The fact that you completed the distance is a huge mental and physical barrier that you've just plowed through. I mean that. Mentally, you now know that you can complete 6, hilly (for most teams) miles! Even if you struggled physically, you covered the distance, and that will help immensely on race day, particularly since the course is 90% flat! Please be ecstatic about this accomplishment! The only distance remaining is a mere two-tenths of a mile, and that is nothing that adrenalin, determination, and sheer will can't conquer!

This is a time for serious reflection. Now, more than ever, please look back on how far you've come and take genuine pride what you’ve done! This truly is a big deal, and something to savor. Aside from the woman I mentioned, I spoke with so many people on Saturday that were so filled with emotion after completing that distance! It reminded me of another quote, "What the mind can conceive, the body can achieve!" This is so true! WAY...TO...GO! Full speed ahead!

Next Saturday's 4 miler (5 for Intermediates) will be your final experimenting run. Feel free to simulate pre-race rituals then, if you didn't this past Saturday... Get up early. Eat what you're going to be eating race day. Weather permitting, go ahead and wear what you'll be wearing race day. Do not however, run/walk that distance with the same intensity you'll have on race day, because the intensity part of this process (besides the race of course), is behind us! We are officially in TAPER mode! Yippee! Tapering means scaling back your training, and incorporating more rest into your program. More on that in a bit…

You'll notice that after peaking with 6 miles (7-Int.'s), we are now gently winding down in mileage, and it's all about preserving the wonderful fitness you've attained, and saving it for race day. If you think about it, the race itself isn't the hard part,-it's the training. Ideally, the race should be easy, because you're putting the last piece of the puzzle together, after all the work, to create this beautiful picture (of health!). Back to tapering... These final 11 or so days are all about LOW INTENSITY & REST! From here on, please don't do anything foolish like workout too hard or take chances with your training, because you truly risk injury. Taper days are days to enjoy. You've worked so hard. You've earned this phase. You deserve this! The hard part is honestly behind us. These are days that every athlete who is preparing for an event, looks forward to. My brother used to be a professional cyclist, and I'll never forget his analogy on tapering, when I was preparing for a big race...He told me, "Danny, the race horse is now quietly relaxing in its stable. He can't get anymore fit at this point. Aside from some gentle, easy exercise and stretching, the best thing for the horse is rest, for the big day." At this moment, you truly are as fit as you're going to be for this race. There's no time remaining to become more fit, so don't try to cram in any missed workouts, because again, injury is likely. Continue with the scheduled workouts of course, but take them nice and easy.

Now is a good time to... slowly reconnect with family, friends and work, hydrate a bit more, concentrate more on consistent sleep and eating habits, stretch more, take particular care of any nagging injuries, and unless you have to,- stay off your feet! Basically, just take it easy. This is the essence of tapering. Enjoy... Once again, we’re hoping that the warm weather training has officially returned, so do your very best to take those workouts outside every time! Please see last week's email for general information. Think… NO COTTON against skin!

I am looking forward to spending my final Training Team workout with the Chickahominy YMCA

* Something to keep in mind… I will be conducting a final, WHAT NEXT? clinic sometime during the week immediately following the 10K. I will be exploring all the ways to help keep the fitness ball rolling after the 10K dust settles! Details to come…

Personal note… One of the things I have always loved about running/walking (outside of course), is that it really is the only type of exercise that is all YOU. It is completely unassisted. There aren't two wheels or handlebars under you, or a body of water to help you float. There's no contraption at the health club that aids your workout; nor is there someone giving instructions to you. There just isn't any other sport where YOU completely dictate your workout, and it is arguably the quickest route to fitness! And on that note, the great Jesse Owens once said...

"I always loved running (or walking)—it was something you could do by yourself and under your own power. You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs." (That’s powerful)

Taper, taper, taper! Rest, rest, rest! Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy! Hang in there. Your very hard work will very soon pay off! The proverbial light is peeking through the tunnel. Please continue to be smart about your training, and continue to enjoy this experience. :-)

Best of luck. Have Fun!

Gotta’ run,

Danny