Of course, one size will never fit all.
But I'm thinking Long Run 2 weeks out. (Easy pace, at Marathon Goal duration.) Then perhaps 66-75% of peak volume that week, and the final week, about 50% of peak volume.
7 days to go = warmup + 14km at Marathon Pace + cooldown?
Discuss all of the various intelligent options.
Google "USOC tapering" and you will see a small article that might help.
The research suggests that a more exponential drop is better.
3 week taper.
Long run with half of it at goal pace +21 days. Following week at 90% peak volume, but lots of shorter faster stuff at goal pace (or faster).
Slightly shorter long run at goal pace +14 days. Following week at 80% peak volume with more shorter faster stuff at goal pace (or faster). Include a steady, fast 16 mile run at pace +10 days.
Final week at 60% peak volume. Short fast runs are good.
That looks pretty good. I'm trying out doing an easier week 2 weeks out and then a medium week the week of just to keep the legs sharp. I always find I feel like crap during an easy week so figured I would get it out of the way and then just do a normal week but half everything.
MarathonMind wrote:
3 week taper.
Long run with half of it at goal pace +21 days. Following week at 90% peak volume, but lots of shorter faster stuff at goal pace (or faster).
Slightly shorter long run at goal pace +14 days. Following week at 80% peak volume with more shorter faster stuff at goal pace (or faster). Include a steady, fast 16 mile run at pace +10 days.
Final week at 60% peak volume. Short fast runs are good.
Bump
Whatever taper you do, will it really make any difference?
If you train smart in the last two weeks, I don't think any one taper will be better than another.
most likely wrote:
Whatever taper you do, will it really make any difference?
I think a tapering makes a big difference; at least it did for me.
What worked best for me was doing almost nothing the last 2-3 days before my target race; not much more than a hard warm up, really. And I ran PRs several times taking the second day before a race completely off.
But what difference can it possibly make whether you take the second day before a race off, or do an easy 3 or whatever?