GRT 50k Training Week 17

6 days to go!! While I wouldn't say the last 17 weeks have flown by, I also can't believe that race day is finally almost here. For a long time all I could think about was just getting to the taper, and now it finally feels "real". This is happening!

Here was how my first week of tapering went:

Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Hill repeats
Wednesday: 40-60 min easy run
Thursday: XT
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 70-90 min long run
Sunday: 40-50 min easy run, Jasyoga - Sunday Reset
Total: 20.25 miles

* McMillian 3hab, Strength, Core programs 2-3 times per week

Obviously the biggest change in my training is volume. I went from 30+ miles a week down to 20. However the intensity was still there, especially with my last hill workout on Tuesday. I chose the steepest grade hill I could find, and while it was almost impossible to hold to my 5k race pace up the incline and switchbacks, I just focused on form and remaining steady. I finished the workout and reflected on how far I have come with hills over the course of this plan. While I still plan to walk most uphills during the race to save my legs, at least I know I can push on tired legs.

Another change this week was finishing the McMillan Core program. The strength program ended last week, as it is recommended to finish about 7-10 days out from your race. While I will still do some yoga over the coming week, it feels good to have finished the three levels of core work, and I can definitely tell my core is much much stronger than ever. 

My last "long" run was felt so short to me compared to the hours and hours I have been running, but it was nice. I ran nice and easy, and tried to enjoy the spring scenery rather than focusing on pushing myself to a certain pace or time. I know that this run means nothing in the grand scheme of things and that how I perform on race day has nothing to do with how this run went which is why I made it as positive and fun as possible.

Runner Highs:

• Plan Completion: Finishing my last full week of training is something that has been a long time coming, and it felt great to check off the final hill and long run workouts. I feel confident in my training, and in the fact that I have completed every single workout of my plan. There have been no skipped runs, no shortened runs, no excuses. Regardless of how race day goes, I committed to my plan and completed it fully.

Challenges:

• Heat acclimation: Suddenly it is "spring" and temps rose to almost 90 on Wednesday. I felt so exhausted both during the run and afterwards, and I can only blame the heat for that one. The heat sucked away all my energy. Right now race day is looking to be around 78 which is a little warmer than I would prefer, but my hope is that some of these really hot runs will help me acclimate just a bit before race day. 

Right now I am focusing on getting everything ready before I leave for PA on Thursday. I have several lists of food and gear I need to bring, in addition to maps and timelines for my crew (basically my husband). Being as prepared as possible really helps me feel in control of the situation and this eases my nerves.

I am also focusing on staying in a positive mental state and not letting too much stress get to me. Sure I am nervous and worried about a lot, but I am controlling what I can. I have moments where fear and doubt creep in, but I also believe that I am stronger and more experienced than I was last year and that regardless of how difficult this race may be, I am not the same person I was last year. This is not the same race, my training was different, and I can't let last year haunt me any longer.

 Stay tuned later in the week for a final check-in before race day!