This is it – the final week of marathon training!
It is definitely starting to feel real and scary and I’m feeling the effects of the taper. I’m moody and antsy and nervous, and my legs feel jumpy sometimes and sluggish at other times. I’m obsessively checking the Ottawa forecast for race day (it looks hot – let’s not talk about it yet) and I’m starting to doubt that my time goal is realistic. I’m also trying to tell myself that this is all just the taper playing tricks with my mind, and that I’m well-prepared for a PR on Sunday!
Here’s how Week 15, my second-to-last week, of Ottawa Marathon training went down:
Monday: 5 miles
Speed workouts during the taper are really just to maintain the speed and fitness acquired in the previous months, not to actually make you faster. This one felt pretty good. I did wonder how I would maintain that pace for 26+ miles, but I always wonder that about my half marathon pace as well, so I tried not to think about it too much!
Wednesday: Off
I had a work event on Wednesday night, and it was raining, so I took a mid-week rest day.
Thursday: 5 miles (including 2.5 miles at the NYRR Open Run/Brooklyn Half shakeout)
Friday: Off
Saturday: Yoga class (after Brooklyn Half cheering)
On Saturday I woke up bright and early to cheer for the Brooklyn Half!
I brought my “BROOKLYN WE GO HARD!” sign that I had made for the Brooklyn Marathon in November, and Carla brought our team’s big cat head poster on a pole. (Someone’s fiancée had made a poster of their cat’s picture for the NYC Marathon and it has since become a sort of club mascot. It got some pretty funny reactions from both runners and spectators!) 
Like mother, like daughter :)
#PPTCat rides the subway
Riding the looooong way back from Coney Island with my friend Madoc, who ran 1:28!
Sunday: 8 milesOne week to go! This was my last “long” run, and it felt pretty good. I ran to Prospect Park, where I met up with Carla for the second half of my run. We ended at Smorgasburg, where we met up with a bunch of friends for lunch.
TOTAL: 24 miles
So this is it…the final countdown. I have a busy week ahead of me, and then we’re leaving for Ottawa on Friday afternoon. Goals for the week are to pack ahead of time so I don’t stress out or forget anything, and to get as much sleep as possible!
Also, I’m FINALLY seeing Hamilton on Tuesday – we bought our tickets in October! – so that will be a welcome distraction from thinking/worrying about the marathon. I can’t wait!!!
Week 1 – Long Weekend in Norway (25 miles)
Week 2 – Back to NYC (23.5 miles)
Week 3 – I Just Bought a One-Way Ticket to London! (27 miles)
Week 4 – Bow-Ties with Tomato, Basil, and Avocado Sauce Recipe (30 miles)
Week 5 – Spring is Here! (26 miles)
Week 6 – NYC Half (22 miles)
Week 7 – From PR to PR (21 miles)
Week 8 – April Showers (34 miles)
Week 9 – Oops…I Registered for Another Marathon (35 miles)
Week 10 – The Power of Running Buddies (27 miles)
Week 11 – To The Lighthouse! (37 miles)
Week 12 – One Month Countdown Begins! (25 miles)
Week 13 – It’s Taper Time! (39 miles)
Week 14 – Birthday Week (26 miles)
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