Taper?

I didn't plan to taper for the American River 50 this coming weekend, but I think I will pretend that was my intention last week rather than just bailing on my running. With two very early mornings and a trip to Vegas, my overall mileage was just about cut in half. I did manage to squeeze in a couple of trail runs as well as some very short filler runs, but it was a pretty light week overall.

I only managed to get one run in during the trip, but at least it was a beautiful one out at Red Rocks Canyon. I actually did the same route that I did a little less than a year ago there. I planned to make it a little longer by doing the full White Rock Loop before heading back up and back to the La Madre Spring. My wife was going to hike starting the opposite direction going to the spring and then doing some of the loop until we met. Well, once again, our attempt at a hiking/running meet-up go awry. I expected I would meet Zane before the Loop trail hit the Springs trail, but no dice. I figure she is either up on the last half-mile section to the springs or decided to just do an out and back and is relaxing back at the start. She was carrying extra water and I am out so I decide to head to the car where I can at least fill. No Zane. I decide she must have been up on near the Springs so I head back out. I get to the Springs. No Zane. I think, maybe we just missed each other and she is out on the Loop trail. I head out for a bit back on the loop trail. I go maybe 3/4 of a mile out and realize that the time is now around where we agreed to finish so she shouldn't be out any further. I head back and then down to the car again. No Zane. On the way down I ask numerous people if they have seen the woman carrying a pink water bottle. No. Zane? Back at the car it hits me. When I showed her the map I emphasized the straight out Springs Trail with the Loop Trail peeling off part way up. I didn't think about the fact that she would be starting on the Rocky Gap 4x4 road going right up the mountain before the La Madre Springs Trail actually peels off. Knowing Zane and her propensity to "just go" she was probably half way up the mountain. I headed out and didn't get far before I met her coming down and confirming that, "yes" she was "out there" where one buy in a Jeep asked if she realized she was "in the middle of no where". She immediately turned my worry into a smile by saying "see, you always get a longer run when I go hiking". We both laughed about it on the drive back to the Hotel. We topped off our very non-Vegas, Vegas day with a stop at the Whole Foods for an awesome Salad Bar lunch.

While the week was lacking in running, it was a great trip. My son's tournament was good. Zane and I stayed over Sunday night and went to see "O" for her birthday and then the we visited the Bodies exhibit on Monday. The exhibit was very cool and if you ever want to see what all those muscles, veins and nerves are doing inside your body from an up-close and personal perspective there is no better display.

The countdown to AR50 has begun. I am doing some light mileage this week before the race, but nothing serious. I'm heading up to Auburn Friday afternoon and will be getting up VERY early to catch the bus down to the start in Sac. This will be my second 50 miler, but a much more flat course. I am actually thinking about time goals, but don't want to jinx myself by actually mentioning them :-). In the end, it is still mainly training for Miwok which is less than a month away!!!