MCM or Bust (seriously, dude, it may bust!)

So as of this morning, I ran the schedule just like it was last week - 5/8/5. That's 2 more miles on Wednesday than the first week of taper calls for, but it felt good and left me with the chance to run this week like it was a peak week, and postpone my taper, leaving me with a two week taper instead of three, should I decide to go long this morning.
It was a spectacular morning here (good thing for the Hartford Marathon, which was today!), and I was well-nourished, well-rested and just ready to rock and roll. Even so, when I headed out, though equipped for another 20, I left myself the option of stopping at 10 or 15, depending on how I felt. No point in trudging through a dreary run and just wearing myself out.
I chose to run this in four loops of five miles each. That way I could replenish water and down a gel more frequently. That worked out great. I saw more of the same real estate more than I would have liked, but I was in a much better place while watching it over again!
I felt strong throughout this run. Splits below. The longer splits for miles 6 and 11 include the stop at the car to pee, get a gel down and replenish water (at 11 I had to refill a bottle, and I had to walk a ways into the woods to relieve myself - too many people around!). When I got to the rest stop just past 15, I was able to just grab 'n go, so it doesn't stand out.
I picked it up for the last couple, and felt great. I feel surprisingly great post-run. Now I REALLY have to taper. So, first step is I'm not running tomorrow! Maybe an easy bike ride to loosen things up.

I tend to do my long runs in 5 mile loops for the same reasons you mentioned.  It does get a bit boring but works well for refueling and hydrating.

Nice job on the long run...looks like you're in good shape and ready for taper.

Nice run!!!  Have a good taper.

Very nicely done! Now, taper!

Thanks everyone. Yes, I vow to taper!

Started my revised taper off right by taking Sunday off completely. Felt strange on a perfectly nice day with minimal competing obligations to not go out for at least a short one. But I vowed to taper, so was lazy. I did eat a bunch of freshly baked apple pie, so I'm pretty sure that was essential to my taper and qualifies as some kind of cross-training. Right?
I'm traveling late this week, and decided since I had Sunday off, I can move the t/w/th runs to m/t/w, and they are easy anyway. I took off work early yesterday, and it was a beautiful day here, so I had a nice hilly 4 miler on the road, starting in my driveway. I enjoyed the downhills! Nice run.
The next two will either be treadmill or track, depending on scheduling and weather (and whether there are any evening soccer games at the track!).
I feel pretty good. Time to start obsessing about unpredictable weather. Oh, and I ate some more pie!

Mmmm...pie...that must be a new taper regimen, as I had homemade pumpkin pie on Sunday night.  Just keep saying that the weather is going to be great!!!

We went to a nearby farmstand on Sunday afternoon to get some maple kettle corn (my wife bought some there the week before, but I ate the gigantic bag before she'd had more than a few handfuls, so I was guilted into going back for more). Of course, while we were there, they had numerous other goodies, including baked goods.
We grabbed half a dozen cider donuts (wow, those were good) and the kettle corn, and as we were about to checkout, they asked if we wanted a freshly baked pie, just out of the oven. Hard to turn down. Delicious. The weird thing is that no one else ate any, and now it's in the fridge calling to me, and I am polishing it off a slice at a time. Of course, it needs some ice cream to go with it...
I'll way 450 lbs before taper is over!

Michael Enright wrote:We went to a nearby farmstand on Sunday afternoon to get some maple kettle corn (my wife bought some there the week before, but I ate the gigantic bag before she'd had more than a few handfuls, so I was guilted into going back for more). Of course, while we were there, they had numerous other goodies, including baked goods.
We grabbed half a dozen cider donuts (wow, those were good) and the kettle corn, and as we were about to checkout, they asked if we wanted a freshly baked pie, just out of the oven. Hard to turn down. Delicious. The weird thing is that no one else ate any, and now it's in the fridge calling to me, and I am polishing it off a slice at a time. Of course, it needs some ice cream to go with it...
I'll way 450 lbs before taper is over!

Aren't you supposed to watch your caloric intake during taper?

Nick Morris wrote:

Michael Enright wrote:We went to a nearby farmstand on Sunday afternoon to get some maple kettle corn (my wife bought some there the week before, but I ate the gigantic bag before she'd had more than a few handfuls, so I was guilted into going back for more). Of course, while we were there, they had numerous other goodies, including baked goods.
We grabbed half a dozen cider donuts (wow, those were good) and the kettle corn, and as we were about to checkout, they asked if we wanted a freshly baked pie, just out of the oven. Hard to turn down. Delicious. The weird thing is that no one else ate any, and now it's in the fridge calling to me, and I am polishing it off a slice at a time. Of course, it needs some ice cream to go with it...
I'll way 450 lbs before taper is over!

Aren't you supposed to watch your caloric intake during taper?

Not with regard to pie, no.
All the experts recommend lots of pie.

Michael Enright wrote:

Nick Morris wrote:

Michael Enright wrote:We went to a nearby farmstand on Sunday afternoon to get some maple kettle corn (my wife bought some there the week before, but I ate the gigantic bag before she'd had more than a few handfuls, so I was guilted into going back for more). Of course, while we were there, they had numerous other goodies, including baked goods.
We grabbed half a dozen cider donuts (wow, those were good) and the kettle corn, and as we were about to checkout, they asked if we wanted a freshly baked pie, just out of the oven. Hard to turn down. Delicious. The weird thing is that no one else ate any, and now it's in the fridge calling to me, and I am polishing it off a slice at a time. Of course, it needs some ice cream to go with it...
I'll way 450 lbs before taper is over!

Aren't you supposed to watch your caloric intake during taper?

Not with regard to pie, no.
All the experts recommend lots of pie.

Yeah, I think that's a law somewhere.



Enjoy taper!

Nick Morris wrote:

Michael Enright wrote:We went to a nearby farmstand on Sunday afternoon to get some maple kettle corn (my wife bought some there the week before, but I ate the gigantic bag before she'd had more than a few handfuls, so I was guilted into going back for more). Of course, while we were there, they had numerous other goodies, including baked goods.
We grabbed half a dozen cider donuts (wow, those were good) and the kettle corn, and as we were about to checkout, they asked if we wanted a freshly baked pie, just out of the oven. Hard to turn down. Delicious. The weird thing is that no one else ate any, and now it's in the fridge calling to me, and I am polishing it off a slice at a time. Of course, it needs some ice cream to go with it...
I'll way 450 lbs before taper is over!

Aren't you supposed to watch your caloric intake during taper?

He's watching it.  He's watching it increase a lot.

So Michael...I just saw this on the MCM Facebook page:

"Dear Runners,

Since the government shutdown occurred, the Marine Corps Marathon continues its coordination with hopes of a conclusion in time to host the event without impact. Without a resolution to the government shutdown this week, the MCM as planned is in jeopardy of being cancelled.

While still considering and exploring all possible options, the MCM has targeted this Saturday, October 19 as the date to officially notify runners of the status of the event. It is sincerely the hope of everyone associated with the organization of this event that MCM participants can run as planned."


Do you have a contingency plan??

Nick Morris wrote:So Michael...I just saw this on the MCM Facebook page:

"Dear Runners,

Since the government shutdown occurred, the Marine Corps Marathon continues its coordination with hopes of a conclusion in time to host the event without impact. Without a resolution to the government shutdown this week, the MCM as planned is in jeopardy of being cancelled.

While still considering and exploring all possible options, the MCM has targeted this Saturday, October 19 as the date to officially notify runners of the status of the event. It is sincerely the hope of everyone associated with the organization of this event that MCM participants can run as planned."


Do you have a contingency plan??

Yes, I have a contingency plan: Philly, three weeks later.
I registered for Philly a few weeks ago, when I saw it was still open, and I was thinking of all the times I had a lousy fall marathon, but by the time I looked at Philly, it was too late. I even thought depending on how MCM goes, I might run two again this year. I did not think the gov't shutdown would be an issue, but I'm glad I registered for it.
Only problem is that I'm planning on running MCM with my buddy Steve, and we would miss that opportunity. Hopefully the geniuses in DC will figure out the shutdown thing and MCM will go forward.

Had another really nice taper run last night - 5 miles at the track. Happily, the lights were on at the tennis courts next to the track, so for the first 4.2 miles I had light. When they threw the switch and plunged me into darkness, I still had a nice bright moon to light my way. Felt great and breezed along at 9:00 per.
Only issue I have is that the last couple of runs I've noticed a slight pain on the top of my right foot. I feel it after the run. Not a big deal, but one of the worrisome taper things, where I exaggerate things like that. I have 4 tonight, almost certainly on the mill while watching the Red Sox and Tigers, and then I'm shutting it down for Th/F while I travel, so the timing is good on that.
Oh, and I had more pie last night. I think pie is essential to preparation for glycogen buildup. I think I read that somewhere. Particularly dutch apple with vanilla ice cream.

Hopefully the clowns in DC will work things out before MCM.  Keep up the good work.  Taper sucks (and I just started).

Michele \"1L" Keane wrote:Hopefully the clowns in DC will work things out before MCM.  Keep up the good work.  Taper sucks (and I just started).

Thanks Michele. I'm always waiting to stub my toe horribly on something during taper.
Or there was that one time when I got horrible poison ivy the week before. You can't predict where it's going to come from!

Michael Enright wrote:Had another really nice taper run last night - 5 miles at the track. Happily, the lights were on at the tennis courts next to the track, so for the first 4.2 miles I had light. When they threw the switch and plunged me into darkness, I still had a nice bright moon to light my way. Felt great and breezed along at 9:00 per.
Only issue I have is that the last couple of runs I've noticed a slight pain on the top of my right foot. I feel it after the run. Not a big deal, but one of the worrisome taper things, where I exaggerate things like that. I have 4 tonight, almost certainly on the mill while watching the Red Sox and Tigers, and then I'm shutting it down for Th/F while I travel, so the timing is good on that.
Oh, and I had more pie last night. I think pie is essential to preparation for glycogen buildup. I think I read that somewhere. Particularly dutch apple with vanilla ice cream.

I see that taper hasn't dampened your humor   Good luck with your four miler.  Go Sox??

I didn't realize the benefits of pie during taper...I think I'm going to enjoy the next 3 weeks more than I realized.

Not a big sports fan but Jacoby is a local boy...and there aren't to many 'famous' people from Madras so I'll be watching the game as well.

Nick Morris wrote:

Michael Enright wrote:Had another really nice taper run last night - 5 miles at the track. Happily, the lights were on at the tennis courts next to the track, so for the first 4.2 miles I had light. When they threw the switch and plunged me into darkness, I still had a nice bright moon to light my way. Felt great and breezed along at 9:00 per.
Only issue I have is that the last couple of runs I've noticed a slight pain on the top of my right foot. I feel it after the run. Not a big deal, but one of the worrisome taper things, where I exaggerate things like that. I have 4 tonight, almost certainly on the mill while watching the Red Sox and Tigers, and then I'm shutting it down for Th/F while I travel, so the timing is good on that.
Oh, and I had more pie last night. I think pie is essential to preparation for glycogen buildup. I think I read that somewhere. Particularly dutch apple with vanilla ice cream.

I see that taper hasn't dampened your humor   Good luck with your four miler.  Go Sox??

I'm pretty much signed onto "Go Sox". My history is with Sox of a different color, but I proclaimed myself a Red Sox sympathizer, if not a true fan, when I moved out here. Having said that, I'm a big Jim Leyland fan, and the characters on Detroit are a lot of fun, and I have warm memories of the Cards/Tigers '68 series, so feel a bit conflicted.

nkrichards wrote:I didn't realize the benefits of pie during taper...I think I'm going to enjoy the next 3 weeks more than I realized.

Not a big sports fan but Jacoby is a local boy...and there aren't to many 'famous' people from Madras so I'll be watching the game as well.

It's all about the pie! Meb said that, I think.

That's ok, I'm the Red Sox fan, so we are equal.

Michele \"1L" Keane wrote:That's ok, I'm the Red Sox fan, so we are equal.

Well, I was cheering as loudly as anyone else around here in 2004, and I do love the change in the Red Sox after last year - it's certainly been a fun season (and they are looking good the last couple of games, that's for sure).

Definitely a Red Sox fan...and now spend 6 months in their winter training grounds   Go Sox!

Love the 'pie' taper...waiting to see the outcome.  May incorporate that into my next taper...whenever I get there!

Paula Sue wrote:Definitely a Red Sox fan...and now spend 6 months in their winter training grounds   Go Sox!

Love the 'pie' taper...waiting to see the outcome.  May incorporate that into my next taper...whenever I get there!

Thanks Paula Sue! I haven't had any pie since Wednesday night (been out of town, away from pie), and ran 8 this morning and felt just "ok." I'm attributing it to lack of pie!

Actually, it was fine. I've noticed over the years that the last "long" run of the taper is often somehow disappointing. I ran this one just right - not too fast. It was nice to have my oldest with me for the first mile. He's been doing a lot of working out and a little running, and was going out for a slow five. I was heading out for an easy eight, so I kept him company for the first mile, nice and slow, then picked it up to my normal pace and saw him back at the finish. He is doing ok!

I'm down to the short runs - 3 and 4 milers, and only three or four of those. Hard to believe.