Oh, the Irony

Tapering has never been my strong suit, and today is particularly tough - after weeks and weeks of obnoxiously high temps, crazy ass storms, and humidity, today is clear, breezy, and actually cool enough to open the windows.  And I can't run.

You sissy, you don't want to run in that??

Well, I could run, but since I am doing a 50K on Sunday, I thought it best not to go out this morning.  Because if I went out this morning, say, for a little 3 miler, the siren song of the breeze would trick me into running way longer, say, 15 miles.  And that isn't what I need to be doing.  How do I know this?  Well, I have already taken a 13 mile bike ride today (because apparently biking doesn't count when you are tapering, of course) and tonight I plan to meet for the second of 6 pub challenge runs (which also doesn't count because it is at night, short, and how serious can you be when you are finishing at a pub).  I don't think I fully understand this tapering thing.

But it gets me every time.  I guess it is not that important since I am not a real contender or anything, but I still like to go into running 31 miles with pretty fresh legs.  I have promised myself that tomorrow I won't do A THING!  Friday might be a short shake out run and Saturdays always suck with way too much to do anyway, so I can hold off then. 
This will be my first ultra since Umstead.  I don't count AOR, since 1) my total was only 20 miles and 2) we actually did get to sleep for a couple hours, and 3) we were civilized and used port-o-pots.

this  is actually one of my worst fears

I am looking forward to another play day on the trail.  The cut off is 9 hours and this is a pretty flat run, so I could probably set up a picnic lunch complete with checkered tablecloth and still make the finish on time.  But all these summer runs trying to get my times down has given me the incentive to actually try and go fast, so that is the plan.  The weather looks like it is going to cooperate, and word has it that the trails are in great shape.  Whatever the outcome, it is good to be back in the woods!