Friday, September 28, 2007

Taper Time

Yep, it's taper time. Lucky for you, I don't have the wealth of taper tales that Eric does. This taper is actually feeling good... my legs have been tired ever since the Six Summits run and I am ready for a rest before Portland. I got a little too exuberant last weekend, running 10 miles Sunday instead of five. I'm ending up with right around 29 miles for the week. I was thinking more like 22. This coming week I'm going real easy - hopefully about 15 miles.

I know that's a big taper - but I'm being conservative and cautious. I've got this lump thing going on - I am self-diagnosing anterior tibialis tendonitis. This is where I had pain (right in front of the ankle) before the CCC weekend. It settled down, but now when I run long, I get this swelling right there - a lump. It comes and goes - but no pain, not even to the touch. Sometimes when I'm running it feels tight, other times it's fine. I have not had it checked out, though I probably should. For now, when it flares and I remember, I take ibuprofen and ice it. We'll see what happens after the marathon...

I'm excited about Portland (a week from Sunday). Rick, Jenny, Eric and I are driving down together, and we are all staying at Jenny's parents with a few more members of the Y Run Club. Rick and I are planning to run together, and it sounds like Rob might join us. In the fine tradition of bloggers, I'll lay out my goals:

#1 goal, as always, is to enjoy the run
#2 goal: shooting for a 5:15 (a little nerve-wracking...that would be 13 minutes off my previous PR
#3 goal: meet my previous PR of 5:28:37
#4 goal: if I arrive at this point, then my goal is to pull it in before six hours. Hopefully, I won't be near this goal.

I'm slowly building my schedule. I'm not laying out the whole year like I thought I would - we are taking it a bit at a time, trying to fit in Eric's new passion for long trail runs with the races I want to do. Oh, well, that just adds a level of spontaneity!

25 comments:

Wes said...

Enjoy! I can hardly believe I will do more miles than you in one week for the first time ever :-) One of my longest weeks and one of your tapers! LOL... Have a great weekend.

Donald said...

The taper should take care of that ankle pain, I hope. Conservative is good.

wendy said...

Ha, I'm with Wes. I might actually have more miles than you in one week! =) you should taper more often. ;-)

I think your #1 and #2 goals are in the bag.

Anonymous said...

three cheers for spontaneity!!! sounds like you are doing everything right, michelle. hope that ankle pain heals right up for you :)

Jenn said...

Have a fun time at Portland, although I know you will!

Anonymous said...

yay for tapering, and enjoy portland!

ps I got Heartsong Quilt in the mail yesterday, hopefully you'll be receiving it soon!

Randy - Maniac #788 said...

Have the greatest of times in Portland, your cyber-buds are all cheering you on!!!!! Thanks for posting your goals, it seems you aren't that far ahead of me for the distance, but I'm a confirmed "back of the packer", I'm just happy to know I'm in such great company. Good luck!!!

shawn said...

Spontaneity = running additional races in addition to those you already have planned. C'mon, I know you've got your '08 plans in your head. Good luck at Portland.

iJuls said...

Take care of that "lump" so that you can really enjoy portland. We'll be racing on the same day. Go Us!

Sarah said...

Sounds like you are tapering smart! I hope that pain goes away! : )

Joe said...

Ah, the taper...and it came at the right time for you.

What fun you guys will have...thanks for welcoming me last year at Portland so warmly. I'll post more on that this week.

Take care of that lump!!!

Anonymous said...

Enjoy taper week! I have one more week before I taper. It's kind of something you look forward to and yet wonder how to deal with it at the same time, huh?

Take care of that swelling - ice, ice, baby! :)

Journey to a Centum said...

Hey lumpy, how ya doing? So how about some taper madness stories?

Sarah Elaine said...

I have a lump on the front of my right shin. After an ultra sound it was diagnosed as being a stretched fascia. It doesn't hurt and as long as I don't do any calf raises in the gym it doesn't bulge too badly. My motto is that if it doesn't hurt, I won't worry about it.

Enjoy the taper!

Sunshine said...

Wishing you a healing week.

Unknown said...

I think your #2 goal should come before #1, but that's just my opinion. Remember, it doesn't have to be fun to be fun.

Anonymous said...

Great goals. I don't know how you are icing but for what you are describing it might be best to try to do an ice massage - freeze foam cups and then pull off the foam and go over the "lump" with the ice it should go through the following phases:
cold, burning, achy, numbness.

Best way to get a sore stubborn spot to go away or at least for me and my patients.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Good luck and have fun tapering.

Scott McMurtrey said...

Portland here we come!!

lizzie lee said...

Good attitude.

Let's see if any time we can join by Seward or Lake Washington, or any nice place around Seattle to run. My son will be moving to Puyallup next Dec so I'll have a "guest room" there so we also can run around your area....

My goals are very similar to yours. First to enjoy the run, then 5:30 and last, to finish (max time 6 hrs).

Life is beautiful and we must take it with its ups and downs.

take care and keep running

Anonymous said...

Enjoy the taper Michelle. Hope all your goals are accomplished.

Legs and Wings said...

Easy on the ankle - hope that gets better for you sooner rather than later. Have fun in Portland.

psbowe said...

Tapering is a joy...btw I sent you an email about dinner plans last week, but my number looks like it's 6 total.

ph_stanley@hotmail.com

Olga said...

Good list of goal for any taste:) Relax, it's all fun anyway! And yes, you know that better than anybody.

Sunshine said...

Very best wishes for Portland, Go Good Woman Runner!!

Anonymous said...

Portland is excited to have you!
Just found your blog via E-Speed and absolutely love it.
Look forward to reading you in the future...