Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Cue the Taper Madness

Oh my gosh, talk about Taper Madness! I didn't want my taper to start so soon - but a day long stomach bug sort of decided that for me. And the madness instantly kicked in! I'm going crazy over here! I really knew I was in for a bad one when I woke up in a panic after my worse race dream so far.
Here's the short version: I'm at the start area of the relay (which happens to be at my local county fairgrounds?). I see some friends in full race gear getting water, asking if I will be too hot. I packed only long sleeves, and we were having a summer day. I then realize I am in flip-flops and work clothes and have NO running clothes with me at all. I can't find my relay partner or call him - apparently you can't dial and make a call on a plastic cup?? I run all over through fair booths looking for any running clothes and then I realize I am the second leg runner. Nobody is in the corrals yet, so I can buy myself some time and get my clothes and go straight to the relay point. I start yelling toward my mom that I can make it work if she can drive me, as I run toward her. She doesn't understand my excitement and gets mad at me, telling me I am out of control and to calm down and just go home. She kicked me out of the race essentially! Then I woke up. I immediately had to call my partner and have a team meeting!
I'm leaving town a week from tonight - this has potential to be one long freaking week!

Ready to run .... oops. Didn't happen.
Last night I tried to run - but it was cold and raining out (plus I had an "injury"*). My motivation was zapped. Then the stress hit and I ended up using all of my hot water in a long, dark shower filled with singing and mentally telling myself I WILL pull my head out of my ass and do this. At the time, back to back runs seemed to clearly be the best idea. And I don't regret it. I would regret it if I didn't register for that 3rd day and get that Chip 'n' Dale medal. But damn, just waiting to find out what it is going to feel like is making me a little twitchy!

I can't stop staring at my packing list, which is continually being added to and altered (Heaven forbid I forget my maracas!). Now I'm adding short sleeve options for every race, just in case. I hear the lows in Florida right now are pretty much my highs in Oregon - which means I definitely have potential to get toasty!

To add to my mental chaos, I'm trying to grasp that I have made two promises to two people. The first is that after Disney I WILL eat better. I will follow food instructions and recipes and make my own meals not always out of a box or drive-up window. Also after Disney I have passed over control to a new coach that gets to boss me around. I've already told him I'm going to hate him in no time at all. I have to have a structured running plan to follow and forced directions. Every time I do I always stick with it and my running improves. Right now I have a big gap between Disney and Eugene, which gives me time to focus on running a better race "with" my dear "boyfriend" Steve Prefontaine in April. 

*You know how during a taper you start to "know" you are getting a cold or your legs are suddenly injured? I might have had the all time strangest phantom pain ever during a taper! It was a pain I haven't had since Princess Half Marathon weekend of 2010 right before I removed a piercing that was bugging me. Even putting on a sports bra hurt last night. Thank goodness that random "injury" has passed and now I can freak out about my knees, calves, ankles, etc....  TMI?


7 comments:

  1. My tapers are always filled with phantom pains and major paranoia.

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  2. Love the pic of our awesome new skirt/pants. However, A did ask me what the heck that was on my right leg. I think the pattern needs a cool name.

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  3. The madness of it all, its why I worry about my brain not finishing the marathon!!! You will be fine xx

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  4. Phantom pains are normal during taper. But then again, I haven't properly tapered since March. This is going to be interesting.

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  5. Abby - we are freaking insane.

    We'll surprise ourselves and be awesome. Oh - and I think we need to be sure to go to Adventureland. I need to see me some Jack Sparrow. And Pecos Bill Cafe. I need to get fries and a gut ache from my old restaurant.

    I'm sleeping in my medals.

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  6. Ah! You are doing Eugene too. :) This is good :)

    Tapering...I like it!!

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  7. Sleeping in your medals sounds dangerous. Be careful! :)

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