Wake up, it's time to Taper!

This coming Saturday is our team's last big long run before the Boston Marathon -- 21 miles. And to that, I say, "Whoops, I forgot to blog," or more accurately, "Whoops, I forgot to train." Truth is, I think I hit burn out after Goofy in January, or maybe it was back in August after Timberman, or even way WAY back to last year's Boston. Who the hell knows anymore? The last time I remember not being in training was April 2011 -- 3 years ago. I was at the 2011 Boston Marathon expo as a wide-eyed onlooker, not yet capable of running more than 2 miles non-stop, but completely awe-inspired by everything the Boston Marathon represented. In the past 3 years, I've run a boat load of races, including 3 full marathons with number 4 coming up in a few weeks; completed almost 20 half marathons and set personal records multiple times; I bought 3 different bikes and completed my first triathlon (then my second, third, fourth, etc., including my first half ironman triathlon). I think I'm finally ready to agree with my family members who have been saying this for over a year: Give it a rest!

But first, oh, but first... I must complete the 2014 Boston Marathon. I've been joking that I've felt like I've been on a long slow taper ever since Disney, which was the second weekend in January. I took about 3 weeks "off" of running about a month ago, only doing my weekend long run, and one swim workout per week, but no other workouts. That was the best I have felt in a long time. I probably owe an apology to the many people who have tried to talk training with me (marathoners or not), or people who have suggested we go for a run/walk together. If I answered you with a sneer or if I didn't answer you at all, I apologize. Even talk of such things added to my burn out. The saddest part of my burn out was that I made a decision to stop using my beloved coach. The daily training regimen was certainly not helping me recover from burn out. I wanted to keep paying her, but not have her give me any workouts, but then I realized that I would basically just be renting a friend, and well, that's sort of pathetic. I definitely had moments when I'd excitedly think, "Oh! I need to tell Peej this!" but then I'd remember that she's not my coach anymore and then I'd just feel sad. Break ups are hard!

I might rekindle that relationship (also known as reactivating my payment plan) when I feel ready, but right now I'm sort of enjoying this period of carefree independence (also known as laziness). My fitness level has declined since last year, but that doesn't bother me. I guess I'm becoming better at self-acceptance, or maybe I'm perfecting gluttony -- sometimes its hard to tell the difference. I feel like I needed a natural dormancy period and since this Boston is about so much more than my individual race performance, I don't mind that this phase of rest is happening in parallel with Boston. The idea of having a time goal for this year's Boston Marathon seems too out of place (speaking only for myself, of course.). This race isn't about me, this is about raising money for the fight against liver disease, and honoring the victims from last year's tragedy, and taking back our finish line. There's no doubt that making that right on Hereford Street and left on Boylston Street will be emotional this year -- the thought of the time on the clock will be the furthest thing from my mind, and that is liberating.

Since there might be so many unexpected emotions on race day, I don't want my accomplishments to go uncelebrated. And to be fair to myself, I do have accomplishments. I might make myself sound like a lazy slob, but don't let my self-deprecation fool you: I still will have logged 100+ miles in the month of March. So that's why I'm so excited that on Thursday night next week, April 3rd, there will be a sweet, sweet, heaven-on-earth place for me to go. There is an event called Taper Madness which is "A party for runners and the people who tolerate them" which is EXACTLY what I need to celebrate not only this training season, but the past 3 years. It will be a night out with runners, some who I know and some who I don't know yet, to celebrate what we have accomplished already, and to buzz about what we are on the verge of accomplishing, or maybe we won't talk about running at all and will just "dance our faces off", as my dancing-capable friends would say. Apparently I've been doing it wrong because I have not yet lost my ass or my face while dancing. I'll probably be the creepo lurking by the raffle prizes, trying to finagle how to win the juicer. If you have been one of my loyal supporters over the years, or if you are just looking for a night out with some great people, please feel free to join me! What I lack in training, I'm going to make up for in spirit. Unleash the Beath -- Boston 2014 here we come!