Paris Marathon Tapering Blues In All Sorts Of Bad Weather.

I don’t like tapering for marathons.

As a flaky obsessive with an overactive mind I find it difficult to relax at this point of my training schedule. When I can’t run, my regime goes to shit and I sit around eating nothing but Cheeseburgers and mini-Babybel.

I then reflect on all of my bad runs and how they somehow represent deep seated character defects.

Each bad run seems to point to eventual failure in the race I’m training for.

I brood for a while and get discouraged by running altogether.

As a response I try to cram in as many training runs as possible to compensate.

It never works.

I feel tired and I still can’t shift the thought that I haven’t done enough to prepare myself.

So

Given the terrible weather that’s just hit the UK/Ireland I’m happy to just rest and be calm for the time being.

Any runs that I do now won’t have much of an impact on the Paris Marathon outcome.

In fact if I run o w, the chances are that I’ll aggravate the twinge in my right leg and then fail to get to the starting line.

I’ve just gotta sit tight and wait.

But with tapering, I get a taste of my old life.

I’m confronted by how unusual this lifestyle is. Most people seem to achieve some level of balance in their lives without having to run 150 miles a month.

They eat healthily and walk a bit and everything is OK.

I can’t seem to do that. For me I’ve only found my balance by running and swearing in the dark and then scoffing myself blind on Cheestrings afterwards.

But doubts are just doubts.

I’ve ran far enough in the last 9 months to know that I’ll be fine for Paris.

I’ve just gotta fucking enjoy it when I’m out there!