Monday 17th October - tired, flat, busy with work.  Planned to do weights, but really couldn't face it at 6.30 when I got home, and certainly couldn't face it at 6 am.  I may have started my taper by stopping weights today rather than finishing on Friday.

Tuesday - still tired, as well as bloated and puffy having just started on the pill to make sure I can run the marathon without the timing being wrong hormonally (unfortunately, it was dead on track to be very wrong).  I finished work and grocery shopping and had a nap at 6pm.  Couldn't face my run, but did work out that I can do a wed, fri, sunday routine this week and it will work out OK with travel and conference next week.

Wednesday - I did get up early (hot morning!) and do my 2 x 2 mile 'sprint' session.  Very warm and dry air is a shock to the system and my chest is a little tight afterwards - I've never had asthma before, but I definitely have a wheeze this morning.  Not pleasant.  But very satisfied that I have done the session.

Thursday - still so very tired.  Only 'training' today was leading the lovely ladies in the pregnancy class - love having some old faces back for round two and three!!  

I am really needing to feel good with the taper, but it is funny, I am now really second guessing my program and the taper, especially given that this week I decided to stop the weights a week earlier (everybody says a 2-3 week taper, so I am still within that range).  The fact I am struggling with the intensity is worrying - I am meant to keep up the intensity but reduce the volume, so I need to stop cruising a bit in these sessions and just work harder.  But I am so tired.   

Friday - 9.5 km run with 8km at tempo.  Except that I didn't really get to target pace (except for downhill, of course), not target HR for much of it, but my goodness, I did get the lactic acid and tightening legs.  And my garmin ran out of juice in the last km or so.

Saturday - not much of anything today - piano lessons, a trip to the Barossa to see some friends, and the day goes...

Sunday - Up early again for my long run.  21 km.  Legs are still very tight feeling (quads), still feeling very sluggish and heavy and still weighing about 3 kg heavier than a few weeks ago.  Getting a bit low about it, questioning myself about the training program whether I have done enough work, wondering if I can reach the standards I have set for myself, and generally I suppose, getting nervous more so than excited.  I am aware that so many training sessions lately I have felt awful and not been fast enough (been able to maintain the predicted pace) and I have had an excuse every time. Eventually, there are no excuses and it just 'is', surely?

I pushed the whole time on the run this morning.  21 km, a slightly longer square through the city and down to Cross Rd, via Goodwood Rd this time.  I felt a little ill early on, but eventually I was able to do the pace a little easier.  I still spent most of the session shaking my head at myself and feeling disappointed.  Until I stopped my watch at the 21 km mark.  In 1 hour 48 mins.  4 mins slower than my first half marathon.  Except this was with no other people, no breakfast, no water.  And with a steady incline (it felt like more up than down, but I am aware that's not possible....).  So, perhaps I am on track, and it will be ok, and it doesn't really matter that I am a little heavier than I want to be.  Perhaps this is especially good because any clothes I buy in NY have a chance of fitting me in the longer term....

Look on the bright side.  I am going to be in New York this time next week, assuming Qantas are still flying.  Everything is woring pretty darn well.

After the run, checking the kids were breakfasting (thank you, Charlie!), getting them into the right sort of clothes for Little Aths, filling water bottles, applying sunscreen and helping get everyone down the road for the first proper session of the season, I left them to it (again) and went down to Richards Park for the first ever pop up event by the Jodi Lee Foundation - a Body Balance session run by Tim from Enjoy Fitness.  A lovely humid morning for a stetching class, and a good turn out.  They are hoping to do these sessions regularly, so I will continue to let you know when they happen via this page and the facebook page.