This Taper is Gonna Be TOTALLY Different

Every time I taper for a big race I convince myself that it’s going to be different. I mean, after months of training, who isn’t ready for a little resting up before the big day? Yeah Resting!!! And I always think that this time I’m going to ace the taper. No freak outs, no weird dreams, and no freak outs. Let’s do this thing!

As you might have guessed…. I am absolutely NOT acing this taper. Oops. My race is next Saturday. A 50k. And here are some of the ways I’m losing my mind…..

I’m reacting even more irrationally than normal. I can be pretty high strung but during a taper I always find myself freaking out over the tiniest things. Something that may have slightly annoyed me two weeks ago turns me into a rage filled super hulk. AND it typically has to happen a few times before I realize that maybe it’s the taper crazies?

The dreams! Oh my lord the dreams. My typical taper dreams are filled with anxiety. Being late for a race, going the wrong way at the race, interrupting the opening ceremonies that involve an elaborate blessing by Buddhist monks… you know the usual. So I’ve had a few general stress dreams and a real doozy of a rage dream just the other night. I dreamt that I signed up for a race that was extremely pricey. When I arrived at packet pickup, they gave me a COTTON shirt and socks and I completely freaked out like a lunatic. Yep, I’m having nightmares…. About cotton shirts.

 And did I mention that my husband and I decided to switch cable companies? That’s great news because we’lre going to be saving a TON! But…. Maybe we should have waited for the taper to be done. Because we haven’t had ANY TV for a few days and we won’t have it for a total of a week and a half of taper. What have I discovered in this time?

 I miss watching dumb useless crap on TV.

 

When I’m not watching dumb useless crap on TV, I actually recognize that I’m getting sleepy and go to bed instead of staying awake to finish watching stupid crap! I’m getting oodles of sleep! So I suppose that’s good.

 I have also learned that when I’m not holding stress in my jaw (remember how I cracked a tooth during my last taper?), I hold it ALL in my neck and shoulders!

 

I’ve been in OODLES of pain! But at least I’m not at the dentist

 

So obviously I have yet to master the taper. My husband on the other hand is sitting pretty during his taper and wondering what all the fuss is about. Of course this make me freak out.....