4/1/19 to 4/21/19: Taper & Recovery

I'm not really a big fan of tapering...I don't think anyone is.  Once you find the right groove in training, even though you are likely in a constant state of semi-exhaustion, you relish the opportunity for the next hard effort.  During a marathon build up you callous your muscles and your mind to the point that a scheduled long run at MP no longer looks unreasonable...it looks kind of fun!

So when most folks get a little antsy as they start a two to three week taper, I go in a slightly different direction.  I'll stick with a two week taper, but front load the week with decent mileage before cutting back.

As is normally the case the week prior to Boston, I'll race the Doyle's 5-Miler to start of the New England Runner Pub Series.  This year's race went poorly, but it wasn't a disaster.  It was mile slowest time since 2015 (had to look that up...that really sucks!).  But, with constant injuries this winter, I had no expectations except to race.  As I came down the final straight, I felt like I had the gas to go at least another mile, but at no point during the race did I feel like I had the legs to dial down the pace.  So...strength was there, but speed wasn't.

Often times the week prior to Boston, I'll still show up at the Harvard track for some type of shortened workout.  However, my piriformis continued to be an issue, so I elected to play it safe.  I ended the week at 50% of normal mileage.  And I had one injury scare when I biffed it 200 meters from home while doing a short 'test run.'  Yikes!

As far as recovery is concerned...I recovered quickly, however the piriformis is still a very legitimate injury and I can't sit down for more than 5 minutes with out the thumping pain returning.  Running feels fine though.

Boston Marathon Race Report to come tomorrowish...

THE stuff:

1-Apr		Raleigh & Commute		1:05:00		8.11		AM: Raleigh & Commute…says it all.
		Commute & Raleigh		0:56:52		7.03		PM: Commute at reasonable clip, slow with the dog.
2-Apr		Raleigh & Commute		1:05:00		8.17		AM: Same deal.
		Commute & Raleigh		1:00:00		7.52		PM: Commute at reasonable clip, slow with the dog.
3-Apr		Raleigh & Commute		1:09:00		8.12		AM: Same deal.
		Tempo & Track		1:24:00		12		PM: 1m warm up, 5m tempo at around 6/mile, 2 x mile at 5:55 ish into some crazy wind, then altered the workout and finished with 4 x 200 at just a smooth stride clip.
4-Apr		Easy		0:59:42		7.16		AM: 7+ easy easy.
		Easy		0:48:18		6.3		PM: 6+ at 7:39/mile.
5-Apr		Raleigh & Commute		1:04:00		8.17		AM: 8+ at a around 7:40s then added with Raleigh.
		Easy		0:50:00		6.76		PM: 6+ at 7:24/mile.
6-Apr		Easy		0:50:06		6.5		AM: 6+ at 7:42/mile.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
7-Apr		Doyle's 5 Miler PS		0:27:42		5		AM: Doyle's!  Pub Series!  27:42 or whatever for 5th place.  This was slow, but I felt pretty good.
		Warm up & Cool Down		0:35:00		4.81		AM: Warm up and cool down miles, whatever.
8-Apr		Raleigh & Commute		0:43:29		5.4		AM: Ran the pooch then the short route to work.  7:40s for me without the dog.
		Commute & Raleigh		0:48:19		6		PM: Commute plus the dog.  7:50ish without the dog.
9-Apr		Easy		0:38:34		5.16		AM: Short commute as usual this week. Averaged 7:28/mile.
		Easyish		0:40:16		5.64		PM: 5+ commute home and inadvertently ended up quickish.  ~7min average for the total with the last 2m at 6:40ish.
10-Apr		Raleigh & Commute		0:40:29		5.22		AM: Ran Raleigh then commute.  Again started to go slightly quicker, but held back this time to stay above 7/mile.
		Very Easy		0:27:28		3.16		PM: Drove, but still went to track for the warm ups, drills and strides.  Actually felt pretty out of whack, but I had to sit most of the day in meetings, so that didn't help.
11-Apr		Off		0:00:00		0		AM: Off.
		Easyish		0:36:35		5.17		PM: 5+ commute home and inadvertently ended up quick again.
12-Apr		Easyish		0:38:55		5.22		AM: 5+ keeping it real.  Averaged 7:27/mile.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM:  Off.
13-Apr				0:33:54		5		AM: 5m a bit quicker testing out the race day kit.  Averaged 6:46.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Carbo load!
14-Apr		Easy		0:36:06		4.48		AM: 4+ easy at 8per.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
15-Apr		Boston Marathon		2:48:18		26.38		AM: Not a bad result considering the uneven training.  It was also a sneaky warm and humid morning, and even warmer when the sun came out.
		Boston Marathon		0:05:00		0.53		Noon: Legal's was fun as always!  This mileage was the warm up.
16-Apr		Recovery		0:19:19		2.17		Noon: Very easy with the pooch at whatever.
		Recovery		0:41:38		5.07		PM: Neil requested double.  Not that slow actually.
17-Apr		Recovery		0:40:07		5.02		AM: Sub 8 already?  Ok.
		Recovery		0:40:46		5.17		PM: 5m recovery.
18-Apr		Rail Trail w/Eli		0:45:30		5.04		AM: 5m recovery.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
19-Apr		Truro Trails w/Eli and Raleigh		1:01:00		7.02		AM: 7m recovery on the Truro trails with Eli and Raleigh.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
20-Apr		Recovery		0:48:04		6.2		AM: 10k recovery.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
21-Apr		Aerobic		1:10:00		10.07		AM: 10m at kind of a tempo effort.  Just felt like going at a comfortably quick pace.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.

Totals: 95.65, 50.45, 72.67