Week 15 Boston Training-Tapering is Tough

Boston Participant Booklet

"God moves mountains to create the opportunity of his choosing, It is up to you to be ready to move yourself." - Andy Andrews

It's starting to get real now, because my participant packet arrived on Friday afternoon.  Just 2 weeks from Monday and I will be lining up with over 20,000 runners.  I wish it was here already, because the waiting is tough. Too much time to think about the race.

I'm now in the taper phase of my training.  After weeks of intense speed work and long runs, the workouts are drastically cut back.  This gives the body time to rest and repair to be ready for the rigors of racing 26.2 miles.

While the reduction in mileage is nice, it can be a mental adjustment when you are used to the tough workouts. Now the mental second guessing starts.  Did I run enough and am I ready for the hills in Boston?  Did I do the right things to be ready for the initial stretch of 10 miles downhill?  How will I feel on race day?
Can I fight the pain and fatigue to finish?  Will people be disappointed in me?

I had lots of time to think about it Friday night. Friday was one of those nights where I struggled all night to fall asleep.  Fight is a good word for it.  After 2 hours I got up and took 2 tylenol PM, then 2 over the counter sleep tablets and hour later.  I repeated this with more sleep aid and tylenol at various times.  At 3:45 a.m I gave in and took a prescription sleeping pill. Why did I wait so long?  I try to save them for when I am really desperate since you can build up a tolerance for them.  It was a tough night because my whole body was jumpy and felt like it was on fire. So I am pretty sure this is CMT related.
    I turned off the alarm that was supposed to wake me up for the half marathon race I had scheduled in Waukesha.  If I would have really had to I could have run. I have only had a good nights sleep once before a marathon and once before a half. I know I can run on little sleep, I just didn't think it was a good idea so close to Boston.
So I got about 4 hours of sleep Friday night.  The toll is mental as well as physical.  It's a bit depressing to struggle so hard to sleep and have so little to show for it. I've struggled with sleeping my entire life, but it's really getting old.

I bounced back Sunday and got my 12 mile run in on the treadmill since it was 42F and rainy. It felt so good I didn't want to stop. It is a big temptation during the taper to do just a big more to get ready.  The rest before is just as important as all the tough workouts.

Another bright spot this week was the article that appeared in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel by Tom Held.   Tom actually got a decent picture of me which is quite a feat.

I know despite the doubts I have prepared harder for this race than I have for any of my previous six marathons.  I know I ve done my best, despite the doubts. We'll just have to wait until race day to see if it was enough.

Chris Wodke
Founder & Manager Team CMT
www.run4cmt.com

Team CMT is a group of athletes and supporters working to raise awareness and to find a cure for CMT. We have almost 100 members in 17 states. If you wish to join us visit our web site.

CMT or Charcot-Marie-Tooth is the most commonly inherited peripheral neuropathy. It affects over 155,000 Americans (as many as MS).  It is a disease of the nerves that control the muscles. It is slowly progressive, causing loss of normal function and or sensation in the lower legs/feet and arms/hands.

Symptoms include; muscle wasting in the lower legs and feet leading to foot drop, poor balance and gait problems Atrophy in the hands causes difficulty with manual dexterity.

Structural foot deformities such as high arches and hammer toes are common.

Poor tolerance for cool or cold temperatures and many people have chronically cold hands and feet.

Additional symptoms may include fatigue, sleep apnea, breathing difficulties and hearing loss.

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