Tapering

There are some words that strike fear into the hearts of runners and potentially their friends, family and significant other.  Surgery, physical therapy, DQ (disqualification), DNF (did not finish), and RICE (rest, ice, compression, and elevation) just to name a few.  For me, the word taper put both my husband and I into a state of dread.  Tapering is when you dramatically cut back on your running in hope of penning up your energy for race day.  Typically people do this for long distance races--half marathons or more.  

I have been exercising consistently for almost 9 years now.  I started out at a women's gym three times a week to lose weight.  Then once I started grad school I quit the gym and started running since I could do it on my schedule.  That being said, being active is a big deal for me and an important habit for me.   Nervous?  Go for a run.  Anxious?  Go for a run.  Angry?  You get the idea.  So cutting back on running unleashes the beast, which is where it gets frustrating for both my husband and I.  To put it lightly, I go a little nuts because of all the pent up energy.  But I find there is a payoff come race day.  By the time they start the race I am ready to run, and my training and tapering has worked.

Runner's World has a great article about tapering that I highly recommend reading if you have the time!