My life is a hot mess

I've been mentioning here and there that it's taper time, and I forgot to include a little definition for my loyal non-runner readers. The taper is the weeks leading up to a big race where you run less and eat more. (The run less part is the accepted definition, the eat more is my own personal interpretation. Sometimes you need to read between the lines.) The point is to calm the hell down on the crazy mileage and let your legs get super rested so that come race day, you have nothing but energy.

This taper is highly exciting. I've run 8 marathons, but only tapered for 3. 4 of the others were done back to back during ultra training, and when I ran the Lower Potomac Marathon last year (the same race that I have coming up) it was because I unexpectedly got a free bib. Ideally, the the taper will help me run faster during the race. Hopefully that will be the case since I won't have the "oh, whoops, couldn't run fast because I'm really training for my 50 mile race!" excuse available this time.

More importantly, I need this freaking taper because my life is a hot mess. Not overall, but in all sorts of minor ways. Our living room is covered with laundry, my desk at work is covered in papers, I just returned library books ridiculously late, I'm super behind on my reading for grad class, and even worse, Eric and I are weeks behind on all our TV shows (and we don't even watch that many). The DVR is 83% full, which means the situation is really getting dire. I obviously shouldn't even be writing this blog post, but most of those things are really boring and unpleasant and I've already had a long day of work and class. 

I only have to run 30 miles this week, so theoretically there should be time to get my ducks in a row. This is why I never get why every blog is all "it's the taper, what am I going to do with all my free time?". In my case it's always crystal clear - you do all the crap you've been putting off and really needing to do for god only knows how long. That might just be me though, as I tend to be completely disorganized and great at procrastinating and avoiding every other task in order to get my run in.

Source: stumbleupon.com via Nicole on Pinterest

This is my life.

In other news, Sunday night, when Eric and I got home from Pennsylvania I somehow managed to prep this Tortellini Sausage crock pot soup before getting on my robe and refusing to move from the couch until bedtime. I actually followed the recipe and only added frozen red peppers, onions, and garlic because making soup without onions and garlic is just a gigantic waste of everyone's time. Never mind, change "making soup" to "making anything other than dessert". It was really good (and there's still lots left), so my public service announcement is to make it. You're welcome.

Is your life a mess or are your ducks in a row?