I've found myself a little uninspired lately.  Everyday, I log on and stare at an empty blog page, wanting to write but without a subject.  I think that I am physically and mentally worn out.  My body is ready for taper.  My mind is ready for a break from preparations, and ready to embrace the challenge.  It is time.

In this sport, and in life, I continuously learn things about myself.  In the 7 days after the Big Sur Marathon, I ran 35 miles and did a long bike ride of 102 miles.  Big mistake.  Despite how good I felt during the race, I learned that my body does need recovery time.  And I didn't provide it.  Since then I've been back at Endurance Rehab with a whole new set of problems, and my workouts are showing my accumulating fatigue. 

Despite my suffering performance during training, I did have one significant breakthrough on Mt. Lemmon last week.  The Skirt Chaser and I met up with a group of friends from TriScottsdale for a bike ride to the Cookie Cabin and back, followed by a transition run and lunch.  Knowing that I would be the slowest of the group, I set out a little early from the parking lot of Le Buzz.  I was several miles in before the first of my friends flew by me.  When the second group went by, I picked up the pace a little bit.  Not to try to hang onto the group, but just to change up my cadence a little bit.  I've always been a little afraid to push myself on Mt. Lemmon because if you blow up, it's a slog to the top... if you can make it at all.  At about 13 miles in, I passed a guy who had been with the lead group for a while.  I was still feeling really good and had been biking about 1 1/2 mph faster than my usual pace.  I continued to push myself up the climb to Palisades. 

I arrived at the Cookie Cabin about 20 minutes faster than I've ever done previously.  Some of the group was already there, others had gone the extra 2 miles up to the ski lodge.  Eventually we all arrived feeling refreshed from the climb.  It felt great!  We lounged for a bit and ate cookies, drank some hot coffee and chatted.  As we prepared to head back down the mountain, I took off early knowing I would be the last off the mountain.  Most everyone passed me on the climb back out to Palisades.  The rest of the group passed me on the descent.  Despite my comparative slowness, I actually felt really good about my descent.  I didn't ride the brakes the whole way.  I did a much better job of centering my weight and leaning into the curves.  Overall, I improved my technique.  Some day (maybe) I will be able to keep up with the gang on the down.  But I was very pleased with my progress considering only a year ago I clung to the brake levers the entire descent. 

This week is my last big training week before the big dance.  Next week I am hoping to rest up a bit before our half Ironman in the high country.  Taper officially starts the following week, though the first week of taper is still pretty heavy on the mileage.  I hope to get some good rest, resolve some of my new injuries, and be ready to smash the marathon on June 26 (after the swim and bike, of course).