"Tweapering"

So, I'm now firmly committed to my Tweak/Taper or Tweaper phase. This seems to be a much maligned phase--everyone complains how out of sorts they feel, that they are getting "fat", etc. I've certainly felt that in times past.

The way i currently do this is a bit of an evolution. I've certainly incorproated a lot of what I learned from Peter Reid in 2007--in fact, many of my workouts over the next 2 weeks are exactly the same as I did in that two week period leading up to IMFL07. However, I have changed a few things. firstly, I don't "taper" for 3 weeks--just 14 days. Secondly, I don't give up coffee--life's too short!

In fact, I really don't think of this period as really a taper--which implies diminishing one's workouts. While, my volume certainly goes down--very substantially--I think of this period is one of gaining. Gaining readiness to race. I'm looking to add, not subtract over the next two weeks. I'm not looking to add fitness--that cake is baked at this point. But I'm looking to add to my readiness to get the most that I can out of the fitness that I've built.

This readiness involves building my confidence. Building my motivation to really go deep on the 20th. Resting, so I have loads of energy. Stretching and working a bit on my core so I'm ready to assume the position for 5+ hours on the bike. Eating well and not so I gain weight with a big cut back in hours. Working on a lot of short, higher intensity stuff so from a neuromuscular perspective I'm primed to be very efficient. Visualizing--all that can go right and all that can go wrong and how I'll react. Getting my gear together. Getting my team ready to support me.

It's really tweaking upward my ability to reach my full potential. Even while I taper my hours. Tweapering!

For example. Two workouts I did today were a 6.5-mile run that included two 10 minute segments at 7:00-7:15/mile and a 45 minute computrainer session that included 5 X 90sec at 315 watts/3.5 minutes easy as well as two 5 minute spins at 115-120 rpm. Both of these are high intensity (for me) but not that long--so I feel great (powerful) and not depleted at the end.

Anyways--another week in the books:

Swim: 8200 yards
Bike: 211 miles
Run: 27 miles
Time: 19:42

Next week the plan is for right around 10 hours of training--with 1 or 2 complete rest days.....bring it on!