*****There's a FREE 5K at the University of Utah on Saturday, September 10th. Go to www.runinrhythm.com for details!
Sad, but true.
Now that we have that out of the way....
I'm feeling a sense of completion about my marathon training. Top of Utah is in 15 days from today. 15 days!!!! I can't believe it, but I am so ready for it. Darcy and I guilted our way through our last set of 10 Yassos last night.
"Guilted?" You say.
Yes. Guilted.
For some reason since I completed the 23 miles on Saturday, I feel like I should be done with my training. I've narrowed it down to a few reasons:
- I can't wrap my head around the fact that I ran 23 miles on Saturday, and that my body can just keep running the rest of my training schedule for the week. Shouldn't I have to take the rest of the MONTH off?
- I'm afraid of getting injured. This kind of relates to #1. I'm hyper aware of every ache and pain I feel because I'm worried it's going to take me out of the race.
- I'm tired. I would rather sleep and sit on my butt than run.
- I feel like I've done the work and there's not much more I can do to prepare for the race.
So last night we went out thinking we'd do 5 Yassos. After each one we just kept saying, we can do one more, just one more! And then we would. We did this all the way up to ten, and the results were great:
3:15, 3:17, 3:20, 3:20, 3:25, 3:22, 3:28, 3:24, 3:18, 3:17
How excited am I to be done? SUPER excited!!!! This was the last really hard workout before the race. It's just smooth sailing from here on out.
Now, I'm in need of some advice from some veteran (and by veteran I mean you've run at least ONE marathon) runners:
***In the last 2 weeks before your marathon, do you still push yourself hard during your workouts? Or do you take it easy so as to avoid injury?
***What do you do in the last 2 weeks before a big race?
6 comments:
Woot! Woot! Great job on your Yassos! I hear those are a pretty good predictor of your marathon time, but I've never tested it myself. It's totally normal to be super sensitive to aches and pains right before a race and strangely more so as you taper, but I wouldn't worry too much. You've put in the training (as shown by your latest long run and the yassos workout) and your body won't let you down. Normally, I don't run long enough races to have to taper 2 weeks out, but I think that's wise for the marathon. Nothing you do in the last week and a half will improve your fitness, but if you go too hard you could fatigue it with inadequate time to recover. I'd say better to play it safe than sorry and rest up! If it were me I think the last week I would run 5 on monday, take Tuesday off, run 4 on Wednesday, take Thursday off, run a shake out mile and a few 100 meter strides and then race your heart out on Sunday... but you probably have a schedule all worked out... Can't wait to hear more!
Woot! Woot! Great job on your Yassos! I hear those are a pretty good predictor of your marathon time, but I've never tested it myself. It's totally normal to be super sensitive to aches and pains right before a race and strangely more so as you taper, but I wouldn't worry too much. You've put in the training (as shown by your latest long run and the yassos workout) and your body won't let you down. Normally, I don't run long enough races to have to taper 2 weeks out, but I think that's wise for the marathon. Nothing you do in the last week and a half will improve your fitness, but if you go too hard you could fatigue it with inadequate time to recover. I'd say better to play it safe than sorry and rest up! If it were me I think the last week I would run 5 on monday, take Tuesday off, run 4 on Wednesday, take Thursday off, run a shake out mile and a few 100 meter strides and then race your heart out on Sunday... but you probably have a schedule all worked out... Can't wait to hear more!
Thanks for stopping by my blog! I'm glad you enjoy it! Crazy how paralell our lives are, and my name is also Amy, hum.. ;)
I take it easy in the taper. Well, I always tell myself that but after months of pushing as hard as I can it's hard for my brain to back off. Get a massage or something, it always makes me feel loads better!
I definitely take it easy before a race! I've been injured before and I do what I can to avoid it!! Congrats on the amazing workout!
During the last 2 taper weeks my friend always says "The hay is in the barn." Basically all the hard work is banked and there's not much you can do in the last two weeks to improve on what you've already built.
I'd say take it easy and just do enough to keep your muscles loose so you'll be able to cruise on race day. You are totally prepared and will do awesome!
You will not gain any fitness in the last two weeks leading up to a marathon so I would definitely take it easy. I would decrease distance by 50% the first week and 75% the second week. Effort should be easy with maybe 10% ran at tempo pace just to reassure confidence. You have done the work, you are ready, now is the time to be confident in your training!
Great job with the 10 Yasso's!!
Post a Comment