Former Bad Ass
What is this taper you speak of?
I like 2 week tapers. For me, 3 week tapers are just too long and my legs perform worse when I taper for that long.
Damaris
SIAR and Bert-O, you should definitely do what works best for you to peak on race day. But if I visualize a taper (funnel shape), what you're describing does not fit that and therefore is not a taper. It's reduction in volume and intensity prior to the race, same purpose as a taper, but not done in a taper way.
There. I've said it. Now you can go on calling it a taper and I won't bug you anymore
I'd agree with this. My best performance off a taper for a marathon is a short and very steep taper, meaning 50 miles week prior to race week followed by very few miles during race week, so basically a 7-10 day taper. Where the last LR comes in prior to race doesn't really matter. But I wouldn't tell anyone else this is the right formula for them. And my watch doesn't tell me jack shit.... lame.
I'd agree with this. My best performance off a taper for a marathon is a short and very steep taper, meaning 50 miles week prior to race week followed by very few miles during race week, so basically a 7-10 day taper. Where the last LR comes in prior to race doesn't really matter. But I wouldn't tell anyone else this is the right formula for them.
And my watch doesn't tell me jack shit.... lame.
I have been tempted to try the 10 week taper with a LR the Wednesday before of 16 or so, but I have not been game to talk to my coach, ha.
Are we there, yet?
It took me a while to find this in Internet archive files. It's an article by Greg McMillan on peaking, not tapering
2024 Races:
03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles
05/11 - D3 50K 05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour
06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.
I lost my rama
Interesting, and it appears Kipchoge applies much the same....
Consistent mileage, no fluctuations, & lack of traditional taper
5 weeks out: 118mi / 189km4 weeks out: 110mi / 177km3 weeks out: 119mi / 191km2 weeks out: 110mi / 177km1 week out: 113mi / 182kmrace week: ???
https://runningscience.co.za/elite-athletes-training-log/eliud-kipchoge/
Again, not that I'd suggest anything similar for everyone, but just a different approach to the race.
3/17 - NYC Half
4/28 - Big Sur Marathon DNS
6/29 - Forbidden Forest 30 Hour
8/29 - A Race for the Ages - will be given 47 hours
It's all semantics. I don't think he advocates anything different than what I understand a taper to be. Reduction in volume but not intensity or number of runs. Some people think taper means to take a bunch of extra days off or skip all speedwork but I don't think any reputable coaches do.
And half of the people who are 'tapering' aren't even training hard enough to warrant a taper.
Waltons ThreadLord
My favorite was the last:
6. Secret: Have fun and smile
5k 23:48.45 (3/22); 4M 31:26 (2/22); 5M 38:55 (11/23); 10k 49:24 (10/22); 10M 1:29:33 (2/24); Half 1:48:32 (10/22); Marathon 4:29:58 (11/23)Upcoming races: Clinton Country Run 15k, 4/27; Spring Distance Classic 5k, 4/28
My favorite was the last: 6. Secret: Have fun and smile
Oh, that's different. I never do that part.
McMillan explains a good taper strategy, yet insists on calling it something else.
And I thought I was weird.
It's all semantics. I don't think he advocates anything different than what I understand a taper to be. Reduction in volume but not intensity or number of runs. Some people think taper means to take a bunch of extra days off or skip all speedwork but I don't think any reputable coaches do. And half of the people who are 'tapering' aren't even training hard enough to warrant a taper.
^This. I always get comments on my marathon week workouts and on the week prior. Like when are you tapering? Because they don't see days off, etc.
It's the only time of year when I'm not smiling, coz I have a race coming up
McMillan explains a good taper strategy, yet insists on calling it something else. And I thought I was weird.
I'm not sure when people started calling it a taper. Back in the day we always referred to it as peaking for a race.
I wind up with rest days in the 10 days to 2 weeks before a goal race because I drop strength training.
By rest, I meant non-running days