HIGHWAY TO THE TAPER ZONE!!!!!

Repost from my blog piece for the IMT Des Moines Marathon

If you’ve been running long enough, you know what the sign above is referencing.

You’re training is going well. You have down what your hydration, nutrition, cute shoe and clothing strategy for every possible weather condition. Your 2018 John Stamos calendar is staring you in the face with that big circle around October 21st. You are looking at your schedule of runs and you see a weird trend…the numbers are getting smaller…and smaller…and smaller…what is happening?!?!?! I’m supposed to be running a marathon?!?!?!?! Why are the numbers getting smaller? What is that weird pain in my toe? Is my ear bleeding? Is that a hole in my shorts? Do I need new shoes? (this answer is always yes)…NO I DON’T WANT A FREAKING QUESADILLA!!!!!!!!!! You are moody, cranky and irrational…You have entered……..The Taper Zone!!!!! (dun dun dun!!!!!)

Obviously the above scenario is fictional…for most people…but there is some real things that will happen during the last few weeks of training. Now, most of your schedules will call for a 3 week taper. What this means is that your long runs won’t be quite as long, your short runs won’t be quite as hard and your rest days will become more frequent. If this is the case for you, there are some things you can do to make sure that the “taper crazies” don’t affect you quite as much as they will for others

1. Just relax!!!!
   • Yes, I know that it’s easier said than done, but just know that you can do it. Rest and recovery are a positive thing. Look up how many people use the #restdaybrags on Twitter. Rest is the best way to make sure on race day you come in fresh. Get an hour of extra sleep a couple of times a week.
2. Rest doesn’t mean sit on the couch
   • Contradictory, I know. Resting just means that your scheduled rest days should be days where you do something different to keep your heart rate up, but take some of the pounding off of those joints. Jump on a bike…like…get on a bike….don’t do jumps on a bike…that’s dangerous…and go out for a ride. Do some light lifting. Take an extra zumba class. Whatever you decide to fill that space where a run or two used to be, just get up and be active. Just stay active and you’re not going to lose that base fitness
3. No…Your leg isn’t broken…
   • Some of you are going to experience phantom aches and pains. Don’t go to the doctor unless something is ACTUALLY wrong. You probably didn’t dislocate your patella when you were walking up the steps. If your knee cap is on the backside of your leg…OK…maybe you did…Take this time to concentrate on rolling, stretching, and taking are of any niggles that seem to be creeping up. 9 times out of 10 it’s not nearly as bad as what your brain is telling you.
4. Take a multi-vitamin
   • Your internal body temp rises during exercise and can burn up a lot of the garbage that comes into your system from your germ factory children, but when you are not running as often or as long that gunk can clog up your system and sometimes bring on a cold. Fight it off with a multi-vitamin or make sure your getting a really good balanced diet of good foods…No…Dominos pizza and doritos are not good foods.
5. Calm down!!!!
   • How do we deal with stress in our lives? We run. When those runs are less frequent or less intense you are going to notice that you will fly off the handle about the DUMBEST things. The cat pooped in your shoe? Throw them in the washer (cold water and gentle cycle and put some newspaper inside to dry them out). The avocado you just bought is rotten? Call the grocery store, they’ll probably hook you up with a new one. No, that isn’t a gray hair…it’s just the way that your Instagram filter is shaded. It’s OK. Take a deep breath and calm down. You’re head will not explode. Take a yoga class. Meditate. Take a chill pill, man…
6. Plan out your gear
   • As some who has worked at Fitness Sports for four years, I am urging you…DO NOT WAIT UNTIL RACE WEEK TO BUY NEW SHOES!!!!! I see this every year leading up to peoples “A” race. They wait until the week of before they go get a new pair of shoes and then OOOPS!!!! They changed something in the shoe and now it rubs in a weird spot. If you would have planned ahead of time, you’d know and then you could try some different options. Seriously!!!!! But I digress…3-4 weeks out is a great place to think about your race day gear. Manufacturers recommend 300-500 miles for a pair of shoes. If you question the life of the shoe that is remaining, stop in and see us, we’ll figure you out
   • Planning out your gear also means that you need to make sure your shorts, top, hat/visor, nutrition, etc are dialed in. Think your favorite socks are developing a hole? Get a new pair. Seeing a seam fray on your shorts? Get a new pair or figure out a different pair. Don’t wait until the week of. Nothing new on race day.
7. Trust
   • You’ve put the work in. Trust the process. Get some extra sleep. Eat well. Hydrate well. Stay active. Believe in yourself.

I know that I joke around a lot in the list above, but whatever your schedule calls for your “taper” just know that things aren’t as terrible as what your brain is telling you. You’re going to have the urge to run and that’s OK. If you just need that stress release, just go for a short easy run just to work things out. The two weeks leading up to the race should be a time of focusing on what you will do on race day and how to make the experience your best…and time to get caught on some of those shows you’ve been meaning to binge watch 

Stay Strong, Run Long,