Suffering Mental Paralysis in Taper Week - Help!

[marcylt]

My first half marathon is Sunday. Two weeks out, I successfully ran my 10 mile and felt GREAT! I knew without a shadow of a doubt I could do 13.1. The day after my 10 mile, though, I got the flu. So last week, I was off running from Sunday through Thursday. I was able to bang out a 5k and a 10k late last week, but then....I bombed my final long run.

I was supposed to do another 10 for my long run, and it's crazy hot in Chicago this week, I barely got to 7 and crapped out entirely.

So I was set to do 4, 3, 2 this week in taper and it's Wednesday and I haven't run since my Sunday failure of a long run. It's 98 degrees outside and I tend to jack up my ankle running on treadmills, so I'm paralyzed.

Someone talk some sense into me - should I buck up and run in the heat? Or trust that I'll be fine on Sunday even if I can only get in a mile or two? I do have a 5k training race tomorrow night that I plan to "easy run" - is that enough?

Sorry this is so long - I'm clearly nervous about Sunday!

[stinkerbell6879]

I personally think you'll be ok if you rest, run a mile or two. You did the 10 miler....You'll be OK to run the 1/2

[gnomesweetgnome]

IMO, you will be fine on Sunday even if you CAN'T get in a mile or two. Assuming you've done the proper training, you'll just have fresher-than-normal legs for your race. Don't worry too much.

[marcylt]

Thanks, ladies! I just got an email from a running friend and fellow Nestie that totally lifted me up. I am well-trained, I have done everything I needed to leading up to this except for the past 10 days. I've got this. I just needed to freak for a minute, ha! Thank you!

[shorty20]

Yup, you'll be totally fine. I was also sick the entire week before my first half and didn't run at all. I ended up feeling great on race day.

Good luck!

[hjohnson050711]

you are going to do fine - good luck!

[clseale]

I'm one of the weird runners that enjoys her tapers. I'm antsy in that I want to run my race, but not I'm never like, "OMG it's driving me crazy that I only have it on my schedule to run 3 miles today and not 12!" lol I relish it. I stretch. I do yoga. I cross train. I let my body take a breather from the months of hard training it's endured. Sometimes, I've done nothing but a few miles in the final week. My legs run best when they are rested and I feel great on race day. You'll be fine!

[foundmylazybum]

Have you not run in 4 days?

Just checking.

Just for clarification here--There is a major difference between not running and Tapering.

I'm not trying to freak you out (no really I'm not)--but I would say that this evening I would run some miles--and then do strides at the end.

Run some miles tomorrow morning with strides if you can and then run easy on Saturday.

It doesn't have to be some huge amount of mileage but just enough to keep you fresh and sharp.

Definitely look back on all the runs you have done up to this point and keep the confident thoughts going!


Also start hydrating now!