The Taper

I had a nice slow 2-mile shuffle on the powerlines this morning. It was the perfect morning for a run. Sunny, cool and crisp. I wanted to be able to go on forever. To go fast. To just go. Instead, I turned myself around at the mile mark, left with the feeling that I'm in the midst of a bizarre taper for an endurance event, an ultra with no exact date. 34 weeks down. 6 to go. Or maybe it's 4. Or 7. Aie. It's enough to drive someone who likes schedules like I do crazy!

And yet, the taper goes on. The finish line is close, and yet so far away. All sorts of pre-race thoughts and jitters run through my head. I wonder if I can make it through. And yet, I trust that my body will do what it's meant to do. I've done all I can in the past months to ensure the best possible outcome. Yet I feel anxious. Scared of the unknown. And all the while, hopeful. Excited. I know my pacer will be with me in the end and will help me make it through. The rest of the crew is in the wings, ready to arrive and help and cheer when the time is right. I am working on my list of what needs to go in my drop bag. I hope I haven't forgotten anything important in my preparations.

I realize I've been lucky throughout this whole journey overall. I know that once this race is finished, I will be tired, but elated. I can't wait to get to that point, to make all the aches and pains and fatigue worth while. There is no turning back now, and I wouldn't want to even if I could. I just wish that time was here now. I am ready. But I know that the little lady isn't ready quite yet. She needs a few more weeks to be "fully cooked," as the pediatrician called it. And although realistically, I know things will happen when they happen and I shouldn't get my hopes up for an early delivery, I'd be plenty happy with October 1st... So if anyone has an "in" with the powers that be, and can request a date for this event, that would be great :-)