One Week Until Pasadena

The countdown is on for the Pasadena Marathon next Sunday. I spent this week wishing it were happening today. Tapering is tough, I prefer my worry-free running schedule, where adding or subtracting 5 miles doesn't fully impact my Sunday performance. I hope to be extra vigilant this week with my workouts. Nice and easy. A couple miles at a time, no huge runs. Rest the legs for Sunday's effort. I'll post the website to follow me on as the day gets closer.

Took it easier this weekend - two 8 mile runs and a 30 minute bike ride comprised the days off. Nothing too strenuous, although I seem to be running my longer runs faster than expected. This isn't necessarily a good thing since long runs are about getting time on my feet. After Pasadena I will be switching my training approach to accommodate this new philosophy - more time on the feet, less thought toward improving speed. I think it will benefit me during the ultra. That's a race that is truly about endurance rather than speed.

Morning running is going well. About 5 minutes after I get out of bed I wake up, so I'm only wrestling with myself for a short time. I've found that if I take my time and have coffee before I run, I feel much better during the workout. So I've built in a 30-minute bed-to-pavement cushion that takes some of the shock out of me when I start running. It means I have to get up a bit earlier to account for this time, but it's worth it.

Last random thought of the day - I crave coffee after I run. I think I've mentioned this before. Today proved it. Coffee, oatmeal a toaster waffle and a small granola bar before my 8mile run/8mile bike today. And when I got home (around 2pm) I made more coffee. It's Pavlovian conditioning I think. Coffee means warmth, sitting and comfort - basically the opposite of exercise. I've come to associate with post-workout rest so it signifies more than a caffeine boost in my head. And man does it taste good.