Murphy's Law and Tapering

The first week of tapering was fine. Sort of. I wound up with 40 miles, but came down with some intestinal virus that kept me in bed and feeling awful by the weekend. This week of tapering has been terrible. I've run about 28 miles, less than I wanted, and I haven't been feeling well. (That whole intestinal virus has been kicking my butt.)

Yesterday, my stomach finally started feeling better! Woo Hoo! I ran 7 miles and felt good. Now though, my right arch is killing me. What's that all about?! I've never had arch pain, and with 8 days till my marathon I have sudden pain? Very annoying...

I read how people have issues with tapering all the time. Runners getting sick and having phantom pains that seem to be brought on by the mysterious taper. It's never happened to me though. Well, until now.

This is my fifth marathon. For three of my marathons I was sick and/or injured before tapering began, so tapering wasn't an issue (and actually I welcomed it). Last fall was the first time I managed to make it to taper healthy, and the tapering itself didn't bother me.

This year I feel like tapering has brought random illness and pain. (Shaking fists in the air.) Darn you taper, why do you curse me?! Nah, I know my illness and pains are just bad luck and not brought on by some mysterious phenomenon known as taper. (Just out of curiosity, which one of you has been practicing your voodoo doll skills on me?)

So here I am, 8 days until the Cox Providence Marathon. I'm planning to punch Murphy's Law right in the face and run a great marathon. That's my story anyway...