There are 12 days left until Around the Bay.  Since I haven’t really been following a schedule, other than getting ideas from the Running Room’s marathon training guide, I have no idea what I should be doing right now.  I have looked at the 30k training guide on the race’s website, but I am pretty sure that was created with really crazy runners in mind – honestly it looked tougher than marathon training.  So, do I start tapering?  I’m not sure, somehow I feel a little undeserving of a taper considering I started training a month later than I should have.  I swear if I had one more month I would be so ready for this race!

Instead, I am making it up day by day and it is rather liberating.  Other than knowing I will take the Friday and Saturday before race day as rest days, I am simply going to put on my shoes (or not) and see what I feel like doing (or not doing).  In other words, no pressure and whatever happens, happens.  Am I nervous about the race?  Absolutely.  Nervous enough to have to force myself to avoid thinking about it when I go to bed for fear of not falling asleep – or perhaps even worse, falling asleep and dreaming of never ending hills looming as far as the eye can see.  But ultimately I am glad I am getting the chance to try a race that everyone seems to love, despite the dreaded hills.

My somewhat fast time for the St. Patrick’s Day 10k seems to have given me a mental and physical boost.  I headed out today planning to do 10 – 14 steady km’s.   Within 2k, feeling good, I changed my plans and decided to push harder and complete a faster 5k then take a break, run another 5k but slower and then a slow run for however many km I could fit in before getting the kids.  The first 5k was done in just over 28 minutes.  The second “slower” 5k lasted for about 28 and a half minutes.  I was originally aiming for 30 minutes but halfway through I felt good and decided to go for a sub 29.  Then I finished it up with a relaxing 3k with some small hills.  It turned out to be a pure “run by feel” day and it was, dare I say it…FUN!  I love these days that remind you running is not a chore, or at least it does not have to be all the time.  Sometimes it is simply the  highlight of your day 🙂