How to taper?

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  • How to taper?

    Anonymous Poster

    8 years ago 02/11/2016 9:20pm EST

    Usually I just run a little less the week before a race, but this time I want to do it properly.

    I have a 5k in 22 days. I want to do well in this race but this is Not my A race.

    Then 8 days after that I have a half marathon. This one is my A race and I want to do my absolute best on this race.

    So what is the best way to taper for my Half, that is 30 days away, knowing I have a semi important 5k 8 days beforehand?

    I run 6 days a week, averaging a little over 70km per week.

    Here is everything I have run so far this year:

    http://i.imgur.com/btrFKvA.jpg

    Thanks in advance.

  • registered

    Flagpole

    Member since 03/14/2003.

    33,869 posts. Last post 19 hours ago.
    8 years ago 02/11/2016 11:46pm EST
    re: How to taper?

    So, about 43 miles a week.

    I would not run that 5k at all, but if you are going to, I would run it at 90% effort, and I would not taper for that at all.

    I would taper just a VERY little the week of your race. Here is what I would do.

    Assuming race on Saturday -- adjust if it is a different day.

    Sunday - Same as you normally would

    Monday - Same as you normally would

    Tuesday - Same as you normally would

    Wednesday - 60% of the distance of what you normally would

    Thursday - 4-5 miles

    Friday - if you normally run in the morning, run 2-3 miles. If you run in evening and race is the next morning, do not run this day.

    Saturday - Race

    In my opinion, your mileage (or kmage) is more appropriate for a 5k than a half marathon, and in fact if you wanted to run a better 5k, you should up your mileage.

    Another thing I would do other than upping the miles is to have two longish runs a week. Saturday is the super long run and Wednesday should be your second longest run of the week (or Thursday/Sunday, however you want to do it).

  • How to taper?

    Anonymous Poster

    8 years ago 02/12/2016 12:02am EST
    re: Flagpole

    Well whether I should have been running more or less up to this point is a moot point now, but are you saying I should up my mileage now with only 30 days to race day? And then only taper for 2 days before my race? That seems.... Unwise.

    But hey I'm asking for advice here I'm definitely not the expert.

  • mileage by itself means little

    Anonymous Poster

    8 years ago 02/12/2016 12:03am EST
    re: Flagpole

    According to McMillan my 1:26 half was better than my 18:40 5k. I averaged 35 miles a week for the preceding 6 months.

    As for the taper, you only need to taper if you are tired or slightly overtrained.

    That 5k will have little effect on your half marathon so run it all out. Only takes a couple days to recover. The week between the 5k and half, just run 2 or 3 miles easy every day.

    This winter I have been running 75 miles/week. If I wanted to do a race now, I would probably need a couple weeks of lower mileage and a little faster running to feel rested and ready to run fast. If you are racing, always error on the easier side of a workout or run rather than the harder side.

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