Taper Fun

ORN: 12.7 miles, 2:03:42, R7/W1, 9:45/mile

Many thanks for the many comments to my last post about trying to keep the same model of shoes. I see I'm not the only one who has struggled with this model switch. I've tracked down one pair already and have a line on a second. If I can get the second, I should be set through the spring marathon season. My wife is a wonderfully patient woman, as she hears such prattle and watches shoes stack up around the house. Thank you dear.

My knees/ITBs settled down nicely in short runs during the week in proper shoes. Today's schedule, two weeks out from the Memphis Marathon, called for a mere 8 miler but that sure felt wimpy. I went out thinking I'd do 10 and then pushed it to 12 and then, hey, I just kept going a while longer.

I decided to employ the taper principle of decreasing mileage but increasing the intensity. For me, that means going from my usual 5/1 run/walk ratio to a 7/1. Plus I pushed the pace of my run segments about 30 sec/mile quicker than I plan to do in Memphis (where I'll do a 3/1).

And, man, did it feel good. I felt like I was pushing it but yet it was maintainable. I didn't have a single whimper from the knees, hammies, ITBs or ankles. I felt more ready than I have for a while to take on 26.2.

I'm starting to eye the weather in Memphis for December 6. It typically runs about 12 degrees warmer than it is here in N Central Indiana. If that holds, we could have a dandy day to run. But, in any event, I'll seek to "run the best race conditions allow."

Happy Thanksgiving to you all.