TAPER!

Yeah! Tomorrow is my first taper run! 12 miles. I looked at the route though, and I must say, I am getting pretty tired of running on Eastern. But, at the same time, Eastern doesn't seem to be such a mental block for me anymore.

This is also when I need to be REALLY careful about what I eat (I say, as I wolf down a huge slice of the cheesecake someone brought into work to share). I think my body is still adjusting to the 20 I did last Saturday. I am constantly hungry and eating all the time at my desk. Earlier this week my body was REALLY screwed up when I woke up at midnight with a growling stomach. I couldn't get back to sleep until I ate some trail mix. Taper is when my body is still really hungry, but I'm not actually doing as much mileage, so I probably shouldn't eat like I just ran a 20. Don't get me wrong, 12 miles is nothing to sneeze at in the big scheme of things, but wolfing down an entire stack of pancakes with an order of cheesey hashbrowns after my run probably shouldn't be in the cards. This is also easier said than done since this weekend is Oktoberfest and with my hedonistic friends I KNOW that I will be overindulging. Also tonight I have a class reunion. The invite said "heavy appetizers" and "wine", both of which I love for a meal.

I am going to try and follow the taper meal plan from my Runner's World book I got for joining the Roncker group. The fun part is the last week where you fat load. Well, it sounds fun, but when they say fat they don't mean french fries and donuts. They mean lean fats. Not saturated fats. Also, it said that during that last week you will feel extremely lethargic, but that's okay, because you will actually use the energy during the run. I am curious to see how this plan goes, since I am notorious for not being able to follow a diet.