Taper Week...

 Taper weeks for athletes of any level isn't their favorite. I find them a pain in the butt, though I understand why we have them. As we go through intense training sessions leading up to an event, the body and mind also need time to rest, hydrate, recover and be fresh for the event day.

We spend weeks working our bodies and minds in our chosen sport, and the day we line up at the start line we need to know within ourselves that we have done everything we could to be ready for what lies a head of us on that day.

I myself really don't like taper weeks, I get frustrated, anxious, quiet, and moody. I think a lot about the event I am tapering for and what I need to work on (organise), go through the gear I need to take with me, times to pick people up and get to the event location. So yeah, I send myself around the twist, as they say. As someone who finds it extremely hard to sit still and relax unless I am asleep that is, I am usually on the go, which isn't always good when tapering. I have to make sure I am eating properly through out the week, drinking plenty of water and taking in plenty of carbohydrates the couple of days leading into the event.

 The 10 kilometer qualifying swim this coming Saturday will be another milestone as well. I have a tendency to only look at this particular event and not look further, as I don't want to stress, or loose my focus on the requirements that are needed for this event. We have a time frame in order to get this swim done in, four hours and fifteen minutes. I know myself and my training partner are capable of getting it done somewhere between three hours, thirty minutes and four hours. Even if the water is rough, which I expect it to be, we will get it done. That makes this a week of visualising what I need to do for myself and with my training partner to hopefully make our estimated times.

My favourite movie, Finding Nemo, and the love I have for Dory, as much as she is a little ditsy, she can still swim and like her I am not one for liking stingers, but her motto of "Just Keep Swimming!" plays through my mind regularly when I get tired or stressed when I am in the water.

Tomorrow sees us doing a two kilometer light swim, rest on Tuesday, Wednesday is two and a half kilometers then Thursday and Friday rest, eating and drinking lots of water. Early to bed Friday and up nice and early on Saturday. Also time to put the final touches on the event plan and stick with it.

Have an awesome week everyone...

Hayley xx