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rockstarginaa
rockstarginaa Posts: 1,529 Member
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I completed my 20 miler yesterday and now on to 3 weeks of tapering before the race. Also learned the ankle pain I was feeling was due to old worn shoes. I ran yesterday in new shoes and no pain! Any last advice before my 1st marathon?

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  • brandyk77
    brandyk77 Posts: 605 Member
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    the taper is going to be a hard experience mentally. you'll feel weird pains and tweaks. you'll feel tired and moody. THIS IS NORMAL.

    Not sure on your training model, but I have always found it best to reduce volume but keep the intensity up to keep the legs feeling fresh. Also be very mindful of what you are eating and how much you are sleeping.
  • rockstarginaa
    rockstarginaa Posts: 1,529 Member
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    the taper is going to be a hard experience mentally. you'll feel weird pains and tweaks. you'll feel tired and moody. THIS IS NORMAL.

    Not sure on your training model, but I have always found it best to reduce volume but keep the intensity up to keep the legs feeling fresh. Also be very mindful of what you are eating and how much you are sleeping.

    I'm following Hal Higdon's novice plan. If I don't run high volume, mentally I feel "off." Should I continue with the intensity/speed training on the low mileage days? I know I should get more sleep than I do, and have gotten a lot better since the beginning of my training. Thank you for your advice.
  • brandyk77
    brandyk77 Posts: 605 Member
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    You keep intensity where you had intensity before (speed sessions), but you just reduce the volume overall. For example, when I am tapering, I'll do a 5k the week before. Normally that day would be a speed session but something closer to 10 miles or so.
  • pdworkman
    pdworkman Posts: 1,342 Member
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    Make sure those new shoes are well broken-in before the marathon!
    I completed my 20 miler yesterday and now on to 3 weeks of tapering before the race. Also learned the ankle pain I was feeling was due to old worn shoes. I ran yesterday in new shoes and no pain! Any last advice before my 1st marathon?
  • biobreak
    biobreak Posts: 33 Member
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    The hardest thing in the world is to pull back and do less. But that's what you need to do! Don't increase your intensity, don't overcompensate by taking on new projects, strength training or (as my husband did during his taper recently) paint the bathroom. Your job is to stay on target and make sure you're well rested and strong for the marathon!
  • rockstarginaa
    rockstarginaa Posts: 1,529 Member
    Options
    Make sure those new shoes are well broken-in before the marathon!
    I completed my 20 miler yesterday and now on to 3 weeks of tapering before the race. Also learned the ankle pain I was feeling was due to old worn shoes. I ran yesterday in new shoes and no pain! Any last advice before my 1st marathon?

    I'm taking care of this :)
  • rockstarginaa
    rockstarginaa Posts: 1,529 Member
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    The hardest thing in the world is to pull back and do less. But that's what you need to do! Don't increase your intensity, don't overcompensate by taking on new projects, strength training or (as my husband did during his taper recently) paint the bathroom. Your job is to stay on target and make sure you're well rested and strong for the marathon!

    I just need to push through the "mental" issue of this and take it easy as everyone has suggested as well as the program I am following suggests. This really is the bigger test for me throughout this whole process. Since I made it through the 20 mile run, I now have the confidence that I will complete the marathon.
  • raggedyangst
    raggedyangst Posts: 11
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    Ah, taper madness--ain't it a treat? I'm in right now too: running Big Sur on April 29, and have a two-week taper on Hal's Advanced. When I tapered before my first full, I decided to do my 2-mile why-did-I-bother-to-put-my-tights-on run straight up a steep hill. BAD PLAN. Stick to what you know won't hurt you. Read that book you've been putting aside because you have to go for 8-mile runs on a Tuesday night. Watch lots of YouTube. That seems to work best. Oh, and I love watching Simon Pegg's "Run, Fat Boy, Run" film. Gives me back my sense of humor, at least briefly.

    have a great race--it sounds like you're ready to rock that run!
  • ebaymommy
    ebaymommy Posts: 1,067 Member
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    Ditto with the "taper madness"....it's hard to deal with! Just also wanted to add in to not freak out if a couple of your last "tiny" runs (2-4 miles) feel hard. I remember the last run I did before my 1st marathon was 2 miles and it felt really hard and I just about panicked thinking that there was no way I could run 26.2 when I was struggling through 2. It's all mental!!!
  • pdworkman
    pdworkman Posts: 1,342 Member
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    Tips on tapering:

    http://www.glutenfreeislife.com/?p=4815

    http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-244--10201-1-1X2X3X4-5,00.html
  • brandyk77
    brandyk77 Posts: 605 Member
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    Ah, taper madness--ain't it a treat? I'm in right now too: running Big Sur on April 29, and have a two-week taper on Hal's Advanced. When I tapered before my first full, I decided to do my 2-mile why-did-I-bother-to-put-my-tights-on run straight up a steep hill. BAD PLAN. Stick to what you know won't hurt you. Read that book you've been putting aside because you have to go for 8-mile runs on a Tuesday night. Watch lots of YouTube. That seems to work best. Oh, and I love watching Simon Pegg's "Run, Fat Boy, Run" film. Gives me back my sense of humor, at least briefly.

    have a great race--it sounds like you're ready to rock that run!

    Hey I'll be at big sur too! I'm not doing the marathon (7 people I am traveling with are) but instead the 10 miler.

    great movie too!

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