Taper, Holidays, Diet

So, as everyone who has ever run a marathon knows, there is a taper a few weeks prior to the event.  This is this time that the runs become shorter and are just to keep yourself in the habit of running.  Fortunately/Unfortunately, my taper for Disney comes right over the holidays.  Good because, how would I be able to do the long runs with a hectic Holiday schedule.  It’s bad because I feel like there is too much good food and me and having no will power, I eat it.  Due to that, I don’t feel as finely tuned as I once was, which makes me think, I have to basically detox after the holidays so that I feel ready enough for the race to finish.  

The taper makes me nervous.  It is the same feeling I used to get before a presentation/test in college.  I start to doubt everything I have done up to this point and wonder if it was enough.  I pick out the little things that probably were inconsequential, but now they are a big deal.  I think; have I run enough miles to finish strong, I know I could have run more.  All those doubts run around in my mind.  Logically, I know that I have done enough; I know that I am ready for this race, but it’s a mental game at this point.  I need to overcome those thoughts and doubts and put them into positive thoughts for the race day.

a little patience...

i have never been a patient person.  if i wanted something, i would do anything and everything to get it, immediately.  sometimes this way works wonders, other times, you get hurt.  this applies to just about all aspects of life, but i will keep it about running/training.

this year, my brother brandon and i decided that we are running a marathon.  we chose the disney marathon and set off on a 26 week training program.  being that we both ran regularly, the training plan looked do-able.  i was about halfway through, and i hurt myself.  thinking that it was just a slight pain in my ankle, i slowed down a bit, but wanted to stay on track.  i wanted to complete every part of the training program, so i pushed forward.  however, the injury became more serious and i was sidelined.  needless to say, this sucked.  i couldn't run without tremendous pain and i became fearful that i wouldn't be able to completed what i worked so hard for.  it's depressing.  

so i stayed off the foot and running, as the doctors prescribed.  it was difficult.  like i said, my mentality is to keep pushing through, whether hell or high water, to keep moving forward.  but, as i know now, i needed to learn to have a little patience.  i changed the goals i was shooting for and figured that i would just have to wait.

a couple weeks ago, my brother and i crossed the finish line at the philadelphia marathon, on time and on schedule (according to the training program).  for the month prior, i had only tried to run twice.  ran 3 miles in so much pain, that i was hoping someone would pick me up and give me a ride home.  the other time i ran the 12 mile course for the tough mudder with a little pain, but the extreme cold weather numbed my entire body. so, i didn't expect much at the philly marathon, hoping to make it at least halfway.  i wish i knew what it was that day, but i felt amazing.  my feet, my ankles, my legs; just worked and felt so great.  probably could have run 50 miles that day...

i learned to have patience through this.  if you want something, you must work hard to get it, but you also have to keep the faith in what it is you want.  and then you will find that you can have everything you desire.