Two more weeks of taper before the Twin Cities Marathon. I can’t lie, this first week in taper town agreed with me.
Here’s how it went:
Total Miles: 25
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 8x800m, lower body strength
Wednesday: Yoga, upper body strength
Thursday: 5 miles
Friday: Plyometric intervals
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: 5k + 10 miles
There was nothing terribly tapery about Tuesday’s speedwork. Yasso 800’s always bring out my inner doubt monkey. I doubted I’d even do all eight repeats. Then I was fairly certain there’d be a precipitous drop-off in pace. Well guess what? These were hard, of course, but a confidence builder. I managed to do them all with a mere 2 seconds in variance. The first 800 was my slowest. Take that monkey!
Thursday’s MP 5 was solid as well. Too fast in fact. Coming out from under that blanket of humidity we’ve had for the past several weeks does wonders for pace.
Sunday I took Thing 2 to her school district 5k. I was told I “could” run with her only if she didn’t find a friend to run with. After finding only boys, I was in. It was fun. The 10 miles I had left post-race to make my plan’s 13? Not so much. I swear it took me 6 miles to find my groove. Running later than I’m used to, there was more sun, heat, traffic etc. which I did not appreciate. I like my early morning shade and solitude.
In other news, it’s homecoming week at our high school. Thing 1 got asked to the dance. Back before fire was discovered when I was in high school, a guy simply asked you out. Now these poor boys have to create posters with witty themes and flowers and gifts and stage a spectacle. That said, I’m strictly forbidden to share pics of this extravaganza. I’m not sure how I feel about this whole dating thing, although I’m assured it’s all “a bunch of friends” going. This is uncharted territory for us!
How was your weekend? Are you a resident of taper town? Have you seen this extravagant dating ritual?
This Friday and every last Friday of the month is Runfession Friday! Be sure to share your run, gym and any workout transgressions and link them up. I promise you’ll feel better!
I’m linking up with Holly and Tricia for the Weekly Wrap-Up.
i can not believe some of the prom / dance “ask” videos i’ve seen. that’s just crazy. everything apparently has to be a production now. i feel bad for the guys!
My HS was so strange that we didn’t even have a homecoming dance. There was a homecoming court, but no one got “asked” to homecoming. I have seen the spectacles online and if it is all in good fun, I say who cares!? Just as long as girls realize that when they’re old like us, something as small as our husbands taking out the trash is like the most wonderful thing everrrrr! 😉
Nice work on the 800s! It’s such a good feeling to have consistent speedwork splits!
That is just nuts about homecoming!!!
The HS dance requests are really getting crazy – though I think they were a little crazy when I was in HS as well. Except while all the other guys were doing crazy things to get girls to go, my boyfriend (now husband) thought he was too cool for dances and decided he wasn’t going. That tune changed quickly when someone else asked me to a dance! haha Oh high school, how silly those times were.
ahhh exciting! The last two weeks before a race is my favourite, mainly b/c of all the carb loading 🙂
Wow, I can’t believe what kids need to go through to ask someone out now! For most dances when I was in HS we all just went as a group of friends. Otherwise, it was a simple process of asking someone out.
Great job this week, especially with those 800s! Glad you are enjoying the taper so far:)
Crazy high school dance requests are so bizarre to me. It’s already scary enough to ask someone out!
haha, I love how she said you only could run with her if she couldn’t find a bud. One day she’ll be asking to run with you instead 😉
Wow! Sounds crazy about homecoming! Great job on those 800’s! Always a confidence booster when your first was the slowest and the rest better! Way to go!
“Inner doubt monkey”? Ha I have one as well!
High school dating is not what it used to be for sure! I think it’s even worse now. I am so glad we only have to watch it happen now. Have a great week!
A dating spectacle?! Oh man, that would make me so anxious. Diving back into dating is horrible. Ha.
That’s a pretty awesome taper week 🙂
8 x 800s — better you than me & definitely not so taperish. You’re doing great.
I realized that I’m not really in taper yet, not with 3 weeks to my half. So taking it semi-easy while maintaining my mileage is the name of the game.
Only seen the elaborate dance invites on tv, since I don’t have kids. And I was never invited to any dances anyway. Heck, I married the first guy I dated!
HAHAHA!!! My daughter begged and pleaded to go to a friend’s house at 8 PM on a school night to witness such antics, to which I quickly said NO. She is, however, going to homecoming “with a bunch of friends” too. Ours is this coming weekend, yikes!
I LOVE taper!!! I’ve never understood the folks that hate it. How could anyone not enjoy the opportunity to recharge the legs and heal up those niggling injuries?
Wow, times have really changed for school dances since I was a child. When I hear things like those elaborate posters, it makes me realize that I’ve become one of those uncool adults who doesn’t understand, haha!
Can’t believe it’s coming so soon! Of course, it probably seems like it’s been ages for you. All the dating craziness of high school…I’m pretty glad to be past that for a while until my youngest gets there. My older son always chose pretty well, but my middle boy picked some doozies!
Isn’t it crazy, the homecoming thing? Matthew is going with his girlfriend–but now that he’s driving, do I let him drive to the dance? Sigh…
Posters with themes?!? And they actually do it? Wow, all the boys at my HS would have been dateless. Glad the taper is agreeing with you so far. I just came home from work today with the beginnings of sinus drain and a sore throat. Super bummer. I’m hoping to get in one last sprint tri for the season…this change in weather messes with me. Hope you stay healthy in your taper!
I don’t know about posters and themes, but my boys have to present the girls with flowers now. However, it could be that I’m not privy to what all is going on in that asking process. I am in taper mode now too and second guessing everything, of course. I’m debating over an extra rest day to help out a foot niggle. Ah….decisions. Enjoy your taper and thanks for linking up with us today!
Luckily my son escaped HS just before all that took hold. I have a hard time running after the sun is out – I can see why your +10M was hard.
Its ridiculous witnessing how extravagant asking somebody to Homecoming or Prom has become. I witness this far too frequently with my students. What happened to a simple, “Will you go to Homecoming with me?”
Great work on those 800s. Talk about consistent pacing! I’m really impressed.
A friend was just explaining the whole prom/dance proposal thing that takes place now – and all I can say is wowza! My poor son has no idea what he’s in for next year!
woohoo welcome to Taper Town!!
Great week!
Oh, goodness!
I have seen pictures on the internet of the elaborate homecoming and prom invitations, but fortunately, that was before my time and little man isn’t quite old enough to be bothered with that quite yet.
Wow, dating has changed drastically! Way to go on your 800’s! I have yet to do them this season and I’m kind of itching to do them! Last week was my cutback week, and this week I’m ramping back up again!! So excited for you…you are so close!
The HS ask outs are crazy! Everything has to be a spectacle. I honestly think if that happened to me in high school I probably would have said no just out of embarrassment!
I was just talking to someone the other day about these crazy things kids are doing to get others to go with them to these dances. It’s wild for sure!! Enjoy your taper not long now woop woop!! Thank you Marcia for your continued support for our link up. I’m working on my runfession post! 🙂
Nice work on the taper. We are just entering the school dance territory, too. I do feel bad for the poor boys. So much pressure.
My daughter started dating about 6 months ago. Its weird. Good luck ! 🙂
Speedwork is my favorite type of training run. Tapering? Not so much a training favorite.
Sheesh, these dating things are more involved than when Beer Geek asked me to marry him. (He asked me randomly as we walked down the street one night. No fan fair at all LOL.) As a mom of two boys, I think it’s ridiculous that they might be expected to do this. I think it also sets girls’ expectations too high of what to expect in an actual relationship.
I’m ready to taper, but I still have two long runs left LOL. Enjoy your down time.
Lots of runners I follow have begun taper season for the upcoming fall races. Best of luck in your last few weeks!
Great training week. Yes, back when I was in highschool (when the dinosaurs roamed) a boys imply had to ask too. 🙂 I am amazed at what great lengths some DO go to! What if a girl said no after all that!? Oh the pressure!
That is so funny how things have changed so much with regards to the school dances. How about the dresses?! I laugh when I look back at my prom dress compared to what they wear these days….and I had thought I looked good back then – yikes! Great workout week Marcia – I really need to start doing intervals. I find it so easy/routine to just keep running my same run all the time. Time to mix it up! Thanks for the motivation. Have a great week!
Hahaha….oh dear, you are in for such a great 4 years ahead. Don’t worry, by the time Thing 2 enters, you’ll be like “Ok, whatever, just let me know if I need to be anywhere and what time!” 🙂
Way to run the week, Louise!! I had a miserable MP’d run on Sunday. Which just bodes perfectly with the whole crappy training for TC. Hope I make the cutoff!
I can’t even imagine the whole dating thing. Parenting slugs along and goes by in a flash– what is happening? Enjoy your taper– I’ll be keeping a eye on your social media accounts to follow along as you go into Twin Cities. xoxo
So glad that My Lil Man is only 4. I don’t even want to think about dating. I haven’t been to taper town in awhile since I haven’t currently been training.. but I have to say.. I LOVED taper town 🙂
When I was in HS they just asked too. Now it is all about doing something Huge. Poor guys.
I always doubt myself too when it comes to longer track repeats. Way to go! I did 1K repeats last night and was doubting myself too but actually felt really good throughout!
Great job on your Yasso 800’s. I really need to start incorporating more speedwork in my training. I am getting into the bulk of my marathon training now. I look forward to my taper.