Taper time. Am I ready?

24 days away from 100 mile race. Taper begins. Today was the last day in my last block of training before  taper begins.Am I ready? Have I done enough? Have I been intense enough? Have I done enough crazy things to try and simulate race day feel, forcing suffering upon myself and embracing it. Have my back to backs been hard enough? My back to back to backs; have they been hard enough? Has my fourth day runs been hard enough? Have I pounded out the hills hard enough when I felt tired? Have long runs on friday night been odd enough to make my body think I can do this?

Have I changed my mindset back to a never quit mindset? Have I steeled my resolve enough that when it gets tough I will unflinchingly continue on? Have I pushed my body enough in training that when I get to race day will I be able to just go and have a nice casual day at the races? Have I conditioned myself well enough?

I think the answer is yes. I'm running further, with more elevation gain in this training cycle than ever before. And feel like my body is completely capable of everything that I've asked it to do. By the end of this week I will have had 6 weeks with over 100 km of running in the first 10 weeks of the year. Last year I only hit 4 training weeks of over 100 km. December, January, and February all had elevation gain totals greater than any other moth of training I'd ever done; and doing at pacing that increases every time (the disappearing snow might have something to do with that). The last 4 months cycle of training has been the most solid, and consistent training I've done. And since my last long race attempt last august I've shaken off the soreness, and then felt like my build back up to volume was done at the right level.

I am a little worried about how to attack the race though. I have conflicting thoughts on what to do on race day; race conservatively to finish, or give it a go and try to truly race the race. My main goal for the year was to finish a 100 mile race, and I feel like I should be willing to go to just finish and that should be good enough. I've been told recently "that my time to push my limits is coming, but to be patient" which is good advice, but it's tough to be patient. I feel so very good physically, and am so very tempted to push hard now. What to do, what to do.

I guess it's time to check out the race maps. In the past, at long races I've been very focused on knowing exactly how the race will unfold topographically; this race I've been much less concerned. Yes, I know there will be approximately x amount of ____ feet climbs through the race, but I don't know where they are and don't feel like I will make certain to remember this. I am aware that there is sufficient/excessive amount of aid stations. I am aware that there is good access for my crew, and will make sure to print directions for my crew. But other than that, I feel very unconcerned, almost laid back about it. I feel as though I have prepared my body, and am knowledgeable enough about what food I want and when to be able to last. Cut-off times? Whatever, I am physically capable, and mentally capable, cut-off times are not a concern, if for some reason I don't make a cut-off time something much worse has happened. I will wear my gps, but only for posterity's sake; I won't look at it during the race, I will just run by feel. Whatever may be is whatever may be.