I made a rough elevation chart for the Superior Hiking Trail using info from “A Walking Guide to the Superior Hiking Trail.” The book includes GPS elevation data for the entire trail, presented on charts for each section as they’re completed. GPS isn’t perfect, so the chart isn’t perfect either, but it’s pretty close to what I’ve seen. And guess what? Moose Mountain looks like the most challenging climb!
I’ve read about taper plans for a 100-mile race and want to do it correctly. The most straightforward suggestions were 75% of workout level three weeks before, 50% two weeks before, and less than 25% the week before. I’ve been training hard and feel strong, but my confidence is lower after last year’s experience. Despite the challenging course, I believe there’s more to it than physical workouts and expertise.
Most people start tapering two weeks before the race. However, my son’s departure to Germany and other personal issues have made me hesitant. I decided to go to the hills on Wednesday. After my second repeat, Karen Gall met me at Hyland, and we pushed ourselves hard together. She was incredibly strong, and after a few more repeats, I knew I needed a taper. We averaged around 16:55 per mile for the first 12 repeats, with an average heart rate of 147 beats per minute (BPM).
I challenged Karen to a race to see how long it would take to catch me. She started, and I followed. She gained on me with each repeat, and after five repeats, we averaged a 16:20 mile pace. I felt exhausted, my legs heavy, and I felt like I had nothing left. Karen looked strong, and near the end of the sixth repeat, she caught up to me. It was a challenging workout, but it helped me take my mind off personal issues. My average heart rate was 158 BPM, with a peak of 173 BPM. Conventional wisdom says 100% for me would be 175 BPM.
I was so sore and exhausted that I couldn’t sleep. I woke up with incredible muscle fatigue. I don’t know when I was ever that stiff. Well, last year after the 100. It may not have been a good idea, but I feel better mentally.
So, I’ve been thinking about what a taper is. On Thursday, I went for a 2-mile walk, swam, and did some heavy upper-body and mid-section weights. Today, I’m planning to do nothing. Maybe I’ll go for a 20-mile easy bike ride on Saturday? But one thing’s for sure: next Tuesday is the last day I’ll do anything other than live life. I’ll ice the sore areas, start packing, finish the detailed planning, and drop bags for the race. Last year, I was super cocky up to the night of the race, and I was so scared I almost couldn’t speak. This year, I’m just nervous about everything. Not overly nervous, not cocky, but a bit apprehensive about my chances of success. Steve Q. gave me an 80%, and I appreciate that confidence. I’m a 50/50. I might be better physically prepared than I was last year, but I need to prepare more mentally. As many people say, “That’s why we play the game. Without the start, we’re 100% guaranteed of failure.”
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