Tapering...Tips for Surviving! ;)

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What is tapering? It refers to the reduction of exercise before a competition or race. Tapering is believed to be essential for the best performance possible and can take from as little to a week to two or three weeks.

Basically, you want to reduce the amount you are doing, and especially reduce the intensity that you are doing things at. See the graph below...you can get the idea!

On top of reducing your amount and workout load, you want to be replacing glycogen stores and other stores in your body! You can do this by eating smart!

"Runners often eat way too much while tapering," says Liz Applegate, Ph.D., Runner's World nutrition columnist, "and they end up gaining weight and feeling sluggish on race day. Your body can store only so much glycogen. If you eat more calories than you need, your body stores those extra calories as fat. 

The chart below will show you some things to focus on as you are coming up on your race! Whatever you do...hydration is key during a proper taper!

 

Now here is a word of warning! I personally, do not like the taper. I am in the middle of a taper before Ironman and it is not fun! Running, working out is a big thing for me. I don't function well not being able to start my day off with a good sweat!! I found these signs below and they fit me perfectly right now!

 



 

One other thing to make note of... tapering is not for just marathoners, ironmaners, etc. There have been studies that show how much it can even help someone who is running a 5K, 10K, etc. Here is a good rule of thumb for each different events you have coming up!

 

5K/10K

Cut your normal mileage in half the week before your race, but maintain the same intensity. Early in the week, do some speed work. For example,  run 4 x 400 meters at your goal pace with a 200-meter jog between repeats. Then later in the week, jog two miles, then run 6 or 8 x 100-meter strides at 90 percent of maximum speed. Run easy the other days. Doing bursts like this allows for you to deplete your glycogen stores, keep your legs firing and keep you antsy for race day!!  

Half-Marathon

Start cutting your mileage about 2 weeks before race day! The first week, run 75 percent of your normal mileage. Then in the final week, run 50 percent of your normal mileage. Once again, be sure to do some speed work intervals in some of your runs to deplete your glycogen stores and keep your muscles firing!

 

Here are some other things to do doing your taper:  

On your speed workouts wear the shoes you plan to use in the race, jog a mile before and after your workout, and then walk or jog slowly during the recovery interval.

On "easy" days run no faster than goal pace, add walking breaks if you plan to walk at times during the marathon. The key to these days, run like you would race! 

On rest days don't even cross-train!!! Rest. Those are the days when the taper gets really hard!!! 

Marathon

While you need to stop doing long runs in the final weeks before a marathon, you shouldn't stop doing fast runs. These will keep you sharp.

 

Just like in the half marathon taper, do the following things also:

 

On speed days wear the shoes you plan to use in the marathon, jog a mile before and after the workout, and walk or jog slowly during the recovery interval.

On rest days, don't even cross-train! Rest!!! 

 Once you have properly rested your body, eaten a proper diet and gotten adequate sleep, you should be ready to roll on race day! Here are a few other diet tips that really apply the last 3 days, and especially the last 24 hours before a marathon:

• Drink plenty of fluids, especially in warm weather or if you have to catch a flight to the race.
• Limit your consumption of alcohol, which hampers glycogen storage.
• Try to avoid foods that are high-fat, high-fiber, spicy, gas-producing, or unfamiliar, especially the night before the race.
• Don't gorge yourself the night before the race. Instead, eat a dinner of 800 to 1,000 calories, such as a baked potato topped with stir-fried vegetables and tofu.
• About three or four hours before the marathon, you may want to have a snack. Studies show that people who eat 500 to 1,000 calories a few hours before a marathon perform better.
• Consider eating some oatmeal with a banana, a couple of pancakes, or whatever will sit well in your stomach before the gun goes off! Do whatever you know your digestive system can handle it.

Then my only advice left, which I need to listen to also, is try and stay positive. It is easy to be grumpy, irritable, etc. during a taper. You feel a little more bloated and you aren't working out as much or at the same intensity as your body is used to. Be patient and just remember your end goal...a strong race, a strong finish and a strong YOU!!!

Does anyone else struggle with the taper?

What do you do to stay positive and happy?