Taper Rules

So its taper time... as when I started this I have so much on my mind and now I have time to write about it and have no idea where to start. 

How about the rules I was given during taper:
1) DONT BE STUPID

• Don't try to gain more fitness, anything I do now wont help race day and could potentially hurt me.
• Trying to find that balance is definitely challenging!

2) DONT GET HURT

• But thats one thing I'm so good at!  Feeling some new achilles and foot pain...so much for that point.
• Run taper is going to be pretty drastic this week, hopefully it goes away

3) DONT GET FAT

• I have to say I got very used to eating 2200-3000 calories a day...I'm hungry, but still eating about twice what the average woman eats.  For formerly being overweight its crazy to look at the amount I ate in training while still loosing body fat.  It took me some time to get there just that mental block of wanting to get lean which usually means restricting calories, but I truly saw some amazing changes when my body is properly fueled.  Plus with all the training it would have been impossible for it to have negative effects on my waistline.

You know what though, with all the uncertainty of my first triathlon, the ridiculously short training period, and some of the what the hell were you thinking feedback I've recieved...I have never felt so prepared for a race.

I gave this training, 110% I was excited for every workout, and now when I think about race day I feel a calm confidence, and get this crazy smile on my face.  Which is a huge contrast to every other race I've done, my half marathon I was a flurry of nerves and excitement for two weeks leading up, I've had 5k's I've felt more nervous about!  Its 5 days out, maybe the nerves are still to come, but I am enjoying the calm right now. 

Here is a picture I saw inspired by Macca:

3 weeks is long enough to train for a Half Ironman as your first race....right?

What an experience so far.  I wanted to keep this more updated with my training and experiences, but I got to a point where my focus was exclusively training and trying to cram in all the information I could about race execution.

This timeframe is ridiculous, I am 5 days away from my first triathlon.

I've had a bicycle for just under 2months

I've been swimming for 2 months (actually focusing on swimming the last month)

Its only been 3.5 months since I could run my first mile after recovering from 5 months off due to a stress fracture.

Before the stress fracture I only had 3 months of running experience (before that couldn't run a mile)

To top if off I've had only 3 weeks total of Ironman 70.3 specific training...before that my focus was a sprint. 

This is either going to be an amazing first triathlon...or a fight just to finish.

Hill training....with no hills...does wind count?

Hills...something I will have to face in the race that I have had no opportunity to experience in training.  The top chart shows the race course hills....the one below shows my training grounds.  The uphills will be tough and the downhills terrifying...bring it on :)

Typically I would have spend some time to go out to a hillier area to get some training in...but with only 3 weeks from the point I decided to do my first triathlon to taper there was only time for ridiculous amounts of training when I could get it in.  So plan for hills is...dont crash...