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My "A" Race for the year is soon approaching and it's time for me to dial back my training a little to make sure I am feeling fresh and ready to race. My upcoming race will be in a hot environment and also at altitude, so it's probably more important to make sure I am well rested for the race.
As with most training, a taper leading into a race should be individual for each athlete, but one thing people need to remember is that you should not be completely stopping your training coming into a race. Although you should be feeling fresh, you should be feeling fast.
I personally prefer to train similar to a normal training week, including a tempo and speed run, but just reducing the duration and distance, while trying to focus on the same speed that I hope to run at during the race.
Hopefully the following tips will help you with your next taper.
1. You may be training less, but your body is still working hard
You may be doing less work during this period but your body is still hard at work trying to get you ready for competition. Just like resting between workout allows your body to recover for your next workout, your taper is getting you ready for the big race by recovering from what should have been 3 to 4 months of consistent training.
2. Taper means rest but not complete rest
It's time for your body to recover, but it's also time to fine tune the details of your running. I've seen people completely dial back their training, leaving them feeling slow and sluggish when race time comes around. Taper usually means a reduction of 20% to 40% in your training volume, this usually starts two weeks before your race but some people extend that to three.
3. It's not the time to make up for missed training sessions
Remember that long run you weren't able to do, or a speed session you passed on cause you weren't feeling well. Now is no the time to be trying to make up for these lost sessions. Your brain is probably going to be telling you to run them, but keep a cool head and remember that adaptation and training takes longer than one or two weeks, so any last gasp cramming is not going to get you the results you think it will.
4. It's not the time the experiment with new things
Yep, this is not the time to try out something new whether it be barefoot running, a change in your running shoes, the new training session the pros are doing or anything else that could potentially cause an injury. It is the perfect time to make sure your race nutrition is 100%, you are comfortable wearing the clothes you are planning to race in and your race strategy is set and ready for race day.
5. Cross training, but in moderation
Just like experimenting with new equipment and techniques, this is not the time to start a weight training regime to help improve strength. It's the perfect time though to do all the things you usually neglect when you train. For example stretching, recovery runs, and foam rolling. With the extra time you might have, you'll be able to fit in all these extra small things you usually don't have time for.
6. Don't freak out!
Its 100% normal to feel a little crappy or go a little crazy during this time. Everyone will respond a little differently during this time, but you need to remember if you get the recipe right, research shows that it could improve your race results by up to 3%. For a marathon, that could be over 10 minutes. It seems counter intuitive but it allows your muscles to return to their peak, it allows metabolic enzymes, antioxidants, and various hormones, depleted during training, to return to their optimal ranges.
Now over two years ago, a pic of me running Ironman New Zealand
About the Author
Hey I'm Vince, an Aussie living in New Zealand, trying my best to make the most of the time I have. I work as a Software Engineer but love to run and all aspects of it, including geeking out on the latest science to help get the most out of my body.
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