beer 302 said:
Ned said:
Definitely feeling confident these days. The uncertainty that usually comes with tapering hasn't crept in yet. I'm very OCD and I go crazy on runs that don't go exactly how I expect them. This time though, I just know that the fitness/speed is there and I don't care if I don't hit my marks perfectly. I don't know how to describe it... I've never felt this way before.
It's called confidence, you should embrace it because you are as well prepared as I have ever seen anyone in this thread. I think too that because of that confidence in your abilities & training your perpetration has been so much better this year over last. There has been no doubt in any of your runs like there have been in the past from time-to-time.I suspect, but don't know for sure, that there is some motivation from your mom as well. Whatever it may be, trust in it because it is fueling you right now.
A couple of very
Can't wait for this race for you, Ned. You can't fake a marathon, and your confidence comes from knowing that you don't need to fake it. You are ready.
My son's Conference Championship is tomorrow. I think he's pretty ready too. I passed along the advice about a longer taper being better for a shorter race and he took it. They did a light practice yesterday, but their last real workout was Saturday, starting with running a timed mile to compare to the timed mile they ran at the start of the season. He did a 5:04 -- which made me question the veracity of the course! That's compared to the 5:34 he ran at the start of the season. He says he feels like he's bursting with energy right now.
The four-time champ they're trying to knock off tomorrow posted something on their website about going undefeated during the regular season and being "heavily favored to win a 5th straight title." I forwarded it to the coach who read it to the team - real-life bulletin board material! That same school is also letting its high school students out early tomorrow to attend the meet, which is actually pretty cool - my son's school might let kids out early for a big football game or something, but that would never happen for cross country.
Totaling up all my son's JV races, he has been beaten by about 10 guys in dual meets this season. So I told him all he has to do is beat just one of the guys who beat him earlier this year to earn a Top 10 finish. I'd be pretty psyched if he could pull that off and break his current PR of 19:00 - but even if he doesn't, it's been a great season.