Shhh...I'm a Loopfest virgin

With my last long run out of the way, I guess I am technically in what I affectionately call "TAPER TIME!".  It's screamed loud and proud at the Liebowitz household.  Adam, though a non-runner, knows that this means that the excitement of race time is just around the corner.  We scream it like warriors for 2 weeks.  I would have thought the butterflies might have calmed themselves down after 4 marathons, but I'll admit, I got a little twinge of them a few days ago when I thought about toeing the line.

I ran 3 little miles on Friday morning which were just 'eh'.  I wanted to run fast and get them done, but I forced myself to go nice and slow.  I did them on the treadmill so I was forced to stick to the 9:30 pace that I set it to.  The sore shin is still sore and I don't want to press my luck.  So I'm going to really try to just stick to the taper--no matter how ridiculous running 2 miles is as my run for the day.

I did a 7 mile run today with 5 at tempo pace.  Well, really, it was 6 at tempo pace and a faster-than-it-should've-been cool down.  It was 18* with the wind chill and my warm-up was actually to warm me up.  I didn't feel all that great on the run.  My legs felt tired and tight and I couldn't help but be worried about my stupid shin.  Today's splits: 7:56, 7:47, 7:38, 7:21, 7:22, 7:32, 8:01.

Aside from my shin iffiness, I have had a great training cycle.  So while I think a PR is definitely possible, it will all come down to how I feel on race day.  Hopefully, I'll feel good, but at least I know that not PR-ing is perfectly okay and just finishing will make me feel accomplished.  Plus, I am really going to try to make some sort of Loopfest this year--so I know that it is very possible that I will be racing again this year. 

On the subject of attending a Loopfest, I am not really sure where I'm headed.  Adam and I are celebrating our 5th anniversary on October 18th and we have been in talks about Hawaii.  However, he doesn't have as much time off as me and we are going on a cruise in 5 weeks anyway so the trip may not pan out.  This anniversary trip may make or break my Loopfest plans so I'm kind of letting things linger in limbo right now.  Besides, I'm deathly afraid that my in-person persona is not nearly as awesome as my online presence.  Hah! Just kidding!  Y'all know you wanna hang with me!!!!!!!!