Ugly Toes

Picking and choosing lyrics again, but that's what got stuck in my head yesterday.

So this taper thing ... supposedly two things are supposed to happen:
a) you get all nervous and twitchy about the upcoming race
b) when you do run, it's fantastic because you're running less.
Neither of those things are happening here, a) for reasons discussed later and b) because Minnesota SUCKS:

The top is what weather channel was reporting when I left the house to run yesterday, and the bottom was what they were reporting when I returned. Check out the wind on the right side.

Running into that wind was brutal - I think the gusts were possibly higher than the 33 MPH reported. At one point I was running into the wind and it felt like I wasn't even moving. Just for fun, I stopped and ran in place for a few seconds. Just as I thought, there wasn't a big difference.

I still did my 3 x mile workout as planned because I am dumb. The first one wasn't so bad, as I was running on the DT and was slightly sheltered from the wind. It would've probably been a few seconds faster except that where I finished up involved running on grass because I wouldn't have been able to get across the street without stopping so I just turned and ran on the side which slowed me down. The second one was with the wind, except for the last 0.2 where I had to run into the wind which was hard. And the last one ... was basically all into the wind. The second quarter was the worst of the wind and I swear it felt like I was running 6mpm effort but my watch indicated I was running about 7:15. I thought I was going to be sick because running into the wind was so hard. But so while it was 20 seconds slower than the others, the effort was much higher. STUPID WIND.

Intervals completed, I had to run home. As I got near Big Blue, I started hoping that the Engineer had stayed a little late at work and would drive by. I would've flagged him down and gladly taken a ride back to the house. My face was cold, my right hamstring was getting sore and my hands were starting to freeze (I had on gloves, but the wind was cutting through them). I contemplated walking because I didn't want to run anymore but it would've taken me longer so I kept going. I did take the short way home.

I got in the house and found the Engineer on the elliptical. I dramatically dropped to the ground and said something about wishing he'd stayed late at work. "Oh, did you want the elliptical?" he asked. I replied that no, I'd wanted him to drive by and rescue me from running! He foolishly thought I was bothered by the cold - but please, windchills in the 20s and snow isn't that bad. It was that stupid wind.

One of the guys at work today said something about putting weights in my shoes and I joked that I needed them. When I first started running yesterday, I did almost get blown over.

I haven't been checking the weather forecast because we're enough out that it's pointless to think about, but I hope it's not as windy next weekend. I can deal with cold and I can deal with snow. I'm not pleased that I've only run long in shorts if I end up wearing tights ... the tights will be fine as far as chafing, but I don't know about the runderwear. I'm not sure what my tights/shorts cut off is going to be. Normally, I'd say shorts for 35 and above, but I remember back in '02 (4 years ago today actually) how cold the wind was and how my legs didn't really warm up because of that. If it's windy like it is here (today's even worse, I think the gusts were up near 40 MPH), I'll be revising my time goals.

1.00 | 9:01
2.00 | 9:23
3.00 | 6:40
3.21 | 2:00
4.21 | 6:41
4.41 | 2:00
5.41 | 6:59
6.41 | 9:46
7.41 | 10:00
-----------------------------
7.82 miles | 1:06:31

Now as far as a) goes ... I think this is the most calm I've ever been before a marathon. I'm not spending a lot of time thinking about it. I think I got a lot of the nervousness/anxiety out during the week I didn't run. But also it's a little bit of a let down ... my mom has an out-of-town meeting on Friday and Saturday plus another out-of-town meeting on Sunday, so not only will she miss the marathon but I won't really even see her beforehand. I hadn't realized I was planning on her being there or how much I wanted her to be there until she told me she wasn't able to reschedule things and couldn't be there. The Engineer's brother is out of the country on a work trip, so he won't be available to hang out with. I might meet some people from a running group I used to belong to, but otherwise the Engineer and I are kind of on our own that weekend which is nice in some ways but sad in others. The good news is I did get a hotel room for Saturday night, semi-close to the start line so I don't have to stress about driving that morning. But anyway ... I suppose I could be making myself nervous about my fitness, or that I'm not really at my racing weight, or the pace I've selected ... but I'm just not.

Here's a "great" tip to combat some taper anxiety: stop taking your birth control pills the month before the marathon and start charting your basal body temperature while waiting for your first non-pill period. Instead of fixating on the marathon, you can instead fixate on the fact that you're on cycle day 25 and haven't seen the temperature spike meaning that you've ovulated (which confirms your fear that you'd end up with ammenorreah or anovulatory cycles). Wonder when you'll get your period and if it's going to coincide with the marathon (wee!).

*

"Running is a big question mark that's there each and every day. It asks you, 'Are you going to be a wimp or are you going to be strong today?'"
- Peter Maher

"The body does not want you to do this. As you run, it tells you to stop but the mind must be strong. You always go too far for your body. You must handle the pain with strategy...It is not age; it is not diet. It is the will to succeed."
- Jacqueline Gareau

"No doubt a brain and some shoes are essential for marathon success, although if it comes down to a choice, pick the shoes. More people finish marathons with no brains than with no shoes."
- Don Kardong