Taper Week: The Final Stretch
It’s taper week!
Taper week – a phrase that resonates with seasoned runners. As the final countdown begins to a race, the atmosphere is charged with anticipation, nerves, and a palpable sense of readiness. Taper week marks the culmination of months of training, where every stride, interval, and long run is meticulously planned and executed. Taper week emerges as a delicate balance between rest and readiness, a period where the body rejuvenates while the mind simmers with excitement and apprehension. Join me on this journey through taper week – a time of reflection, preparation, and anticipation before the excitement of race day.
My half marathon is less than one week away. Today, a friend asked me if I was excited, and honestly, I’m not. I love running, but I’m in a different season right now. I don’t run the way I used to because I am not a part of a fitness community anymore. I’m in a new city with new surroundings, which feels different. I don’t want my old life back, but I want to be happy doing the hobbies that I like to do with people who love to do similar hobbies. I haven’t found happiness in running the way I’ve seen it in writing yet. With writing, I write, and you read. With running, I run, but I don’t talk about it as much as I’d like to. I plan to discuss my runs and maybe sign up for more races to regain my mojo.
I didn’t do a long run this weekend. I did a series of 20-minute run classes on the Peloton app. It was nice returning to the app and doing some fun runs instead of these longer distances I’ve been practicing alone. Pro tip: if you’re practicing for a race, you don’t have to do the speeds and inclines the instructors call out if you don’t want to.
This week, I need to focus on my water intake; I’ve been slacking. I think back to two years ago and how I was drinking a gallon per day, and now I’m struggling to get past 64 ounces. I don’t need to drink one gallon of water, but I need to do more than 64 ounces. As I’m writing this, I’ve had 16.9 ounces of water to drink, and we are nearly three hours away from my bedtime, so I need to step it up.
As taper week draws close, anticipation lingers, intertwined with a newfound appreciation for rest and recovery. What begins as a week of physical reprieve will blossom into a mental recalibration – a time to honor the journey that led me here and to envision the road ahead. With each passing day, I plan to nourish my body and nurture my spirit. I plan to carry with me the lessons learned, the strength gained, and the unwavering determination to conquer the miles that lie ahead. Taper week may be coming close, but the journey is far from over. As I step to the starting line of a race I’ve been looking forward to running, I will embrace the challenges, savor the victories, and revel in the sheer joy of running.
