My Favorite Part of Training: the Taper

We’re just 16 days out from the NYC Marathon! I just got my official race handbook in the mail yesterday. While I’m super excited for race day, I think I’m equally as excited to taper. When I started training for my first marathon last fall, I read every blog and website there was about training schedules and preparing for your race. I came across a lot of articles about tapering, but every one seemed to suggest something different. The basic idea is to start tapering your runs as you get closer to race day, to give your muscles a break and start the marathon with fresh legs. On the one hand, it makes sense. On the other hand, I was quite concerned about how much stamina I’d lose without doing any super long runs for the last few weeks of training. Despite my trepidations, I followed my plan last year and discovered tapering is the best thing ever.

Results are in: Summer Bootcamp

It’s been a long 10 weeks of waking up early for workouts, but I’m kind of sad that my summer bootcamp at Fusion Cross-Training is over. For the summer boot camp series, participants received 10 weeks of unlimited sessions at the studio, one weekly outdoor bootcamp workout, a weekly nutrition tip and food challenge, and a pre/post fitness assessment. For the first 6 weeks, I was going to classes religiously, almost every morning. I could feel myself getting stronger and faster. I noticed the classes are much easier for me now as opposed to when I started and felt like I was going to pass out. For the latter half of the bootcamp, my marathon training schedule started and it was harder for me to squeeze in the classes. I still went at least two times a week, and I was running enough on other days that I was getting plenty of exercise.

Midnight Madness Run Recap

Like most runs I sign up for these days, I was both looking forward to and dreading the 20in24 Midnight Madness Run as the race date approached.

The 20in24 is a series of race events run along the Kelly Drive/River Drive loop in Philly every summer, benefitting Back on My Feet. The events include the Lone Ranger (50 and 100 mile ultra marathons), a Relay event, Pajama Loop, and the Midnight Madness Run.

The midnight run consisted of one loop around the 8.4 mile course, starting at midnight as the name suggests. Runners are required to wear reflective gear and encouraged to wear glowing items, with a prize for Most Illuminated at stake. I bought a string of battery-powered lights from Walgreens and threw on a few glow sticks for the occasion.

Here We Go Again

Monday marks the start of my official training for the NYC Marathon. This time around, I’m going with the Runner’s World 16-week plan, found in the June issue. It’s pretty similar to what I planned out for myself last year for Philly. But it integrates more hills and more intervals, both things I’ll need to work on for New York. My goal is sub 4:30. Ideally I’d like to run under 10 minute miles, which comes in at 4:22. It’s totally doable if I stick to the plan and don’t burn myself out before race day.

Philly Color Run Recap

I can’t tell you exactly why having paint thrown on you while running a 5k is amazingly fun, but I assure you, it is. Without question, Sunday’s Color Run in Philly was one of the most fun times I’ve ever had doing a race.

I read about the Color Run last year, and thought it sounded awesome and was jealous there wasn’t one closer. So when I read that the running tour was expanding for a nation-wide tour, I waited anxiously for the Philly date to be announced. Alas, only a New York date was listed. But I convinced Jen to sign up with me. Then to our delight, a Philly date was added! We registered and then I didn’t give the race much thought again until the week of the event.