whoa there, inner monologue!

I talked to my mother on the phone this morning, and was greeted with a: "Oh so now that you're tapering you're not gonna write about training anymore?" Geez! My mom is on my case for infrequent blog postings!

Tapering always scares me. I've said it before, I know I need to trust in my training, but I think it's pretty natural to be worried. Especially since this is my first half-iron distance and the idea of working out for 6-7 hours straight is sort of daunting. And a growing reality.

Also, I am worrying because I pushed myself too hard hiking this past weekend and I have a new pain in my hip. I am hoping that it's just soreness that will fade before this coming weekend, but it's definitely there and in a different location than before. Great job Jo. Anyone else would have seen this coming... That being said, the camping and hiking for labor day weekend in the Shenandoah National Park was awesome! (minus one crazy rainstorm that drove us out of the park late Sunday night rather than Monday morning as planned. seriously crazy.) My body is still trying to figure out how to get over my diet from the weekend, which included way more sugar than I've had in months. You can't camp without eating s'mores though! Erin and I have both been complaining about our tummies since we got home, however (since I am the cook and she eats as healthily or not as I do, she's been basically following my training diet all summer). After this weekend though, I do think that hiking will become a regular cross-training activity for us both. We've also been looking ahead towards my "off-season" and thinking about trying Crossfit together. More on that as it unfolds.

So back to my taper. Today's workout consists of a short bike ride, likely on the trainer considering the amount of rain we're currently getting, with two tempo efforts. I have to find something new to watch on TV since I've gone through two seasons of my favorite trashy sports drama show (Make It or Break It) and there are no more episodes left to watch. I also think some serious stretching is in order because climbing Old Rag Mountain on Sunday really did a number on my body. Sore and in GI distress less than a week from my first half-ironman. Good planning.

Self trash talk isn't really the best way to mentally prepare. I should work on that. Maybe I'll do mental exercises as well today. Do they burn calories? If I work on my positive self talk for 15 minutes today, does that balance out eating all of the groceries I bought yesterday in one sitting? Because my appetite hasn't gotten the taper memo. It's still at peak performance.

That's what a taper is about Jo. Eating, recovering, and mentally preparing. So shut up your inner monologue and get to it! And maybe work on your dissertation some while you're at it.

AAAAAGHHHHHH I'm freaking out!