Taper Week 3/28-4/3

I just wrapped up what I think was a pretty proper taper week for the Eisenhower Marathon on 4/9. I ran just 44.8 miles, which was 6-8 miles below my goal. A few factors prevented me from reaching my goal. First of all, my run on Pikes Peak on Sunday, 3/27 left my legs much more sore than I ever anticipated. Second, my right ankle, which I sprained descending Pikes, was still bothering me early in the week. Third, I didn't sleep well all week because I was under the weather, possibly due to allergies. So I did what I could and still managed some decent quality. Going into a marathon PR effort, a little extra rest can never be a bad thing.

Monday - OFF

Tuesday - INTERVALS
AM: 8.8 miles on the HOA treadmill, maxing it out on speed. 3x1 mile at 6:00 each. Legs and right ankle still feeling it from my Pikes Peak run on Sunday.

Wednesday - EASY
AM: 8 miles easy on the Tomahawk loop. Legs better.

Thursday - EASY
AM: 5 miles easy on my treadmill.

Friday - TEMPO RUN
AM: 8 miles at tempo pace in Parker. The goal was 4 miles at tempo pace--not pushing it too hard but still nailing some nice turnover--and I hit it. Splits were 1) 8:13 (warm-up), 2) 6:20, 3) 6:19, 4) 6:14, 5) 6:18, 6) 7:58 (cooldown), 7) 7:51 (cooldown), 8) 8:02 (cooldown). Very pleased with these splits even though much of it was on a decline.

Saturday - EASY
AM: 8 miles on the Tomahawk loop. Legs felt pretty good.

Sunday - MARATHON GOAL PACE
AM: 7 miles on my treadmill. With winds in Parker gusting at over 50 mph, I elected to remain indoors and run at marathon goal pace on my treadmill. Splits were 1) 7:52 (warm-up), 2) 6:39, 3) 6:39, 4) 6:36, 5) 6:35, 6) 6:35, 7) 7:55 (cooldown).

Totals for the week:

• 44.8 miles running
• 5 hours, 33 minutes
• 6 total runs
• Stretching, yoga exercises, core strengthening and push-ups.

For the year: 850.98 miles

My aggregate mileage for the year to date is about 120 off from last year due to my plantar fasciitis at the start of 2011. I'm trying not to be depressed about my yearly mileage because I'm running well right now and I'd rather perform well in races than rack up big yearly totals. We'll see where I wind up for 2011 but I would imagine I'll go north of 3,800--which is usual for me.

My Eisenhower Marathon goals are:

• Goal 1: Sub-2:55
• Stretch Goal: Sub-2:50

Right now the weather for Saturday's race is high of 74 and low of 53, with isolated thunderstorms and winds from the east at 10 miles per hour. Not bad but not great, either. The race starts at 7:00 a.m., so my guess is that by 10:00 the temperature will be in the mid to high 60s. Again, not bad. Since this will be my first race at sea level since moving to Denver a year ago, I don't really know what to expect with my performance at a marathon run at 5,000 feet below where I live and train every day. Because I respect the distance and the effort, ny approach will be to remain in control and on pace (6:40) and to avoid going out too fast. I would like to cross the half split around 1:27 and the 20-mile mark around 2:12 or 2:13. What I do in the last 10K is all about heart and whether or not I did enough quality and long stuff in my training.

After Eisenhower, I'll transition to Jemez 50-Mile training, which will mean a few weeks of mountain trail running to get ready. My plan is to average 90 miles per week in the last half of April and through May. But, honestly, I think Jemez is going to be a tough race for me since I've spent so much time on the roads getting ready for the Eisenhower Marathon. I will not aggressively taper for any other races through the summer except for the Leadville Trail 100. I'll more or less train through every race on my calendar, though I'm quite sure Jemez is going to require maybe a week of recovery.

Speaking of recovery, on the advice of my new coach, who shall remain nameless for the time being, I've started consuming Hammer Recoverite after every run and I've been pleased. I'll be sticking with Recoverite through the Leadville 100 to help me stay as fresh as possible.

Challenge Yourself. Go Long. Push Your Limits. Discover Your Inner Champion.