Taper?

Hi all

I'm running a 10k in 5 weeks' time, and am at 9 miles for me LSR and increasing 1/2 mile a week. I'm trying to get to 13 as I have my sights on a half marathon at some point this year (but haven't entered one). 

 My question is, at what point should I shorten my LSR? I don't want to turn up knackered for the 10k. Feel a bit knackered already. Am doing 2/3 other sessions per week (hills, intervals, tempo, usual stuff). 

 Thanks!

Linds

Comments

  • Hi

    What's your current weekly mileage at the moment?

    When you say during the week you're doing hills, intervals and tempo, do you mean you're doing all of these each week? 

    The rule with increasing distance is you can up your weekly mileage by 10% each week.  If you're LSR is 9 miles, next week you can run 10, week after 11 etc.  I ususally increase mileage for three weeks then drop back dramatically for the fourth week, by at least 25%.  I try to schedule my lesser mileage weeks at the same time as I'm planning to race, so it acts as a sort of taper.

    You don't need too much of a taper for a 10k, perhaps ease up on the harder runs that week, but you definitely need to do something, to keep your legs turning over.  For instance, I'm racing on Sunday. Last Sunday my LSR was 11 miles, do yoga on Monday, 5 miles slightly quicker than easy pace on Tuesday and then tomorrow I'll do 3-4 miles at an easy / very easy pace. 

    Moving onto your speedwork. If you're doing all of these types of speedwork during the week you will feel tired. A good balance, if you're running 4 times a week overall would be one session of speedwork (also known as a quality session), one easy run and perhaps something speedy but not too intense like fartlek or, my pereference is a slightly faster-than-easy run.  Quality sessions are hard on your legs and you need to ensure you don't schedule them on consecutive days.

    Good luck

  • Thanks - I'm usually doing 2 other sessions in addition to my LSR every week, 2 out of hills/tempo/intervals. Usually I do hills plus intervals, or intervals plus tempo. IYSWIM.

    Thanks for the help. 

  • PS current weekly mileage around 20-22 miles.
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