Help me plan a 10-day taper for a HM

09/24 6 miles

09/25 5 miles

09/26 8 miles

09/27 5 miles

09/28 4 miles

09/29 7 miles

09/30 6 miles

10/01 4 miles

10/02 5 miles

10/03 4 miles

10/04 3 miles

10/05 Race

I appreciate the specific breakdown (what I'm looking for) but what's the logic behind those numbers? Also, no strides or semblance of speed AT ALL during the next 10 days?

observed wrote:

09/24 6 miles

09/25 5 miles

09/26 8 miles

09/27 5 miles

09/28 4 miles

09/29 7 miles

09/30 6 miles

10/01 4 miles

10/02 5 miles

10/03 4 miles

10/04 3 miles

10/05 Race

Your race (½ Marathon) is on a Thursday?

I ran my first half at Philly a week and a half ago, and for the two weeks preceding I didn't really even think about mileage. I was doing 60-70 at my peak, probably an average around 55-60 for most of my training, and I ran 4-6 miles per day based 100% on what I decided as I went out the door for the whole two weeks leading up to my race. I did 10 miles very easy 8 days out, took a day completely off the Thursday before the Sunday race. Other than that, just lots of stretching, getting good sleep and nutrition, and staying off my legs. Felt great for the race. Hope this helps.

Thanks. I can see myself just running 4-6 miles easy every day with no problem.

I went out and did just 15 min. for recovery this morning, trying to feel normal again. My pace was 30 sec/mile slower than what it usually is and my legs were a little stuffy. I also did 4 x 50m strides to loosen up at the end.

I think I' m the kind of runner that responds better to a less intensity/equal volume approach to tapering. Anyone else feel this way? The hard workouts are what deplete me, that's why I don't understand those who advocate doing speed so close to race day.

To keep my aerobic fitness up, should I run at a moderate pace? Normally, my recovery pace can slip to 8:00/mile but maybe during a taper I should try to keep it closer to 7:00-7:30?

9/25: failed workout

9/26: rest day

9/27: 6 easy + 5 strides

9/28: 2 up, strides, 6 tempo @ MP, 2 down

9/29: 6 easy

9/30: 2 up, strides, 5 x 1000 @ half marathon pace, 600 jogg, 1 down

1/10: 4 easy

2/10: 6 easy incl. 10' medium pace (10 - 15 % slower than MP)

3/10: rest day

4/10: 3 - 4 easy + 3 - 4 strides

5/10: race day

Thanks Pikachu. Looks like you prefer that I include at least SOME quality in my taper, no faster tha

Could we adjust it? 9/24 was the failed workout...

Today, 9/25 was basically a rest day (15 min @ 8:30 pace w/ a few striders)

maintain the intensity, cut back 5 - 10% on volume/mileage.

just enough to get a bit more recovery, but not enough for your body to realize that you are doing something different.

I don't know about this. I just came off a phase in training (sharpening) where I was doing lots of V02 max work and high-intensity efforts w/ short recovery. I think that's what burned me out a little. I'm not overtrained but to salvage my race and reap the benefits of those hard weeks, shouldn't I back off from the anaerobic stuff?

McFlounder wrote:

maintain the intensity, cut back 5 - 10% on volume/mileage.

just enough to get a bit more recovery, but not enough for your body to realize that you are doing something different.