Taper Taper Taper Tucson

So last weekend was my last longish run before Tucson - 16 miles. It went pretty well despite not feeling so hot and a wind that kicked up towards the end of the run. It turns out I have adult croup - after a visit to the doctor and some really nasty cough medicine and some other capsule thing, I'm beginning to feel better cough and health-wise.

This week I've got one more 8 mile marathon pace run and currently I'm looking out at about 7 inches of snow and growing. It's supposed to stop at some point in the day but will only get up to the low 30's over the next few days so I've got to figure out what day to do this run. I think it's going to be the only way I can tell what to expect in Tucson.

All the other marathon pace runs have gone really well and they've helped to build my confidence, but I really am going into this marathon a bit blind. I've done the Tucson half marathon so I know what to expect the last portion of the race, but its the last portion of this race and there's no way it can go as well as the half did when I raced it a few years ago - I mean it will be after an additional 13.1 miles - how could it go as well?

I kind of have a game plan, but I keep changing my mind. This will be my third attempt at qualifying for Boston and I think I'll be able to do it, but settling on what time to try and achieve has me a bit on the fence. I could go for a straight 3:45 because I don't think I ever really plan on running Boston - there are just too many people - but if I did, a simple 3:45 won't get me there. It would have to be at least 7 or so minutes less than that - if this past sign-up is any indication. Having that thought of course leads to the, you could start out too fast and completely blow up and miss both opportunities, or the thought that I could start out with a 3:45 in mind and then hope I have the ability to speed up and stay that way through the last portion of the race.

I've got 10 days to decide, but man it's really starting to cause a bit of a tummy ache - I guess that's what taper is all about, either that or this cough syrup is a lot stronger than I originally thought.