TAPER!!!

It's that time again...taper time!  I always get mixed feelings about tapering!  I am happy because all the hard work is pretty much done.  The 16-28hrs of training a week, the long 6hr+ rides, long runs, long swims, intervals, etc etc.  Done!  Finito!  Nada Mas!  But during my taper week I usually start to doubt myself and even panic! Ha!  I still find it hard to fit in all my training sessions.  I will go out hoping to knock off an awesome workout only to feel sluggish and slow and struggling to meet pace/goal times.  Then I worry!  Funny thing is that this is usually how I respond to tapering.  And I have finally figured out this trend.  I just have to remind myself that this is how I usually feel.  This year I am only doing a two week taper and I hope it is enough.  I just did my last long workout which was suppose to be a 30km run.  This ended up turning into a 26km run as I was severely struggling out there.  My pace dropped to slower than my hopeful IM race pace and I was just getting slower.  It was hotter and more humid than I expected and I think I just ended up being dehydrated and low on calories.  I may have actually bonked out there!  I was debating whether to keep running or if I would just put myself at more of a deficit and do more harm than good.  I opted to cut the run short since I was also running short on time.  I had to make it to my chiro appointment for my foot and hamstring treatment before going back to work.  Oh, and I also did this run in between night shifts so not optimal.  Got home and was dizzy.  Oh oh!  Tried to consumer electrolytes, calories, and liquids but I still lost about six pounds on this run alone (I think it is all back now!).  Still had a couple of light-headed and dizzy bouts for a couple of more hours but I think I am good now.  Soooo....I am a little bummed about this run!  Disappointed that I did not do the whole 30km and disappointed at how slow I was running out there.  I did do the planned  intervals and I hit those time goals but as I kept running it was just getting ugly.  If I was running like this on race day I may actually cry!  Ok ok....maybe not, but I would be upset.  And that is my thought process during tapering - doubt, disappointment, frustration, the whole gamut   Lol!

9 DAYS LEFT!!!!!!!!