The legs are coming around!  I met up with Brenden today for a 2x2 mile tempo workout and felt like my typical starting-to-taper self.  What a fun feeling.  We came through in 11:33 and 11:38 and I felt strong, efficient, and my feet were slapping the pavement & bouncing up quickly, snappily.  I could have pushed harder (cool feeling!), but at this point I just want to be running fast & not totally trashing the legs. 

The whole workout was just 10 miles.  I hardly felt like it was enough - I'm typically completely wiped out after a workout with Brenden!  Yeah, tapering!!

This is perfectly timed as I'll be putting together my stuff for the race this weekend.  Now I can truly throw out all of the doubts I had the last week and a half, think through pacing without thinking "well, I haven't hit my times in anything recent... is this really do-able?".  Instead, I can start to get really excited and enjoy the last part of the taper.  Yes :)

Oh -- PLEASE let a cold front come through for next weekend.  It's going to be a hot one here in MN this weekend (90 and humid) and initial forecasts for next Saturday call for a very humid day.  I don't race well in humidity... hopefully with enough praying things might change?? :)