Taper time

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It’s a difficult week. I’m on a taper in preparation for Sunday’s marathon. Hence, I feel tetchy, frustrated and antsy. I’m not sure if I will make it through the whole week without a run. I’m already itching to get out and it has only been 3 days.

I feel ready for it. I have plenty miles under my belt this year – 1000 so far – and I have done a couple of 20+ runs in recent weeks. I’ve also done a lot of hill work whereas the course I will be running is pretty flat. A daily yoga routine is keeping me supple and I don’t have any twinges so far.

The marathon is taking place in Thanet, which is an area covering the north eastern tip of Kent. Starting in Margate, it does a small loop before heading out to Ramsgate and back. There are a few small hills but nothing major. It is described as undulating.

My goal is to come in under 3:30 but a small part of me wants to go sub 3:25. I think it is possible, but it will need me to be on top form and for everything to fall right on the day. That’s the problem with a marathon, you never know how it is going to go. Up to 20 miles will be fine but then it is down to the weather, nutrition, mental strength, and other variables whether the strength is there to keep the same pace for the last 6.2.

An 8 minute mile pace will bring me in dead on 3:30 so I aim to dip under by 10 seconds for the first 20 miles and then see if I can hit the last 3-4 hard. 3:24:30 is my PB but that was set in Manchester where the course was subsequently found to be short. I’d like to beat that.

My plan is to carb-load this week on pasta and pizza. I’m also cutting out alcohol. I’ll be stretching every evening and will do a gentle few miles to keep my legs ticking over. Come Saturday night I will no doubt have a fitful sleep, going over and over the run in my head trying to visualize a positive experience.

Sunday morning, I will head off around 7:30 after a good breakfast and a mug of strong coffee. The race starts at 9:30 so no doubt I’ll be in the portaloo until 9:29! I’m still not sure what to eat during the race but I’m thinking of taking some Dextrose tablets and a pack of Marmite biscuits. There are plenty of water stations.

The weather looks perfect, 19-20 degrees and cloud. Not sure about the wind though. That said it is an out and back course, so it is bound to be a head wind in one direction and a tail wind in the other. I’ll just have to try and tuck in behind someone during the former.

We finish not far from the Tidal Pool so I can cool down in the sea. Hopefully celebrating a good run.

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