Two weeks to go

VIDEO: Fred Lebow and the founding of the NYC Marathon. I am reading Bart Yasso's "My Life on the Run," and the early comments in this video remind me of his story about the Philadelphia Marathon in the early 80s, how he was pumped to run through the neighborhoods he had seen in "Rocky" only to get beaned with heads of lettuce. The vendors were mad the street was closed, barring them from the usual customers. Or my dad first beginning to run in New York around the same time, getting beer bottles hucked at him when he trained at night ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adn628NSY-c

This is a good time to be a runner. Temperatures in the mid 40s. Cool, crisp air. July, August and September are months of gritting it out, legs heavy, heat, humidity. But in October, or pehaps mid-October, the weather is often ideal for running, and when you throw a taper into the mix, one can reconnect with the pure enjoyment of putting one foot in front of the other.

Bill Dellinger once said when you are fit, running is as easy as brushing your teeth. Training for real, on the other hand, is more like getting your teeth cleaned every day.

I put in a 106 miles for the week of Oct.6-12.

Monday - 10
Tuesday - AM 12, PM 4
Wednesday - AM 13 PM 7
Thursday - AM UMD track - 3 WU, 4 by 2 mile with 2 minutes rest (10:38, 10:40, 10:55, 11:05) 2 CD, PM 7
Friday - 10
Saturday - 10
Sunday - 22

The Thursday workout was dissapointing. I did this same workout prior to Chicago in 2006 and ran 10:40 across the board. It was a huge boost in confidence.

But my legs were tired for this recent workout, and as hard as tried I could not get them to turn over on the last two reps.

Heading into this first of three taper weeks prior to New York on Nov. 2, I had reason to feel good about the volume I put in. At the same time, nothing about it leapt out at me and screamed loud and clear that I am capable of running under 2:30.

I am feeling more confident, though, after this week. My legs have responded quickly to the reduction in mileage, and on Friday I did my five-mile tempo around the asphalt track in Takoma Park in 26:42, with splits of 5:22, 5:24, 5:18, 5:18, 5:18. The effort was very smooth; I felt as if I could have continued for several more miles at 5:18 before it would have become difficult.

The three-week taper I use was created by Pete Pfitzinger, winner of the 1984 and 1988 U.S. Olympic marathon trials. I have used for it all of my marathons, and my belief in it by this point is implicit. The first week is a 25 percent reduction in mileage from my peak week. The second week, meanwhile, is a 25 percent reduction from the previous one. The taper achieves two things: it allows me to feel at my best on race day and to respond physiologically to the build-up, meaning that as my legs are getting fresher my fitness is also improving, as the rest is allowing my system to make some of the adaptations sparked by a dozen weeks of mileage hovering around 100 per week. Next week I will do a workout of 3 by 1 mile on the track; the week of the marathon I will do a "dress rehearsal" of three miles at marathon goal pace. Keeping these faster workouts in the mix helps retains one's mental and physical sharpness.

Oct. 13-19
Monday - 9
Tuesday - 10
Wednesday - 14
Thursday - 10
Friday - 3 WU, 5 miles at 5:20 pace, 3 CD
Saturday - 10
Sunday - 17
Total - 80