How many days off do you take prior to a race? If any...

super BUMP

You have to find what works for you but I would never take two days off before a race. You didn't give much info about your training. I run pretty much every day so I just lower my mileage. I would also recommend taking a day off two days before and running the day before.

If you have a race on sunday, you should decrease your mileage a few days before the race.

If it's an important race, take a easy week.

I ran 14:40 for 5k this sunday, my schedule was like this.

Monday: 10 miles ( 6:00 mile )

Tuesday: track training 12*300 in (45) rest 45 sec

Wensday: 10 miles (5:00 mile)fast

Thursday: track training did 2*5*200 in 30 rest 30 seconds (short stuff)

Friday: 6 miles easy endureance run ( 6:30)

Saterday: 3 miles really slow ( just get your legs working )

Sunday: 5k race

So, i don't take a day of at all.

I also find that taking two days off before results in my best times.

There is a big dichotomy between what research finds (greatly reducing mileage the week of a race and taking days off but maintaining quality) and the advice posted on forums (less reduction in mileage and one or no days off). I think this probably stems from the obsessive nature of the people attracted to the sport.

When i PR'd with 15:38 My week was like this.. (im a high school senior)

This was about 3 week of soild training to go before we 'peaked' i ran 15:38 but my next 3 races in the next 4 weeks I ran 15:42,15:50,15:42

S- Easy 45 min jog + Drills / Stretching (6 mi)

M- Easy 3 am / 3200 x1 & 1600 x2 @ 5k Goal Pace pm (10 mi)

T- 2mi warm + Progressive 5k + 1mi cool (6 mi)

W- Easy 3 am / Easy 6 mi + Striders pm (9 mi)

T- 1000 x1, 800 x1, 600x1, 400 x1 @ 5k Goal Pace (5 mi)

F- 400 x4 Rolling (300m jog.. stride last 100) (2 mi)

S- 1.5 mile warmup, 5k PR Race @ 15:38, 1.5 mi cooldown

Normally just something to stretch the legs out 2 days before then run a very short run the day before with a few short striders works for me.

My typical week looks like this:

M - 40-60 minutes easy

T - Daniel's type Intervals 800's, 1000's with some 200's

W - 40-60 minutes easy

TH - Shorter intervals 400's, 200's, Hills

FR - 40-60 minutes easy

ST - off

SU - 10-12 miles

I've averaged 50 mpw for the entire year.

Did 9 miles yesterday, finishing fast.

Going to do 600-400-200 x 2 today. 600's will be at 5K pace (5:25), 400's at rep pace (1:14-15), 200's all out (29-31)

Wednesday will be 40-50 minutes easy with some strides at the end. Thursday, Friday will be OFF.

I'll let you know how it works out...

Thanks.

I take off 364, baby. 364!

My usual last days before a marathon or half on a Sunday:

- Short light run, ~4 miles, the day before (Saturday)

- Rest or light activity the day before that (Friday)

No rest day for anything under 21.1k. Would avoid it, in fact - feelings of staleness ensue!

Usual taper activities in the last week before a race: easy runs, strides, short intervals at or just faster than race pace...

Bumping to hear others' thoughts!

Rocky,

Do you normally run in the morning or afternoon?

Will the race be in the morning or afternoon?

I have had good luck with 36 hours off. In your case say one of your 40-60 min easy runs Thursday afternoon/evening and then race Saturday morning.

P:{"+{} wrote:

Rocky,

Do you normally run in the morning or afternoon?

Will the race be in the morning or afternoon?

I have had good luck with 36 hours off. In your case say one of your 40-60 min easy runs Thursday afternoon/evening and then race Saturday morning.

Thanks for the reply, I usually do hard workouts at noon and my daily 40-60 minute runs around 6pm. Race is at 9am.

It's all very individual. For me, I'll generally do the following:

2 days before: 6-8 miles, structured as 2-4 easy miles plus a lot of drills and strides, then a mile at 10K race effort, then another 2-4 easy miles.

Day before: 20-30 minutes of swimming with pull buoy (so arms only).

I do this for anything between 5K to half marathon (assuming I care about the race, and am not doing it just as a fun run). What I do in the days BEFORE the last 2 differs depending on the distance of the race -- the longer the race, the more I back off earlier in the week.

Oddly enough, I have often run my best races after a long, slow warm up of maybe 2-3 miles or a long slow run the day before. I rarely race well after taking a couple days off.

I think the best thing is to experiment with different strategies and see what works best for you. Keep us updated!