Esperance, my home town
7 sleeps until we leave for Port Macquarie. 10 sleeps until the event. And now my taper has started. Oh dear, it’s all starting to feel very real now!
Seriously, though, I am very happy that taper time has started because I was starting to get very tired from the long training sessions – it was all starting to feel like a hard grind. Now to freshen up without losing any fitness.
This morning I ran 10km before breakfast. I had forgotten how much I enjoy early morning runs when it’s not sub-zero temperatures and I have to wear layer upon layer to keep warm. Don’t get me wrong, it was still cold this morning but I didn’t have to wear gloves, ear warmers or a spray jacket. And for that I am very grateful. It was a steady 10km run along the cycle paths, occasionally encountering dogs out with their owners. I would make a plea to dog owners that while I like dogs, I don’t actually relish having them bound up to me and then proceed to either jump up at me, or run around my feet while I am running. And please, don’t just stand there and watch the proceedings without doing anything, least of all calling them back. Right, vent over!
This afternoon I hit the wall around 4pm. I was so tired and the thought that I had to go home and do an hour on the wind trainer didn’t fill me with enthusiasm. However once I got on the bike and started pedalling I actually began to feel better and in fact had a really good session in the end. It was what I needed to give me some energy to get through the evening. So never discount the value of exercise.
Tomorrow: the plan is to do a swim session in the morning. I also have a hair appointment tomorrow afternoon – really looking forward to that! And then later, going out to dinner with friends. 
“I run because if I didn’t, I’d be sluggish and glum and spend too much time on the couch. I run to breathe the fresh air. I run to explore. I run to escape the ordinary. I run…to savor the trip along the way. Life becomes a little more vibrant, a little more intense. I like that.” ― Dean Karnazes, Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner
Enjoy! Being an afternoon runner it’s been weeks since I’ve had to wear gloves or a spray jacket (I’d never wear girlie arm-warmers!).
Fab beach!