Those of you who have run many marathons, what did your taper week look like before your BEST one. (Yes, I realize it's the training not the taper and all that)
Jason, what did your week look like before your 2:18?
Those of you who have run many marathons, what did your taper week look like before your BEST one. (Yes, I realize it's the training not the taper and all that)
Jason, what did your week look like before your 2:18?
Location, Sakura-shi, Chiba-ken, JAPAN
Sunday, Sept.22
AM: 1 hour easy jog, about 4;30/km.
PM: 30 minute easy jog, about 4;15/km.
Monday, Sept 23
AM: 20minute jogging + 10km at 4;00/km with team + 20 minutes jogging.
BEGINNING OF CARBO-DEPLETION PHASE
PM; 20 minutes jogging + 7km about 3;15-3;30/km (kind of a light tempo/fartlek) + 20minutes jogging.
Tuesday, Sept. 24
AM: 1 hour jogging about 4;30/km.
PM: 4km jogging then 3x2000 on track with 400 rest: 6;35, 5;55, 5;52, then 5km jog back to hotel.
Wednesday, Sept. 25
AM: 1 hour jogging. Feeling very tired due to carbo-depletion.
PM: FLIGHT TO BERLIN.
Thursday, Sept. 26.
BEGINNING OF CARBO-LOADING PHASE.
AM: 30 minute jog.
PM: REST.
Friday:
AM: REST.
PM: 10 minute jog.
Saturday:
AM: 20 minute jog.
PM: REST.
Sunday, Sept 29.:
3:00am wake up. (Still jet lagged)
4;00am: 15minute "wake-up jog" with FearFactory blasting on the CD player.
4;30am: Hot bath.
5;30am: Breakfast: tea with milk/sugar, 1 piece toast, high-carbo drink.
7;15am: bus to the start.
9:00am; BERLIN MARATHON START!
Monday: 3am CANT SLEEP!
4am: 2 HOUR JOG!!!!
Monday race
Sat -- 3mi warmup, 5x1000 (untimed, but 5k-10k pace "effort") w/200 jog rest, 3mi warmdown
Sun -- 10 mi
Mon -- 7 mi
Tues -- 6 mi
Wed -- 3 mi warmup, 8x300, 1500-3k pace, 2 min rest, 2 mi warmdown
Thu -- 5 mi
Fri -- 3.5mi
Sat -- 2mi in sweat pants (ran easy until my legs break a sweat)
Sun -- off
Mon -- race
I have never deviated much from this.
Interesting to see how different people treat that last week. You always read about the training so much that the final taper week doesn't get much coverage beyond, "don't run much.".
Thanks to both of you.
Here is a taper used by a 41 year old woman who ran 2:46 in her first marathon.
Sa- 12 miles easy.
Su- Rest.
M- 4 miles easy.
T- 2 mile jog & strides, 3 x 1600 at goal marathon pace with 5 minutes rest after each. The purpose of this was to feel how easy the early miles would feel and to hammer that home.
W- 3 miles easy.
Th- 3 miles easy.
F- Rest.
Sa- 2 mile jog.
Su- Light jogging and walking, marathon in 2:46 at California International Marathon, 1:24/1:24 splits.
I mistyped the splits for the masters woman marathoner they were 1:24/1:22 a negative split. The last 10k was her fastest split of the race. Also it should be noted that on the Tuesday of the previous week she did 10 x 1600 with a one minute rest. The first six were at marathon pace and the last four were cutdowns finishing at much faster than 5k pace.
Racing next weekend. Any other ideas for the last week taper. What did you do the last week in advance of your marathon PR?