Miles, Traveling, and Tapering

This week I promised myself two things:

1.  I would not go to speed work. (accomplished)

2.  I would not run any runs faster than an 8:00 mile pace. (fail - ran a 6 mile run at 7:55 average today.  If it counts, it was only a 5 second fail, which is better than a 10 second fail)

After running 19 miles on Sunday, and logging 52 miles for the week, my legs needed a break.  Some people would say, "52  miles....that's nothing.  I run 70+ miles per week."  However, I am not one of those people.  My legs run best when I run between 35-45 miles per week.  I am not a "more miles = better race times" runner.  So the fact that I ran 52 miles is an accomplishment to me.  This week is another high mileage week for me, and then I get to taper for one week. 

My taper week comes at a great time, too.  On Friday, I am flying to Los Angeles for five days.  I am excited...for their weather.  They are having weather in the 60s, and I cannot wait.  The Chicago area has been experiencing summer-like temperatures in the upper 80s for the past week.  It has been so warm that they turned on the water fountains on the path I typically run...a few months early.  Last spring was cold, wet, and dreary, so I guess the weather would like to make up for that this year. 

After coming back from LA, I will continue to taper because I am running a half marathon that Sunday (April 1).  My best friend, T, is also running it.  I'm hoping that there are PRs in our future. 

In LA, I hope to complete a 20 mile training run.  This will be a new experience, running somewhere totally foreign to me for so many miles.  I think it will be a good challenge.  After this 20-miler, only one more before the race. 

Are you traveling this spring to warmer or cooler places?  When we booked our flight to LA in January, I was thinking about how wonderful it was going to be to experience warm weather in March.  Now, I am looking forward to the cooler LA weather.  I am worried...what will it be like in June and July?