SJS50 is awesome, you'll love it!
I usually do a 19 day taper. 3 weekends out is my last long run, then I taper down for 3 work weeks and 2 weekends. Mileage drops are something like: 50%, 30%, 20% or so... though that varies a lot by my whims. :-)
Have a great race!
Chris,
I've seen your pics and blog about SJS50. Awesome. Thanks for the information. What little I have read on other Ultra sites the 3 week taper seems popular (either that or two weeks). I of course what to go in fresh, but would hate to loose what fitness I have. In the 3 week (19 day) taper do you run any intervals, tempo, or just kind of get in the miles at 50, 30, 10% of your weekly average?
Thanks again.
Merle
Self anointed title
My preference is for a maximum of 2 weeks taper. But my long run 3 weeks out would not be particularly long, or hard.
During the taper I tend to reduce the volume, but keep some intensity - not big workouts - just some easy strides and maybe a short tempo. I find this keeps the legs ticking over nicely and stops me from going insane.
3 weeks is fine though - just experiment and decided what you like best. Some people only taper for a week before a marathon - not enough for me, I would still have tired legs.
You wouldn't lose any noticeable fitness with a 3 wk taper though. Certainly not any endurance... if you were tapering for a 5k then it would be far too much and you might lose some sharpness.
In summary, it is a very personal thing. Each of us responds slightly differently to both training and recovery.
Have a fantastic race!
Agree with Purdey on all accounts. I keep the intensity high still, just drop the volume.
You won't lose any fitness in 2-3 weeks, but according to Neal Henderson, you could reduce your time 5-8% by having a good taper. That's what I tell myself when I'm climbing the walls with boredom while doing it. :-)