Be warned: writing this while with a case of the taper grumps.
On Saturday I headed out to do my last double digit run until my 50k this weekend. I’m now familiar with how the taper goes: legs feel heavy; thoughts of I’ll never do this creep in; the end of the world is nigh! Every physical tweak makes results in a feeling of panic. So I wasn’t expecting much.
But this was beyond the bad run.
It was a warm day. I started off with a loop of a local park and then headed into the woods. A mile and a half in, there was a big hill so I walked up the steepest part. This is all part of my training. I ran a bit, walked a bit. It was the third time of doing the walking bit where my head just didn’t feel right. I’d already taken an antihistamine. I was also getting a headache that morning so I’d taken a couple of paracetamol – I don’t get headaches very often and though it might have something to do with the weather.
Ran a bit, walked a bit, almost threw up a bit. This was starting to not be fun and in a way different to other not fun runs. It was hot and humid but I was in the shade and I’ve been running in the heat in previous weeks. I continued to plod. Then I got to a point I had to stop. I didn’t like the idea of passing out in the middle of the woods. To be honest, I don’t like the idea of passing out! I never have. My temperature wasn’t high but I couldn’t work out if I was hot or cold.
It took a long time to get home. On the way I had to stop a few times and rest. I got home, had a shower and did nothing the rest of the day. Yesterday wasn’t much better. Today, I’m still not sure. And so yes, it’s the end of the world and I’m feeling grumpy!
Here’s hoping I’m 100% in the next couple of days. I’ve got a few short runs to do this week so I’ll just have to see how it goes.
Wish me well! And thank you if you’ve read this far for putting up with my grumpiness.
Training recap with 6 days to go
Monday – rest day; core and stretching
Tuesday – 4.4 miles, hot and humid and felt pretty good
Wednesday – 8.5 miles – hot and felt awful
Thursday – rest day, core and rolling, walking with hill and lovely views
Friday – rest day, core and rolling, walking with hills
Saturday – 5 miles as ill
Sunday – core and rolling
TOTAL – 17.9 miles
Happy running all!
definitely sounds like a case of the taper tantrums 🙂 think we all get there at some point and the longer the race the worse they are, so you have the ultra taper to deal with! but, if you’re gonna have a bad run, rather it be this past week so you are all ready to go on race day…enjoy the final week of rest…can’t wait to hear all about your ultra race adventure…cheers!
Thanks so much James! It’s times like this I wonder why we do these things to ourselves 🙂