I love the final week before a half-marathon.
First, there’s the tapering. The guilt-free reduction in mileage. Many runners claim they get kind of crazy without all the running. I embrace it.

Then, there’s the carb-loading. Guilt-free eating, heavy on the carbs. Could there be any better time for a Thanksgiving feast, complete with my two favourite boys and homemade pumpkin pie?

Lastly, there’s the anticipation of race day. This is particularly fun attending a new race. This weekend, my husband and I planned out a few details of our weekend in Charlottetown. It filled my stomach with butterflies. There’s so much to look forward to: a free yoga class, free massage, the pasta dinner, eating at our favourite Charlottetown haunts and driving through the fall colours. And then, Sunday, the RACE! I can just picture crossing the finish line at Province House, our country’s birthplace.
I’m feeling good. It’s been 15.5 months since I had my son, and I think it’s safe to say I feel back to my old self. I may not be as speedy as I was in 2013, but I’m in good shape. My legs are strong and it feels good to run.
I haven’t thought much about goals. I could say I want a personal best (and I do), but I’m not going to kill myself over it. The beauty of a new course is I’ll set a personal course record no matter what. And for me, I’m just proud of the fact that I’ve been able to train for two consecutive half-marathons while balancing my new responsibilities as a working mom.
