It’s taper time once again for those running the Pittsburgh Marathon and Half Marathon and that can mean only one thing.

PANIC! OUCH! OOH CAKE! MUST RUN MORE! OUT OF TIME! EXPLETIVE! MORE EXPLETIVES! MORE CAKE!

Are you second guessing yourself? Your training? Your entire life? Good news! Most of those tapering are going through their own personal hell. My first hell…I mean taper this year isn’t starting until May 23rd so let me give you some advice from a semi-rational mind. Kind of rational mind. Okay, I am a madman, but I am not a tapering madman so here we go…..

Taper not Tapir

Ouch!

Things will hurt. This doesn’t mean you are injured. We have all been training hard and putting incredible load on our bodies. Now it is time to step back from that and heal up for race day. As your body heals up (which takes 2-3 weeks) migrating sore spots are likely. Don’t panic. Just ride it out. Keep running though! The worst thing you can do is stop running entirely. The goal is to reduce your mileage , while keeping the same intensity. Keeping moving will keep your muscles from tightening up. Make sure to lightly stretch and foam roll after you run as well.

I’m Tired!

Fatigued? Yup…also normal. Your body is using energy to heal and repair itself. Make sure you are eating good, nutritious foods to help fuel that process of healing.  Also, there is a reduced amount of feel-good endorphins regularly flowing through your body leading to the next point.

I Am Grumpy!

Grrrrrrr

No, don’t eat a Snickers. The reduced endorphins and an inability to get your run-fix may have you feeling a bit irritable. Also normal. Warn your boss, friends, and family that you may be a little angry in coming days. You will want the support of those around you.

So what do you do during taper?

First off you run! Just less than you have been. Now that that is out of the way you have time. Take up a hobby like binge drinking or skateboarding. Just kidding! Stay safe and injury free. Eat well, but remember you do not need as much food as when you are running high mileage in training. Get some time in with the family and friends. They haven’t seen you much over the past few months.  Do you have any other interests aside from running? Now is the time to pick up your old stamp collection book.

• You may choose to carb-load starting about 3 days before the race. The goal here is to top off your liver and muscle’s glycogen stores which will provide much of your energy during the first 2 hours or so of the race. This doesn’t mean eat a whole box of pasta. Simply add in an additional fist-sized serving of carbs to your regular meals.
• Make a list and check it thrice. Make a checklist of everything you will need for race day and start this list days in advance. If you are like me I’ll think of additional things over the next few days and can add them on. Put EVERYTHING you need on the list. Maybe you think you won’t ever forget your Garmin….I have. Put it on the list.
• Two nights before gather up what you need. Get that checklist out and start gathering everything together in one place. Much to my fiancés chagrin I put everything on the kitchen table. Hydration, fuel, clothing, throw-aways, garmin, post-race gear. All the things all in one place. Figure out when you will leave your house and where you will park.  Get to bed early. It is probable you won’t sleep much the night before the race, so this is the time to get a good restful sleep.
• The night before go over your list again and make sure you have everything. The less you have to do race morning the better. Try and get in and out of the expo quickly. Don’t wear yourself out spending hours and hours there. Now go try and get some sleep!
• Race Day! Execute the plan! Get up, get ready, and go get that bling you have worked so hard for! It won’t be easy, but it will be awesome and it will be worth it!