It's taper time! (Crossing my fingers and toes and trusting my training)

20 days until the Chicago Marathon

Call it what you want: Everything happens for a reason, blessings in disguise

Twenty days. Wow. Writing that out makes the marathon seem dauntingly close, especially after some setbacks in my training since I last wrote to you.

About two weeks ago I was in a car accident. I am OK! Nobody was hurt, though there were three vehicles involved. It was scary. And it happened very fast.

I was startled, frustrated and confused as I climbed out of my car after the impact. While my mind began to spiral, one of the guys in the crash made an astute observation. He told me that he believes everything happens for a reason.

“Maybe there was an even worse wreck up the road,” he said.

Maybe we were spared something truly awful that was in our path.

He was incredibly calm as the police came and took our statements. This made me feel a bit calmer, too. Later, my car was determined a total loss.

During one of my runs that week, I listened to an episode of Dax Shepard’s Armchair Anonymous podcast. It featured stories related to the theme “Blessing in Disguise.”

I was really touched by the stories. One woman said an argument with her parents saved her life. Someone else talked about moving back home during the pandemic, and how the move helped him catch his brain cancer early enough to cure it.

Oliver and I have been bedridden with COVID-19 for the last four days. I have not run once in over a week. It’s made me really nervous and stressed, since the marathon is now less than three weeks away. But perhaps this is the way it was supposed to go.

When I posed my situation to the Chicago Marathon runners’ group on Facebook, nearly every respondent told me not to sweat missing the longest long run. A couple people suggested I run 20 miles next weekend instead, but mostly the consensus was to skip the 20-miler altogether and continue with my plan as written, which starts to taper now.

“Don’t even worry if you don’t run a 20 before the marathon and miss it,” one commenter wrote. “Run whatever the body is comfortable with or wait until it’s ready to run any distance. If you’ve been training well missing this won’t matter. Come the day you will be buzzing anyway.”

“To me, the 20 miler is just to give you confidence that you are ready to complete the marathon,” another commenter said. “You won’t really gain fitness from 1 20 mile run. Skip it and get better.”

“Skip it. Some plans don't even call for the 20 miler. You've been consistent with your training. Missing the 20 miler will not ruin anything. Pushing a compromised body through hours of exercise *could* ruin everything. Relax. Get better. Let the 20 go. You'll still do great,” someone else said.

And my personal favorite: “If I promise you that the last bunch of miles is a party and out of body experience with never ending cheering and waterfalls of Gatorade, you don’t need the 20, but maybe work on finalizing your outfit and check your sneakers. You will be fine.”

So, here’s hoping my training over the last four months is enough to get me through 26.2 miles. If I feel well enough to get in another 14-16 mile long run this week I will, for my confidence’s sake. But otherwise, it’s taper time!

Runner’s log

I did not run at all last week, and the week before was a light week to prepare for what should have been my 20-miler.

Needless to say, my legs are well rested.

I plan to run today for the first time since having COVID-19. I’m excited to get back on my feet and hope my endurance isn’t totally shot from the virus. Please send all the good vibes as I ease back into the last 20 days of training!

Mountain views

In between the car wreck and getting COVID-19, Oliver and I spent some time in Colorado for his brother’s wedding. Kim and Elliot got married in the mountains. It was beautiful and the whole weekend was so full of love. I’m grateful to have been part of it!

I’ll leave you with some mountain views from our trip to Rocky Mountain National Park (spot Mr. Moose!), a hike around the Flatirons and my Sunday run through Boulder:

Thank you, friends, for your unending support and love. Just a couple more weeks now until race day. I’m so grateful that you’re on this journey with me!

xoxo,

mad mitch