The hard part

"The only easy day was yesterday." A SEAL buddy told me that every morning we did our workout along jungle roads around his base.

Tapers for me are a tricky thing and remind of that quote. I still don't think I have ever done one right. I think it goes back to the Army. As a light infantry soldier, miles from protective lines and with little in the way of transportation other than your LPC's (Leather Personnel Carriers aka 'your boots') it was constant movement to contacts, working under stress, accomplishing your mission regardless of cost to your physical self. In daily training the goal of our chain of command and cadre was to achieve a high level of endurance while at the same time being completely exhausted for extended days at a time.

Translating into tapers for races, I subconciously train all out until its too late to do any good to rest or I completely shut down like an extended R&R and become the common man. Either way it does me a disservice.

This month I will put as much effort into my taper as I have for any portion of my training. I have to. At last months Olympic was a perfect illustration. My taper week consisted of 100 miles of riding, 4 miles of swiming and 15 miles running; I paid for it by being beat by people who actually did rest extensively.

All On or All Off. Finding the happy medium is not my style. But I will do my damnest to do it right this time. I have too.