Starting to taper

I wrote this on Sunday and forgot to post it. Better late than never!

Last week was my "peak" week. I ran a total of 38 miles. A 6 mile run that included 10- 400 meter repeats, a 10 mile run as close to race pace as I could muster and a 20 mile run. The 20 mile run was my slowest one yet. I don't know if it was because I was alone, or because everything kind of went wrong. I usually run on Saturdays, but the weather was forecasted to be bad so I decided to run it on Thursday. I had worked the day before so I didn't drink as much as I should have. Because of this late change, I had done my repeats before work on Wednesday and then kettle bell class afterwards. My legs were exhausted before mile 10. I also had to stop for a potty break and I added in an extra hill climb. Although the run was hard, the weather was perfect and the scenery was beautiful. I also listened to "The Secret Keeper" by Kate Morton, so that made the 3 plus hours fly by.
Today I'm exhausted. I think that it will be nice to decrease my mileage this week. I'll still keep my regular workout schedule for one more week, but the 2 weeks after I will cut everything but Pilates.
These past few weeks of high mileage have been accompanied with lots of justifying of extra treats. However, now that I'm starting to taper, I'm also starting to clean and tighten up my diet. Food prep, lots of greens, and planning will be crucial.
I have been trying to come up with a granola/protein bar recipe, which has led to much sampling. I just want to find something that's a better alternative to granola bars at the grocery store. On the days I work, I am either going to the gym at 5 am or right after work. I need something that is convenient and nutritious. It's a work in progress, but I have found a recipe for a no bake cookie that I'm using as my guide. I will share it when I get it right.