Tahoe Triple Training - 10 days to go.
Though technically I'm counting down to the day we leave town, which means we have 8 days to go.
We made it through the last two big weekends: 10-20-10 and then 15-22-10. That last one was painful, especially since that 15 miles on Friday was hill repeats up Far West and Ladera Norte. And someone stole our water cooler 5 miles into our run. Good times.
Friday morning Ladera repeats
Now the runs are getting shorter (though no less plentiful), and the event starts to seem ever more real.
The amazing news is that, after 5 months of training in endless pure misery, the weather has FINALLY taken a turn for the better. Practically every run we've done has been in ~75 degree dew point, but for our final week, Fall has finally arrived (hopefully to stay), and the dew points have dropped into the 60s. As have the lows. Maybe it sounds kinda dramatic to say it's magical, but.. it is.
And just in time! We need these lower temps to acclimate us for the THIRTIES we're likely to see in Tahoe. Or twenties. Earlier today the extended forecast briefly said it might snow on Monday. It's way too early to really know anything, though. Except I'm bringing one of every weather-appropriate piece of running clothing I own. Uh, I mean three. Three of every weather-appropriate piece of running clothing I own.
The pink ones have been my workhorses so far: 390 miles on those. The blues and greens, 43 and 54 miles respectively, will be the ones I wear in Tahoe.
And that's really the main thing on the agenda currently. Making a packing list to figure out what in the world I need to bring. It feels like, since it's only running, it shouldn't be much, but it's 3 days of running, and multiple pairs of shoes, and lots of layers, and I guess I should see if I have a pair of jeans that fits, since the highs might not get out of the 50s.
Otherwise we're resting, enjoying some shorter runs in this magical weather, and trying to bank as much sleep as possible (while still getting up at 4am to run).
The million dollar question I keep getting is, of course, are you ready? And just like the first time I did Ironman, I honestly can't answer that question. Does running 15 miles, then 22, then 10 successfully mean you can run 26.2, 26.2 and 26.2? Does following the schedule I was given to the absolute letter mean that I'm ready? I think we won't know until we get there and give it a try.
This wasn't exactly the training we envisioned when we started out, and we have no idea what's going to happen once we get there. We never really had firm goals, certainly not time-based ones, and I believe at this point our goal is to go to Tahoe, enjoy the beautiful weather, the beautiful scenery, the wonderful company, and if the stars align, run 3 marathons in 3 days.
We made it through the last two big weekends: 10-20-10 and then 15-22-10. That last one was painful, especially since that 15 miles on Friday was hill repeats up Far West and Ladera Norte. And someone stole our water cooler 5 miles into our run. Good times.
Friday morning Ladera repeats
Now the runs are getting shorter (though no less plentiful), and the event starts to seem ever more real.
The amazing news is that, after 5 months of training in endless pure misery, the weather has FINALLY taken a turn for the better. Practically every run we've done has been in ~75 degree dew point, but for our final week, Fall has finally arrived (hopefully to stay), and the dew points have dropped into the 60s. As have the lows. Maybe it sounds kinda dramatic to say it's magical, but.. it is.
And just in time! We need these lower temps to acclimate us for the THIRTIES we're likely to see in Tahoe. Or twenties. Earlier today the extended forecast briefly said it might snow on Monday. It's way too early to really know anything, though. Except I'm bringing one of every weather-appropriate piece of running clothing I own. Uh, I mean three. Three of every weather-appropriate piece of running clothing I own.
The pink ones have been my workhorses so far: 390 miles on those. The blues and greens, 43 and 54 miles respectively, will be the ones I wear in Tahoe.
And that's really the main thing on the agenda currently. Making a packing list to figure out what in the world I need to bring. It feels like, since it's only running, it shouldn't be much, but it's 3 days of running, and multiple pairs of shoes, and lots of layers, and I guess I should see if I have a pair of jeans that fits, since the highs might not get out of the 50s.
Otherwise we're resting, enjoying some shorter runs in this magical weather, and trying to bank as much sleep as possible (while still getting up at 4am to run).
The million dollar question I keep getting is, of course, are you ready? And just like the first time I did Ironman, I honestly can't answer that question. Does running 15 miles, then 22, then 10 successfully mean you can run 26.2, 26.2 and 26.2? Does following the schedule I was given to the absolute letter mean that I'm ready? I think we won't know until we get there and give it a try.
This wasn't exactly the training we envisioned when we started out, and we have no idea what's going to happen once we get there. We never really had firm goals, certainly not time-based ones, and I believe at this point our goal is to go to Tahoe, enjoy the beautiful weather, the beautiful scenery, the wonderful company, and if the stars align, run 3 marathons in 3 days.