Tapering

Just in case you wondered about the theory behind tapering . . .it allows the muscles to fully recover from the trauma of high mileage during training and allows the muscles to become saturated with glycogen so you don't hit the wall. It also allows any nagging injuries or strains to recover before the marathon.

Today, Bella and I did our last 3 mile run. It was really a beautiful morning. There was a thunderstorm last night, and we got a small amount of rain. For Bella, this meant there were lots of exciting things to smell. After our 3 miles, I let her stop and smell everything she wanted because usually I make her keep going because I'm in a hurry. Today is my day off, and I wanted Bella to enjoy the cooldown at her pace. It was a LONG cool down. Evidently, there was a lot to sniff.

Tomorrow morning, we will WALK 3 miles. My mom is going to walk with me, and I am very excited! According to Non-Runner's Marathon Trainer, the three mile walk is primarily to keep you relaxed without running the risk of using up a lot of your glycogen.

I can't believe Bella and I did our last run today. Please don't tell Rick but to celebrate, Bella and I are relaxing on the couch. She's not allowed on the couch. . . but just today she's snoozing next to me as I relax. (Again, don't worry, she's not really dead. . . she's just enjoying her taper.)