All of your training has come down to this. Your taper was executed perfectly and now you just have to get plenty of rest the next couple of days.
This is all theoretical of course – my week has been much different with a newborn in the house, the craziest time of year at work, and still trying to give everyone in the family the attention they deserve. Needless to say sleep has been a challenge, but overall, I’m actually feeling pretty good!
I’m certainly ready for race day to be here and get this show on the road 🙂 This is my first time doing the half and looking forward to the experience (and starting at the halfway point of the full)! I guess you could say this sleep deprivation has been good training for the early wake-up call required to hop on the bus between 4:45-5:15!
Injuries
Injuries are commonplace when mileage and intensity are ramping up – your body is taking on higher physical demands and you’re constantly toeing the line between being healthy/injured while chasing down goals – it’s the nature of this sport.
Another thing I wanted to hit on is the amazing job some people are doing listening to their bodies. This close to a race, it can be very easy to try and “push through” any warning signs of potential injuries (or actual injuries!).
This is something I’ve struggled with in the past but getting a grip on these days. I’m feeling great injury wise, which I am very thankful for, but several friends of mine have unfortunately suffered set backs recently.
Sue Swor, Matt Welch, and David Hyopponen (Instagram: Sue/Matt/David) have all made the difficult decision to not race this weekend due to injuries they’ve suffered. Having been in this situation before, I know this is not an easy thing to do!
Despite putting in a ton of hard work during training, they all prioritized long-term health and future performance ahead of any potential short-term rewards of finishing a race this weekend. I RESPECT THE HECK OUT OF THE DIFFICULT DECISIONS THEY MADE!!
To everyone toeing the line in the 5k, 1/2, or full marathon – good luck and enjoy the race! To those singed up but not able to run, know that you’ll be on my mind as I head towards Canal Park on Saturday and hopefully you will be heading towards a finish line in the near future!