Longest LSR - taper time!!!!

Ok so this is a tapir, not a taper ... but hey ho!

This week has officially been bonkers: from fitting in my Monday tempo session, crossing the country (by coach) for a rehearsal on Tuesday night in Glasgow, Ash Wednesday's long service in the evening, a crammed Thursday (of which more anon), and finishing with a normal Friday in the roll shop. Yet I still managed somehow to fit in all my running, and do my longest run before Coniston in 21 days time - so I am officially tapering (woo hoo!).

Thursday was officially crackers! One of the choirs I sing with were involved with the birthday celebrations of Edinburgh's Usher Hall - hence the Glasgow rehearsal on Tuesday.  It was a spectacular event, and fabulous to be a part of, but meant that my usual Thursday activities (including my run) had to be fitted around a 4.30 rehearsal call.  I spent most of the day shaving 10 mins where I could, including by subjecting my students to their lecture without the usual 10 min break in the middle so I could get away early. This combined with bus hopping got me to my dog-walking duties half an hour early ... which I couldn't skimp on.  

As I was a touch ahead of schedule by this point, I went home via the shop, to pick up the mahoooooosive bag of rabbit food I'd ordered.  Then ran back to the teaching job to drop the dogs' flat key back off  - and get my run in.  Topped off with a shower and a quick change, and I was off to the rehearsal. I had an hour or so to kill before the concert which I spent flopped out on a sofa in a cafe with a fellow singer - before heading back for the spectacle of the concert itself.  Being a musician, of course I went out to the pub afterwards for une beverage - culminating in a quick trot back home for 1am! A very long day, followed by a rather madcap one in the shop, where we wind each other up like billy-o (I have never had a job where I laughed so much in my life :-D)

Saturday morning dawned bright and early - or at least I assume it did, because there was no way in HELL I was going to be awake to see it! Alarms off, I woke from slightly odd dreams at 8.30, only to roll over and get another hour's much-needed kip ... not-so-lenten breakfast of two scrambled eggs on two crumpets, preceded a nice morning of catching up on iplayer, and watching the trees outside my window trying to bend themselves in two - oh and occasionally chasing Esme bunny out from under my bed where she was trying to chew wires.  Quick lunch at 12.30 (as I was planning to run at 2.30) of a beetroot and cheese roll followed by a banana - and started to plan my route by combining an old favourite (Innocent Railway Path) with a new (Water of Leith Pathway). 

Togged up, I headed out of the door as planned, well wrapped up against the wind.  For the first few miles I felt like I could have been flying! Slowly flying, admittedly, but I was totally in the zone and even considered adding an extra wee loop to get up to 14 miles.  The wind was fair battering admittedly, but there was about 1/2 a mile it was behind me, and I felt a bit like a lycra-clad kite.

Stopped for a loo break at about 5 miles in - just cos it was there - but I think that stop might have slightly been my downfall.  I was still doing pretty well for the next couple of miles, but then I started to struggle a bit more and had a couple of (very short) walk breaks.  By the time I hit the 8 mile mark, I was utterly starving - so paused again to eat the wee soreen banana loaf I had taken along, and snap a quick pic of Leith looking spectacular. But I definitely struggled from then on - my right ankle started being a bit niggly, and I was slighly losing the will to carry on - not sure how much it was helped by listening to Tony's Trials on Marathon Talk! 

After another loo break - more of an opportunity to give myself a bit of a talking to - I decided that as I only then had 3 more miles, it would take as long to run-walk as to get the bus.  Headed off again, and picked up the running over the walking, despite dodging small humans and prams on some rather narrow pavements.  By 11 miles, the hunger was rather starting to get at me, and I was flagging again - but I persevered and eventually rocked up home with 13 miles under the belt, another Jantastic run in (and another 100% week). Switched to my favourite Schubert song-cycle for the last mile (as the MT podcast had ended) and that definitely helped my home - I think it will have to be (one-eared) music listening for the race - as it just motivates me better.

I suspect I should either have had more to eat for either breakfast or lunch, or scoffed some more carbs on Friday night - possibly both! Brought my tea a bit earlier, so I could appease the poor rumbling tummy, but I suspect tonight might involve some serious nibbling.  Ankle is still a bit moany, but I'm sure it's nothing a nice hot bath won't fix - and it's not like I am due to run again until Monday anyway.  Next week is a much calmer prospect - so fingers crossed my next long run will be a bit more successful in the 'not-walking' stakes.

Roll on tapering ...