Contemplations While Tapering ~ 10 Days Until Western States 100 And so begins the taper. Which is, arguably, the most difficult phase of training. Mere days before, I was desperately squeezing real life into an unrealistic running schedule. Searching for time where no time was to be found. When I wasnβt running, I was either preparing for or recovering from a run. A beautiful, building chaos that suddenly... ends. Like losing power during the climatic part of rock song. So much potential energy and then nothing. The taper. So on this, my first taper day before #WesternStates100, I found a sunny patch of grass in a public park. Glorified by an unobstructed view of #MtVitosha and a gentle, #Bulgarian breeze carrying the sweet smell of #Banitsa. I thought a lot about how blessed I have been to be in this place and time in my life. To have this beautiful mountain in my backyard and the ability to utilize it. It is interesting how much training changes us. And in more than the obvious physical sense. It is as if we become part of a place and the place reciprocates. It splices and reworks DNA and something new emerges. Over the past few months, I have ascended about 100,000 feet. Traversed over 1000 miles. Fucked my shit up on more rocks and roots and paved places than I can remember. Destroyed two pair of #Altras and gave up on running no less than 20 times. The mountains were simultaneously my savior and tormentor. But one particular day is the epitome of training for this monumental race. A day that began in the darkness of cloud-cover. Rain pelted the metal parts of our apartment while we waited anxiously for the sun to overpower the storm. βBad weather, at the beginning of a run, is usually a bad omen.β I told Cassandra βIt makes it harder to muster the necessary optimism.β When it became clear that the rain would not let up, I made my way out the door and toward the trailhead. When I got to the trailhead, it became obvious that it was going to be a hard day at the office. Rushing water covered the places that trail once was. Each step was to be taken in direct opposition of the current. I pushed the start button on my #Suunto and began my ascent. (at Vitosha)
