Marathon Taper... What do you guys think?

I always prefer the 3 week taper. But with your mileage average 17 days or 2 weeks would work. But my only thought for your plan would be if you look at it, you are only tapering 10 days. Throw in a easy 5 milers early in your first week taper to break it up a little more and allow that taper rest gracefuly over 2 weeks, not a free fall of mileage. Just a thought

Are you saying its only a 10 day taper because you don't consider the 7, 9, 9, 11 after my last long run as a taper?

Would it be better to do something like 7, 7, 9 (w/pickups), 7, 7 (2 up, 2 down, 5xk), 7, 5, race 5k, 5, 7, 6, 5, 0, 4 leading up?

I feel like that is too long to go without even an hour long run... no?

If you're feeling good and ready to race on Fri, I wouldn't take off. Do 5 easy or something. In my opinion, taking off when you're days before a race is a mistake.

If you feel like you do need the day off, take it earlier in the week.

The first thing you shoud do is quit calling it a "thon" you twat.

I just tend to feel fresher the day of a race if I have taken the day before the day before off.

Also, if I adhere to my schedule, the last time I would have taken a day off is 3 weeks prior, which is about the time I tend to take a day off (i.e. one day every 3 weeks)...

If it works for you then, go for it.

I agree with the earlier poster. Don't take the Friday before the race off. If you really need a day off, take it on Monday. Then take it down a notch each day - really easy 3 or 4 Friday. No more than 15 minutes of running with a couple of strides the day before (but make sure you run a little bit the day before).

So how is this for the last 15 days?

22 (last few miles at MP)

7 (end of an 84 mile week)

7

9 with pickups (something like 5-7 x 30 seconds strides)

7

7 (2 up, 5x1k, 2 down)

9

5

8 (race 5k)

5

7

6 (2 up, 2 at MP, 2 down)

5

0-4

2-3

26.2

Does everyone pretty much universally agree that you don't need a few hour+ runs in that last 2 weeks? I guess 5x1k and a 5k should take care of putting in some aerobic/quality work...

I wish there was an edit function... Just tweaked to the following:

22 (last few miles at MP)

7 (end of an 84 mile week)

7 (or about 45 min)

9 with pickups (something like 5-7 x 30 seconds strides)

7 (or about 45 min)

7 (2 up, 5x1k, 2 down)

7 (or about 45 min)

5 (or about 30-40 min)

8 (race 5k)

5 (or about 30-40 min)

0

6 (2 up, 2 at MP, 2 down)

5 (or about 30-40 min)

4 (or bout 30 min)

2-3 (or about 15-20 min)

26.2

You plan on racing a 5k the week before your marathon? I understand you probably want to go out and run a fast 5k because you are in good shape right now, but remember your goal is the marathon and not some 5k.

I wouldn't do the 5k race, I would just run a short tempo or something.

I actually got the idea from another thread and from Joe McVeigh (top US marathoner at Boston several years back). He likes to "blow out the tubes" a week before a marathon in a 5k. I don't think it will hurt. A 5k maybe takes 2 days to recover from (it will be cross, so its unlikely that I am going to completely be able to just hammer it). If I take Monday really really light, and Tue off, by Wed I should feel 100%. That still leaves Wed, Thur, Fri, Sat to just chill...