What is tapering running?
In the context of sports, tapering refers to the practice of reducing exercise in the days just before an important competition. Tapering is customary in many endurance sports, such as long-distance running and swimming. For many athletes, a significant period of tapering is essential for optimal performance.
How often should you taper running?
Ideally, you should be reducing your running volume by about 20 to 30 per cent per week for about three weeks leading up to race day. For example, if your highest-volume week was 65K, you would cut your volume down by 13K to 19K in the first week of your taper.
Is a 4 week taper too long?
The marathon taper period is typically between two and four weeks, depending on the experience and history of the runner. The length of your taper depends on your underlying athletic ability, and the amount of training you typically do. Rookie runners with plenty of time to train should aim for a 4-week taper period.
How do you taper before running?
Start cutting your mileage two weeks before the race. The first week, run 75 percent of your normal mileage; the final week, run 50 percent. The first week, run 4 x 800 meters at your 10K race pace with a 400-meter jog between repeats.
What are the benefits of tapering?
Tapering gives your body and mind the opportunity to recover from all the hard training you’ve done and to get prepared for race day. There are various proposed benefits of taper including replenishing glycogen stores in the muscles, muscle repair and reduced fatigue.
How do I peak for a 5K run?
Fast workouts must also be dialed down to prevent you from running too fast, for too long. About two weeks before your race you should run a race-specific workout that mimics the demands of your goal race. If you’re completing 5K training, that might be 3 x mile @ 5K pace with 1 to 2 minutes recovery.
Do elite runners taper?
Personally, I prefer a two week taper, but other elite athletes have their own tapering methods. For example, Bill Rodgers like 3 days to a week while Ryan Hall does three weeks for his taper. I think two weeks is a good starting point for most people; it will never do you wrong.
Is 2 weeks enough taper for marathon?
When tapering for a marathon, generally, the shortest taper should be no less than 7-10 days, with the longest period lasting about three weeks. Most runners opt for about a two-week taper where they gradually decrease their mileage leading up to race day.
What should my longest run be before a marathon?
The vast majority of plans recommend running no more than 20 miles in your longest run, and usually suggest doing so 3-4 weeks before race day.
How many long runs should I do a week?
Stick with a once-per-week long run and you can’t go wrong. Every 3-6 weeks, depending on how hard you’re training, you may want to cut back the distance of your long run. This is optional but runners who are pushing the envelope will need to reduce the distance for recovery.
Does tapering really work?
In fact, studies suggest that if you do it right, tapering can provide an average 3 percent performance boost. Over the course of 26.2 miles, that adds up—taking nearly 10 minutes off your finishing time, if you’re running a four- to five-hour marathon.
Why do you need to taper before a race?
Tapering for runners is the process of reducing running load in the weeks leading up to a running event. The aim of the running taper is to maximise your peak fitness by allowing your body to recovery from regular training. The literature on tapering for runners shows that a good taper will improve performance on race day by 2-6%.
What’s the best way to taper my running?
Tapering properly means cutting your weekly mileage volume by 20 to 30 percent each week from your highest volume week, for three weeks. For example, if your highest mileage week was 40 miles, you would cut your mileage by 8 to 12 miles.
When is the best time to taper your training?
Tapering is defined as a short-term reduction in training load during a period leading up to a competitive event. This strategy has become very popular; it is common to incorporate a tapering period over several days before a major competition (Shepley et al. 1992).
When do you need to taper for endurance sports?
Tapering is customary in many endurance sports, such as long-distance running and swimming. For many athletes, a significant period of tapering is essential for optimal performance.