The highest mileage week in the plan, week 13 came and went, and I took it all in stride, then after that is was all kinds of taper loveliness for weeks 14 and 15 and I felt a little bit like I was twiddling my thumbs with all my spare time.  Week 16 I was consumed with pre-race preparations: travel logistics, nutrition, hydration, and what I was going to wear.

Week 13

Week 13 Plan	Week 13 What Happened	Notes
Tuesday 6 miles	6.05 miles (@9:35/mile)	School run-run
Thursday Yassos 10 x 800m	6.05 miles (@8:40/mile)	Run Commute
Friday	10 Yassos 7.92 miles	Avg 3:45 per Yasso
Saturday 5 miles	Rest
Sunday 20 miles	20.1 miles (@9:29/mile)	Felt good

Plan miles: 40 / Actual miles: 42.8

Thoughts: This was the highest mileage week in the plan, the one that I looked ahead to and baulked.  In the end it was fine.  The yassos were tough, but I was so chuffed with the time.  The long run was good, the gels (which were isotonic) made me feel a bit iffy and I only had 2 of the 3-4 that I had planned, and I wore shorts, which made my legs ache from the lack of support.

Week 14

Week 14 Plan	Week 14 What Happened	Notes
Tuesday 6 miles	2.1 miles (@3.03/mile) & 3.03 miles (@8:27/mile)
Thursday 3x1mile repeats	1.37 mile (@9:16/mile) 3.93 mile (@10:45/mile)	Sweatshop Intervals, but I wasn’t feeling well and didn’t put the effort in.
Friday	6:00 miles (@9:03/mile)
Sunday 14 miles	13.39 miles (@9:44/mile)	Booked babysitter to get this in as Brian was away.

Plan miles: 32 / Actual miles: 29.8

Thoughts: The first week of taper, and I had to take my foot off the gas when it came to intervals.  I wasn’t feeling it, and my session [(2x90s & 1x3min)x3] was pitifully slow.  For my long run, I had to book a babysitter on Mother’s Day as my husband was away all weekend on a stag do.

Week 15

Week 15 Plan	Week 15 What Happened	Notes
Tuesday 5 miles	3.01 miles (@10:55/mile)	Sweatshop with Ellis
Wednesday	5:49 miles (@8:48/mile)
Thursday 3x1mile repeats	6.59 miles (@9:22/mile)	Sweatshop Intervals, with some extra miles on the end.
Sunday 10 miles	8.81 miles (@8:41/mile)	Booked another babysitter as my husband was away again

Plan miles: 25 / Actual miles: 23.9

Thoughts: Second week of taper and my legs were feeling better, and everything felt like it was clicking into pace, with a faster Sunday run and a good effort at Sweatshop Intervals (2x3min, 5x90s, 2x2min, 5x45s).  It was annoying having to book a babysitter for the second weekend in a row in order to get my long run in, but it was for a good cause, as my husband took Ellis to a rugby tournament.

Week 16

Week 16 Plan	Week 16 What Happened	Notes
Tuesday 5 miles	3.2 miles (@10:32/mile)	Second sweatshop run in a row with my Ellis
Thursday 6x400m	4.46 miles (@9:04/miles)	Sweatshop Intervals, and I really gave it some welly!
Friday	1.42 miles (@12:12/mile) & 1 mile (@9:12/mile)	First run just me and Eben, bc he was dying to get in on the action
Sunday RACE DAY	BLOG COMING SOON

Plan miles: 12.25 / Actual miles: 10.08 (EXCLUDING THE BIG DAY ITSELF)

Thoughts: Race week had me pre-occupied with all sorts, hydrating, eating well, sleeping well, not getting injured, planning travel, logistics, and I have loved getting in some runs with my boys over the taper period!  I’m constantly wondering if I’ve done the taper right, enough intensity, but not too much.  Nothing to do now except show up and race.

What’s coming up?

The big race, that’s all, nothing left to do, and nothing left to run, just to race 26.2 miles for the 1st time ever.  Blog coming soon!

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Any and all advice welcome!