what google taught me about marathon taper

CARBO LOADING ISN'T A ONE NIGHT STAND
Get ready for a short term relationship with complex carbs. Carbo loading is for the weeks before NOT just the night before. Sure, cake is a carb, but not the best for right now. Instead add more quinoa, oats, brown rice and other complex carbs. Nutritionists recommend 3-5 grams of carbs per one pound of body weight.

GAIN A LITTLE FLUFF
It's okay to gain a little weight during taper. In fact you should gain between 2 to 4 pounds. This is because "with every ounce of glycogen the body stores, it also stores three ounces of water."* And you want all your glycogen stores full up to the brim!

SLOW DOWN
Don't leave your race anywhere but on the race course. Not in a peppy 6 miler, not in an all out fast finish to an easy 4. Just bottle it! For me this means NO music on the run. And when slow miles feel "hard" no worrying. It's just a mind/body disconnect. And race day magic is real.

DO NOT PANIC
You might feel achey, sore, or have ghost injuries. Do. Not. Freak. Out. You might feel slow or sluggish. Do. Not. Freak. Out. You might be super tired or feel like you're getting sick. Do. Not. Freak. Out. Apparently it's all normal. Seriously this sport ... so messed up.

UNPLUG + REST YOUR MIND GRAPES
This I've been bad at, but there is really no need to use up energy stressing or getting excited for the race. No reason to check the weather a million times or Google every weird run/race question you have...try to block it out. My plan was to catch up on the fashion, lifestyle blogs and watch some good movies. Rest and relax.

This didn't happen though. I mean I guess did watch like 4 hours of 30Rock on Sunday while working (hence the term 'mind grapes'). I don't know if things are really as stressful as they feel right now at work or if it's Taper Tantrums. But between that and race day anticipation... I feel like I'm having an excruciatingly slow panic attack. I'm just breathing and trying to check things off the list. No time for relaxation, but hoping to avoid paper-bag-breathing level of panic. Inhale. Exhale.

What tips have you picked up for taper success?

the week in pictures

A week in pictures. I'd say this week isn't typical, but that'd be a lie. No wonder I'm tired!

We are lucky enough to know someone who sails! Last Friday we headed out on the water for a few hours, soaking up the last of a very warm week. We were followed by a whole bunch of little dolphins, but they were camera shy.

Saturday morning I woke up bright and early to run and do some recon on West Seattle garage sale day before the sales started. Everyone was setting up and I found a bed frame for $50! Score. Didn't fit in the car though, luckily I know a pretty strong dude. We spent the rest of the morning walking around West Seattle and rifling through peoples stuff. Garage sale day is the best.

After garage sale day it was off to a Kachaala! A Ugandan pre-wedding ceremony... sort of like a public proposal. My friend since middle school, Joel, met his future wife in Uganda. They will have a wedding there and in the states.

We all got traditional Ugandan party clothes to wear. I think they wear these dresses to important events, like weddings. The food was perfect runner fuel: yams, rice, bread, fruit... delish!

Saw Gatsy late on Saturday at The Big Picture. Did my last long run (15 with 3 at mgp) on Sunday.

Monday Fast K8 is in town!! I creeped this photo of her doing drills at Roosevelt.

Wedesday was Oiselle's Fall 2013 photoshoot. My first time directing solo. Phew, what a fun day! But I was exhausted after we wrapped. I'm so excited to share the photos!

Was running by 4:45am (11 miles with :75 on, :75 7:00 pace x 16). Wrapped the shoot at 5:30pm. In bed by 8:30pm. My life in a nutshell...

Lauren steaming all 70+ looks. Like a boss.

Oiselle as street wear... what?! Kate and I came up with rad street style outfits combining Oiselle and J.Crew. Katie is playing with a few pieces below. Those pants need to come home with me...

Not the most restful taper week, hopefully all I do is sleep this weekend! How was your week?

taper ramblings

I'm at that rambling taper time, two weeks out from Vermont City Marathon. It's my second marathon, but first one with a time goal. I ran Chicago in 2009, but I was so injured if it had been a local race I would have skipped it. But my plane ticket was purchased, hotel room booked and bib ready for pick-up. I am happy I ran it, it was an amazing experience. But after the marathon I took over a year off from running. Actually I quit. But we all know how that ended.

all I can remember is how bad my hips hurt and drafting off that chick in purple

marathoning is beautiful. i should really find this outfit...

I'm 2 weeks away from my second marathon. If all goes to plan I'll PR by over 35 minutes. But Chicago showed me that the marathon is a race like no other. The day can bring anything. At Chicago I  ran within a comfortable aerobic zone but I remember feeling a very abrupt change after mile 21. That brush with the wall stayed with me. I know things can go from great to uh-oh, fast. Especially, I imagine, when your foot is firmly on the gas pedal.

I have set an A, B and C goal. The C goal is don't walk, quit, land in the med tent or poop my shorts. I think that's most people's C goal. There's a reason it's been 4 years since my 1st marathon, it's a big scary race. You can't fake a marathon. You dedicate months of training to this one window of time. And over the hours you race you get down to the bottom of your barrel. You empty the tank. There is nothing more raw than watching runners finish a marathon.

As I approach the taper phase of this ride, I have a mix of excitment, respect and sheer terror. The work is done. There is no sense in looking back and wondering if the training was perfect, if I should have done more core and lifting or strides or hills... it's done. Just like owning my first real goal in the half I know I did good work, that I could have done more, less, better or worse... but either way it's logged in my journal and after the race I can pour over it and find the solid work and the gaps. Now is the time to look ahead to the starting line, blinders on.

Most of what I feel is excitement. Because Chicago also showed me the magic of marathon. The sense of accomplishment when you cross that finish line. The way 26.2 miles levels the playing field and brings runners of every speed together as a tribe. That's what I can't wait to jump into again, whatever the day brings. Anything can happen. 

last long, long, long run

Saturday was my last long run with a capital L. 22. I headed down to Tacoma with Owen on Friday night. Stayed with his parents (my 'in-laws', but that sounds so ugly). My weekend plan was three four fold: long run with Allison on Saturday, relax with family, cheer Megan on while she ran the Tacoma Marathon on Sunday and ... clean my filthy car. Check, check, check and check.

Saturday morning, I rolled out of bed, ate my oatmeal, put my shorts on one leg at a time... normal stuff. Headed over to Point Defiance to run at 10am, afternoon by runners' standards. I wanted to get some 'heat' training in. We did 11 on the trails, then 5 mile drive and at 14 miles started what was supposed to be 8 at 6:20-6:30 pace.... which turned into 6 miles at nearly sub 6:00s with a 2 mile cooldown. Oops.

Allison was great company, I wish she lived closer. She's faster than me, and it's fun to chase the bunny. I am excited to follow her race times this year, she has big things in store for her.

I lolled around the rest of the day. We had some friends over for burgers, beers and s'mores at night. It was the perfect faux summer day in Tacoma.

milo: professional loller

Sunday AM, I got up at 6:30am, cooked some eggs and planned my cheer attack for the morning. Got to see Megan 3 times before 13 and even drove along side blasting Eye of the Tiger out my windows. The weather was amazing for spectators, which of course means it was too damn hot for marathoners. Bummer. But she had grit!

smiling at mile 10

I never stand silently waiting for "my runner". It only takes one race to make you realize how lame that is. People just standing there, silenting watching you roll by. I'd take Booing over that. If you feel weird cheering, here are some go-tos "You look strong (insert color) shirt!!!!". If there's a group, "That's right!!! Work together!!! YOU GOT THIS!!!" If (and only if) you standing within 200m of the finish, "You're ALMOST there!!" 

Tacoma Marathon has that small town feel and the runners looked stunned by random cheers. But SO happy. And what was funny is like 70% of the runners would look right at us and say thank you. A first for sure. Classy racers.

Oh yeah and my car got cleaned, that baby's squeaky.

happy marathon may!

The Vermont City Marathon has edged its way onto my calendar view. May 26th! It's coming for me. Or I'm coming for it.

Here's what I've been up to:

I'm feeling super fit though! Super fit, super sore, super tired...ready for my taper tantrums. I think...


Found the Vlog of advice Sally and I came up with last year for Marathon Month. All I can see are my highlights and lipstick... who has the time!? Who!??! Sorry, pre-taper tantrum. Alright off to eat and ice bath. Maybe at the same time. Don't judge. 

whidbey half marathon win

The last time I won a race outright was high school, when girls raced separately. The last time I won a race with both men and women or, more accurately, boys and girls was when I outkicked everyone in the 3rd grade gym mile trial wearing a jean skirt and white keds. 80s style. So when they announced me as the outright winner of the Whidbey Half Marathon I was all...

After this winter of hard training alone and missing my San Diego half because of the flu I was so happy to cross a finish line in victory! I hadn't tucked under 1:20 in the half since last April. This course was brutal and for the first 6 miles it was raining so hard it felt like I was running under a waterfall... so to cross in 1:19:47 made me very happy. 

started raining just before the start and got worse before it cleared (erica and caryn to my right, your left)

unknowingly taking the lead at mile 8, motorcycle escort just in front of me. 

caryn and me, tired #oiselleteam

It was also great to hang out withOiselle Teammates, Erica Hill and Caryn Heffernan. They were both just doing a little tune up for Vancouver BC marathon! Two weeks out!

Of course the hills and chopped up gravel in my racing flats gave my calves something to think about all last week. My mechanic (PT) was on vacation. So I treated it with some icing, rolling, stretching and Merlot. Now just some residual achilles soreness remains, and I hope to get on the track tomorrow for some 800s. 

Last week was a hard week not to be able to run. No pavement therapy is tough on my runner spirit. It didn't help to be constantly aware that I was 6 weeks out from the marathon and should have been doing big work. Luckily we have two Elliptigos in the office. I got my crosstraining done outside. JJ and I rode them to West Seattle last Wednesday. 

ready to ride!

I'm looking forward to my training this week and continued recovery of my legs. Thank goodness I'm seeing my healer on Thursday. 5 weeks out!