Taper On

Taper time. Rest, eat, sleep, repeat. No strength training, short workouts, and sleeping in...it's the greatest week ever.  And most of all, trust your training.

Although this time is filled with lots of physical rest, I feel like its emotionally the hardest week.  It's the time you go through the "shoulda, woulda, coulda" of training and have the nightmares that something overslept or went off course. And with every ache, pain, or funny twitch you feel, you are convinced you are injured.

So what does taper time mean to me? It is historically my most wonderful time of the year, but taper time isn't what it used to be when you're working mother of two. I try to sleep in a little, with only one work out a day, but sometimes that one workout still needs to happen at 5 AM. Stretch sessions with the kids are a daily occurrence, and I drink water like its my job. I eat clean, (and try not to feel guilty about the banana and peanut butter, despite not burning those extra calories). And Biofreeze and I are besties, because again, the phantom aches and pains start up.

Luckily, this is a mini taper, (especially considering I put out 24 miles in the last 48 hours), which takes some of the emotional stress off. Looking to use this race to work on my full pace, and the letters PR will be non-factor. With this in mind, I will enjoy my bannanas and peanut butter guilt free, and sleep soundly knowing PRs are not on this weekends agenda.

2016...your year to be awesome.

Less than 12 hours and registration is open! And as a Festival 500 Mini Marathon Ambassador it is my job to promote the mini and tell you about all the awesome events surrounding it. And May 7th is right around the corner. So here's the niti griti of signing up:

• Sign up tomorrw (9/14) for the $65 until October 15th when the price jumps...lately the mini has been still open until the expo, but this is going to be THE YEAR it goes back to old school and sells out early...DO NOT WAIT
• How the heck to you train for it?! Ask me, your Mini Ambassador, and/or partipate in the training in the 3:6:10 OrthoIndy training series
• New Challenges for 2016:
• Mega Mini Challenge: Run the 5K and jump back in the coral for 13.1!
• Mini Maniac Challenge: Run all the training runs 3, 6, 10 miler, the the Mini, for a total of 32.1

Are you ready to head over to www.indymini.com and sign up? When you do, be sure to answer the demongraphic questions at the very end, and select me as the ambassador that referred you from the drop down menu...Still not convinced?

Here are your 13.1 reasons:

13.1 May running weather is awesome
12. Can't beat the fan base
11. Mini training is a great way to start shedding the winter weight
10. This year's shirt is going to be the best shirt...ever.
9. The IMS.
8. You get to kiss the bricks...as long as stopping doesn't interfere with a PR...which leads me to number 7...
7. The PR bell
6. Your kids get an official cow bell to cheer you on (ok, that reason might not be that great : )
5. Anybody who is anybody runs it
4. Post race party
3. The MEGA mini challenge
2. The MANIAC mini challenge
1. I convinced Jason Borem to run it

Hopefully those 13.1 reasons are enough to go straight to www.indymini.com and make it reality. This is YOUR year to get after it and be awesome. Believe in yourself...make it happen.

Running is cheaper then therapy

Isn't that the truth...and way less time consuming.

We definitely have a love/hate thing going. Depending on the day, the whole run is like a high where I  conjure up all these great things I can or will do and believe anything is possible. Other days....straight #strugglebus. But running is a strong, consistent relationship that is literally available at any place, any time. And any problem you have seems so much smaller after a run.

My running: when I'm actively training, I run four days a week. I'm blessed with a job that is 5 minutes from home and daycare. And if I have no after school meetings, I have a fair chunk of time before daycare pick up to get it done. And if that doesn't work out, we are also fortunate to have a treadmill in our garage for less than optimal conditions, (because God knows I love running in my 90 degree garage while my kids nap this summer).

Luckily, our relationship is on the upswing. The stars are aligned and I am starting to love running again. There were a few things along the way that helped:

• A new fuel belt. Lord comfort is key...and after 9 years my old, oddly fitting, missing every water bottle, Nike belt was done...and smelled.
• Back to some morning runs versus afternoon. Over. This. Humidity.
• Changed up my play list..finally cashed in the those ITunes gift cards from Santa. And yeap, Taylor Swift is up on in, and not ashamed to admit it.
• I've finally hit my nurition. Less expensive gels and blocks, more kid snacks..apple sauce and fruit snacks.
• Best change: ran with people. Like the Beatles said, "...I get by with a little help from my friends..."

Running also has a very special place in my heart. My husband is a runner...and our very first conversation centered around running. One of my fondest memory when we first started dating was Tuesday nights-we had a standing running date followed by cooking dinner together. Running is such a huge part of our lives, that it was only fitting that he proposed that way, right before the finish of Indianapolis's Irish Festival 5K 8 years ago, (even if put the kabosh on my PR that race : )

Bottom line. Running is a beautiful thing. If you are physically able, don't waste this amazing gift. And seriously. It is way cheaper then therapy. As much as goat rodeo my life is, cutting out my running is non-negotiable, and dangerous for anyone close to me.