Welcome to Taper Town!

It's been a long road to get here but it is finally taper time! I never expected my training would go the way it did but I did the best I could with what was thrown at me. Sure there were times where I skipped runs but I'm not dwelling on those missed runs. I am trying to focus on all the successful things about my training cycle and how much progress I've made as a runner this year. I have come to terms with the work that I have put in and now it is just time to relax and embrace the taper.

This is really the first race where I've had a real taper so I'm not too sure what to expect. I've heard horror stories about people becoming cranky, irritable, sick, developing injuries, etc. I have dealt with minor injuries/aches & pains throughout training so I'm being extra cautious to stay healthy. Just last week my throat felt scratchy and I thought I had come down with the flu. I don't want to take any chances. I want to be ready when November 4th roles around.

I'm ready for you, NYCM!

On Saturday I went for a quick shakeout run that my sore legs didn't love. I was pretty much shuffling but by the end of the run my legs felt much better. I felt somewhat recovered from Friday's 20 mile long run. But then a few hours after the run I started getting this weird pain in the back of my knee. It was kind of a sharp pain that happened randomly. After it started occurring more frequently and the pain became sharper I started freaking out, running around the apartment telling my boyfriend I was broken. I'm not always the most rational person.

Lucky for me my knee has felt fine since then. I took an extra rest day just to make sure that everything was okay. I have a little bit of tightness in my shin but nothing that a little ice and some compression socks won't fix. I am anxious to test my legs on a run tomorrow morning. I am excited to get back on the trails and feel the dirt under my feet. I am trying to soak up every moment of this marathon experience and that includes the taper.