Monday, November 7, 2011

The Taper Blues

I just began my Ironman taper. This means my workouts are low intensity (except some pick ups during runs to make sure my legs are still alive) and much shorter than what I have been doing for the last several months. You would think that the short workouts would feel easy and great after weeks of long rides, long runs, and hard track practices that left me hobbling for days.


 Unfortunately that is not the case. My legs feel like lead, I feel like I am swimming so slowly that I may drown, and I am sore in spots I never was during the weeks of 110+ mile rides and 18 mile runs. Luckily for me, I was told this is normal. Coach said we may not feel great this week. We may not feel good next week. But we will be fresh and ready to rock in Cozumel. It is my body recovering from the weeks of insane miles I put it through. I also feel tired even though I have been sleeping 8+ hours a night. I also noticed that my miles may have decreased but my appetite sure hasn't slowed down!



I found a great article on Active.com about The Taper Blues and it seems I have a slight case of it! I have also almost fell into a few taper traps that Runner's World discusses. I have to keep in mind for the next few weeks that there is nothing I can do to squeeze in any extra fitness. In fact, it would be detrimental for me to even try. It is time to nurse my bumps and bruises, stretch my tight muscles, know that my workouts may feel sluggish, and get my mental game together for the big day.

I have never tapered for a race this big nor ever had a taper this long and I am certainly ancy! To the experienced Ironmen out there- please reassure me that this is how taper is supposed to feel and that I won't feel like this on race day!

14 comments:

  1. You'll feel like crap for a week or two, but you'll be all there when the race rolls around. People always find random aches and "is it an injury?" niggles that come out of nowhere to freak them out. Just view it as your body throwing a tantrum for what it's been through lately, and know that it'll get therapy and work through its issues by race time.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm no Ironman, but this is how I felt during swim season.
    Lauren, you are so going to kill this thing. I am SO excited for you!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh boy, I totally get it! Although I realize marathon is a different beast than IM, I'm your classic "omg, where did this injury come from? Ahhh, I'm so slow/tired/broken/etc" during taper. I have always been told to trust in the training, trust in the taper, and trust that your body will know EXACTLY what to do on race day. Hang in there :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. taper crazies, yup! you'll be exploding with energy by race day.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I've never done an IM, BUT everytime I tapered for swimming championships in college, I would usually put up some of my worst times of the season at a meet a week into taper. It's pretty normal, just work through it and ROCK COZUMEL.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Best of luck at Cozumel! I know the taper blues all too well! Hang in there and try to enjoy the time away from training!! I was in Coz last year nad loved the race! Have so much fun!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Yup, IM taper. My body was like WHAT THE FUCK, basically cranky when it realized that what I'd been putting it through for five months actually wasn't normal. And I totally felt like I was losing all my fitness (note: not the case at all). The last week leading up to IM was great though. It'll be worth it on race day!

    ReplyDelete
  8. My swim speed absolutely DIED during the final weeks leading up to my IM. But by race week it was back. Same was true for biking and running. Hang in there! All of your fitness is in the bag.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I'm no IM, and I don't really have any advice for you, but I know you are ready to kick some butt in a few weeks in COZUMEL !

    ReplyDelete
  10. Ironman taper feels like DEATH, but don't worry. you'll snap out of it just in time for the race. Promise :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Good luck with the taper! I know you are going to rock it in Cozumel.

    And thanks for sharing the articles. Definitely what I needed to read mid-marathon taper! :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. I'm tapering too right now, but I'm actually liking it! BUT, I did do a 45min. run the other day that felt harder than my 20miler! Taper craziness for sure!!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I'm glad I read this post so I know what to expect when I begin my taper for CDA! I got sick during the taper for my first marathon so I"m nervous about what will happen after much more intense training!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Good luck in Cozumel Lauren, I know you will rock it!

    ReplyDelete