Karen writes: Tapering for Rotorua Marathon

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Rotorua marathon is next week.  Not 2 months away or several weeks away, it is now just next week.  Too late to get any fitter or any more ready for that 42 plus km.  Time to make sure the running gear is washed, the pills (fish oil, glucosamine, magnesium) and potions (anti-chafe and anti-flamme, super strength sunscreen) and lucky handkerchiefs and socks have all been found and put aside. 

I have been following the 3 run/week senior marathon programme from Hal Higdon and I feel like I haven't been doing enough, I guess the proof will be in the running on the day.  The thing with plans is you have to have faith that if you follow the instructions (mostly) they will work, and this programme for experienced (+/- older, creakier or more prone to injury) distance runners, seemed to assure me of a comfortable finish while minimising the potential damage to hard working joints.  Eminently suitable for Ironman recovery.

I find myself however being in the unusual position of actually wanting to do more.  Realistically though, I seem to need the breaks between runs, while I might feel back to 100% on a day to day basis after our efforts now 6 weeks ago, when I'm running I'm lacking in energy, it's hard to maintain a good pace, harder to find and hold good posture and the aches are miscellaneous and tenacious. Perhaps there is some residual leftover microscopic repair work going on after all.

Last week was my longest week, I did 60km, this week the plan is for 40km and last night I had to resist the temptation to go further along the now re-opened bush trails at Maraetai. I turned around when I got to the halfway mark, switched on the headlamp and headed home like a good little tapering athlete.  Next week sticking to a maximum of 10km, that will be hard, I strangely enough really want to run.  I also really want to eat, I have read that a Triathlete who is putting on weight thinks "more exercise", while a runner might think "eat less".  I'm just so not thinking like a runner yet. 

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