Friday, January 8, 2016

TEN DAYS BEFORE CARLSBAD MARATHON

In ten days I'll be out working my way though 26.2 miles of Carlsbad, California coastline/streets..

Naturally I caught the flu. Luckily it was only a two-day-thing and those two days were rainy. 
No running.

In any case, all the long runs are done, and I’m in what’s called “the taper.” 
I really tapered. I’d been running between 37-47 miles a week. 
I ran a paltry 4 miles this week.

However, I ran 22 miles last Friday. Then, Saturday, just because I didn’t want to miss the reunion hike with my Switzerland group, I trekked ten miles up “Dreaded Hill” in Harding Ranch.

I think the hike actually helped my legs recover from the 22-mile-run but the rest of my body succumbed to virus. Yes, I had a flu shot. I look upon this short period of illness as adding more to my immune system. I’ve been sick with flu’s so much worse than this one. I don’t even have  a lingering cough. What a miracle.

As far as whether I’m prepared for 26.2 miles a week from Sunday—I’m still mourning my loss of speed  in running. See my Daily Pilot article of 1/4/16. 

Secretly, I wish for a miracle—I take off at the starting line at a 10:00 pace and sail on though. I may expire at the end of that dream as it’s a couple minutes-a-mile faster than I’ve been able to do practice runs, but I can dream. 

Wonder if I should eat ice cream and cookies every night, put on a layer of fat to use up on the morning of the marathon? Maybe I should buy one of those big 1 pound dark chocolate and almonds hunks at Trader Joe’s and eat the whole thing. Nowhere in any marathon training guide does it say to pig-out pre marathon but I can dream.


  

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