment. It was graceful, beautiful, poignant and very much out of place. A special moment shared between two road warriors with a long history together. Both loved by our longtime running coach, Cliff Matthews, rest his soul. Lots of meaning. I intend to see some special wildlife for Tash and I on the roads of Big Sur.
Reality check from sister: Running partner and sister Kristen talked me down tonight. Coach is still travelling home from Boston Marathon. I am fit. One easy run tonight that gets cancelled does not change this.
The perspective thoughts, pulled from my last “Don’t Freak Out while Injured” post. Since the moment I signed up for this marathon, I’ve declared that it wasn’t about performance. I just want to run those roads pain free and see beautiful things.I will still run those roads mostly pain-free and see beautiful things.
The marathon is special no matter how you run it. Sometimes I think that I’m done with the marathon distance. But I truly love it. I really learned that when I ran Legs for Literacy Moncton Marathon with my sister Kristen in October 2017 (read that recap here).
This is my 10th marathon. I planned it to be special. It will be as special as I make it. I will make this marathon special no matter how I run it.
Race Day Thoughts: a valuable thing that I pulled from the race day coverage of Boston Marathon was this post by an elite runner and coach who I follow on Instagram, Fernando Cabada. I will take his advice as race day advice for myself:
“Do not stress. Be present. Remind yourself of all the work you have done. Be a unit, work together, do not run alone (unless you are winning the race). Don’t let the watch dictate things, give yourself a chance to settle in, after 4-5 miles, you’ll see what it is and can pick up if necessary. Breathe.”
I like all of these calming and logical race day strategies. I can calmly do all of this.
Thank you Fernando Cabada and best of luck to you racing London Marathon. Incidentally with my girl Tash.
Race day anticipation. I’ve been watching youtube videos of runners who have run Big Sur Marathon with go-pros. There are many. The course just looks phenomenal.
Ok, the taper madness has decreased.
This is me. Facing forward for marathon #10 with hope, watching youtube and confidently taking a rest day today.
