No taper in sight yet

Not official anyway. Back in Lisa's S-B coaching she'd devide all my races into 3 categories: A (goal), B (strong effort to do well) and C (training run). Hagg and Chcuk were C, Rumble closer to B, and ZG is definitely B, but still not A. That said, and considering almost 100M last week, I still reduced the load this week - but more because it happened so: I do have a family and a job after all.

I ran Monday once (plus weights) and Tuesday once (plus Bikram yoga class). While I planned to go to the Red Lizard track workout, I got email from high school that they had college rep's talking that night, so I grabbed Alex and went to learn the difference between community, public and private colleges, deadlines for applications, requirements for admitions and financial aid hints. It was very good to do so for both of us: I can start planning, and ALex got excited from one point and scared how far away he is from it from another point. Lots of work after he screwed up for 3 years, really...
I ran twice on Wed, and did want to go to the track in the morning, but something didn't click, and I ran tempo (or progression) run instead. It felt good to push the pace on trail part in the Tryon park. I did a very easy run at night while waiting for Stephen at the boxing class. Speaking of Stephen, he is going regional - he has a fight in Warm Springs, OR this Saturday, and I have to miss it:(
I dissed this morning's run because I was a good wife yesterday and instead slept in and then got a breakfast in bed. Hmm, may be I'll quit all this ultrarunning nonsense and have it more often! I did run home from work today, making it another progression run - it wouldn't be wise to go to the track now, with one day left before the race, really, even if I don't taper. I'll have another Bikram class tonight after I take Alex to guitar class - need heat training, Arizona will hit 86F!
On Wed my chiro worked the kinks on my right SI joint - very tight back and glutes, and forget piriformis, it is a masochistic pain I learned to love when he digs his tumbs into my butt for trigger point massage. I also scheduled a sport massage for next Wed (good timing, wouldn't you say?) - saw an add on the bus for $39 for an hour intro and couldn't resist. I had massage like 6 times in my life (really can't afford it), so hope this dude is worth the money.
This Monday after Angie (my ever-best crew for Zane Grey) emailed me, I finally realized I have no pace chart and predictions, so frantically worked on it. The race goes opposite direction this year, loosing 1500 feet of elevation climb (from what used to be 1100 feet of gain down to 9500 feet gain overall, all at above 5,000 feet up to 7,000 at the start). Rocks are not going anywhere though, neither does open terrain. I was trying to build in my new "fitness" (or lack thereof) and couldn't come up with anything. My brain doesn't work this way:) I usually look at the elevation chart, aid station placement and just jot down the time I'll be there - and then get there on time, not because I try hard, but rather because I know my body ability so well. I don't calculate average pace or miles of ups versus miles of down, I just "feel" that I can make 6M of this terrain in 1:10 at the beginning of the race and in 6:25 at the end (approximate numebrs for example). I wasn't going to predict anything on the blog, but since I already left a comment at one place and it was seen, what the hell - I am looking for 11:30 (last year's time was 12:15) and will be thrilled with 11 hrs up to the moon. Whatever else happens - happens. Of course, I am in the middle of my period again, as last year, and this run isn't famous for dense bushes and stuff...but I got around it somehow last year. Angie is an awesome crew, supe-efficient with exchanging my bottles, just as Jason was at Miwok both years, as well as Jason and Rick at AR50. Not that I care for a minute, it's just I don't liked to be faced with questions: what do you want? I have no idea! My brain is zombi, and if you disturb it with question of any kind, it starts whirling and looking for answers, when in fact I don't want anything, and I loose focus on eating at all. I need to be shovved my bottles and sent off with no variety. It's just calories, I need to get them in to continue to move forward, I can't chew or swallow, so choices are deadly. No choices, gel and a mix in a bottle. Simple.

I'd like to wish best to all my friends running Capitol Peak 50M/50k this weekend, Eugene marathon, Big Sir, Mt. Diablo 50 and anything else around the country. My NYC friend from Latvia Rimas is on his path of 10 day race - that is WOW! I remember he tried to convince me to get into multi-day - heck, crazy! Everything is relative...