Flyin High on the Taper

Some folks I know hate the taper. Drives crazy them crazy running less miles. Not me, I freakin love it. I get the rest that I need, I get more time to do other things and while I feel sluggish the first 8-10 days of a taper I always emerge feeling strong and fast. Rest and recovery, so under-rated.

This past weekend couldn't have been better timing to be on taper. Saturday, pals Samantha (pacer for 75-100) and Jessica (crew) were out in the bay for an outrigger canoe race and I came down to hangout and watch them do their thing. Afterwards it was a short walk to the Presidio for the Aloha Festival that was in town for the weekend. No coincidence that the outrigger canoe race is the same weekend. Got some good Hawaiian grub and ended up staying for 6 hours listening to live Hawaiian music and watching some Hula and other polynesian dances. Tahitian dance = more hip shaking action. An amazing time, good day to get reconnected to my Hawaiian roots. Old memories were rolling around in my head the whole time I was there. Funny thing, just by coincidence, my high school reunion was the same weekend - in Honolulu! For those of you who are from Hawaii or spent time growing up there as I did, I'm a Radford Ram. I need another 10 years, I haven't done anything with my life yet. I did manage to get out for a short run after the festivities were over for the day.

Sunday was a short trail run followed by a picnic to celebrate the birthdays of two friends. It was perfect, I needed a short high intensity trail run for my taper. We started in Rodeo Beach which is race central for Headlands Hundred this coming weekend and the route was on part of the course. I am now on the "feeling really great" part of the taper and on the first climb I pulled away and kept on going. It was 8.5 miles, run hard and it felt good. Back in the parking lot I run into a couple of guys who are running the 50-mile race of Headlands, Roy and Norbert. They had been done for some time and enjoying their beers.

I'm looking forward to Headlands Hundred. I feel good about my training and my taper. I do have one worry. I have a small issue/injury that may affect the second half of my race. It's been 2 weeks and it is a whole lot better and I got 5 more days to go. We shall see, only one way to find out. The stupid thing about this whole injury is that it had nothing to do with running! Anyway a topic for another post. It may be an issue but then again it might not. Let's keep our fingers crossed for not.

SFOCC!

Three of SFOCC's five canoes, prepped and ready.

Sam and Jess helping with getting the canoe to the water.

Samantha and Jess after their race, all smiles. Sam actually raced in two events, with her and her crew taking first place in the first event.

Watching the men dance at the Aloha Festival. The Halau's (Hula dance schools) are like paddling clubs, they are all over California.

And the women too, this is one of those moments where a big bulky camera with a powerful zoom lens would have been great.

Post trail run birthday picnic. This coming weekend this will be a totally different scene. We are right smack dab in the middle of Headlands Hundred race central. Thinking about it is making me want to lace up right now. I'm rested, energized, ready to go.

For more pictures from this weekend, click here.