I just finished training some folks for the Boston Marathon. They unanimously said they sometimes feel like they train to taper. That made me giggle. I've felt that way too at the end of several months of intense marathon training.
Tapering into a big race is vital. But I find there are misconceptions about what makes a good taper.
I coach my clients so that taper involves a reduction of volume (the race distance and the athlete's experience dictates how much) but a sustaining of intensity.
For example, I taper my marathoners for three weeks rather than two. The first week's volume reduction isn't that severe. But during weeks two and three, it is much more noticeable. During those weeks, I will increase the intensity on shorter workouts; short bursts of work within a shorter distance or timeframe.
What I find often can happen in taper, is that an athlete reduces everything - both volume and intensity - and I believe that results in getting to the start line stale. Countless studies have shown the best tapers involve volume reduction coupled with a reasonable amount of intensity left in the program.
Tapering also helps mentally. As you rest and begin to get sharper from that rest, you will find your quality of the intensity improves, and that can be a big confidence boost right before a big race. Right up until four days before the race, I have clients on the track. These are short sessions, but they consist of explosive speed. It works like a charm.
Taper also means resting the body in other ways. I recommend trying to avoid stress as much as possible. The work stuff will wait til after your event. Steer clear of stressful people and situations. And if that's unavoidable, stay conscious and in the moment so you don't let it get to you.
Sleeping enough and paying extra attention to nutrition is also important during a taper. This is the time you are restocking and rebuilding so you can use those resources on race day.
An effective taper will almost always mean a good race. So when the main training work is done, try to rest and recover intelligently.
Tags: Training Taper
