Three weeks to go.. Tapering Tips

Three weeks to go.. Tapering Tips

Posted by on 12th September 2017

When taking on a race, you might often hear that people taper their training the closer they get to the event. The main reason to start tapering your training is because a workout today will take 2-3 weeks to have a long term effect on fitness so you won’t feel the benefits but open yourself to injury.  

With that in mind, here are our top tips to mastering tapering…

  • Use this final three weeks to protect your fitness – No pushing yourself to go faster or longer than you already have. It is best to use the final weeks to test yourself on a few shorter and faster sessions. The 5km Parkruns are ideal for this.
  • Make sure your last harder session is about 10 days before race day.
  • Reduce your mileage by 15-20% each week until you are at a 50% reduction.
  • It is a great idea to look after your body during this period. Stretch, foam roll and throw in a few massages!
  • Trust that this is the right thing to do. It will feel odd to reduce your mileage this close to the event, but stick with it.
  • Continue to eat like an athlete, but focus on getting whole grains and complex carbohydrates, lean proteins and healthy fats. Don’t forget that you will have cut down on the mileage so you won’t need to eat as much!
  • Don’t forget to stay hydrated. Although you are running less you still need to drink an adequate amount of fluids and electrolytes during this time.