The real reverse taper

275 miles in 22 days with 0 days off. That's what I'll have going into Way Too Cool.

Part of the reason for this is that I made a concious effort to tie all of my workouts towards Cheyenne Canyon in April and that means no time for rest right now. Then I've got some other plans that need base miles to build upon and I think I'm heading in the right direction. I feel good actually, my body has responded to the 90+ miles remarkably well and though I'm feeling leg tired (just fatigue, not really soreness even), I have still been able to go out and keep a solid day by day workout going. My plan for the year (training wise) has sort of come about from a compiling a bunch of ideas and insight from others who have had success and tailoring it for me. Not that I have any experience with training plans, but I don't really have any other option at the moment.

I know Way Too Cool is too fast for me, meaning, I'm not ready to gun it and run flat fast miles. I am ready to grind out some miles toward the end though, and for that I'm excited. No sub 4 time for me, I think that if I end up sub 4:15 it was probably a mistake and I ran too hard. Right now a loose goal is 4:25 or 4:30. Enough to get the blood pumping, but not too much to need any kind of structured recovery. Who knows, I'm just stoked to run, and a bit nervous. I really like the jittery pre-race feeling that the first race of the year brings. We fly out tomorrow, so I'll catch you on my way back home. Post race, I have some Central Coast singletrack waiting outside of my Parent's front door (perhaps I'll get a sunrise over the coast from Mt. Toro).

Thanks to the guys who keep throwing the good advice my way, I know especially on this type of course I need to smart early on, but hearing it from someone else helps make the point. I often have irrational thoughts about killing this race, but my smarts keep telling me how stupid that would be. Race smart, race hard, but know that this is the beginning, not the end.