So we are almost to the finish line, literally and figuratively. We are just over one week away from the Walt Disney World Marathon!

It’s been a long road filled with lots of hard earned miles and lots of pre-dawn get ups to do long runs in the cold when the rest of the world was sleeping in their beds. I live in TX so I am being a tad overdramatic – my coldest run was 36 degrees which is NOTHING to some of you who live in the frozen tundra-like places of the world. I bow to you, Frozen Tundra Running People.

I love this. It actually is for a sub-division in my neighborhood and doesn’t, in fact, stand for “Personal Record” but since it’s on my running route, we’re going to assume they just don’t really know what it means;).

So when you get here, the week before, what are your supposed to DO? Well, here’s what I’m doing

• Running a whole lot less. I have 8 miles up for tomorrow and then only a couple of short runs next week. It’s weird.
• Being a saint nutritionally and with my supplements and drinking enough water. I tend to run anemic and sometimes forget to take my iron supplement. I’ve actually been working on taking it every day for a few weeks now. That will continue this week. Oh, and I will be upping my carbohydrates only slightly. It doesn’t take much to “carb load” and if I overdue it I’ll feet fat and bloated going into the weekend. Not what I’m going for. I like this article from Runner’s World on that.
• Getting enough sleep! The whole point of the taper is muscle repair and getting well rested so I will be fresh a week from Sunday. I will be going to bed on time.
• Packing!! I really am not one of those people who is naturally well organized so I will make lists and pack and re-pack about 10 times. And even if the weather report says zero chance of rain, I WILL be packing rain gear. Because Wine and Dine Half. Here’s my packing list from last year’s race if your’e interested. My friends over at We Run Disney get a great overview of what to pack for Dopey, but it works for the marathon, too.
• Being neurotic. Yesterday, I was so wishing that I could run the marathon today. And tomorrow, I may be wishing I wasn’t running it at all. Taper crazies are real. Random stuff will start to hurt (am I injured? Is it my PF? Do I need to go to the doctor for a shot or something? Am I getting a cold? Do you have the flu? Stay away from me! No, I can’t change that lightbulb I might hurt myself and I’m running a marathon in a week! blah blah blah)