Tapering - what works best ?

[Deleted User]

Couldn't find any guidance in "best of training forum" so my questions are : what amount of tapering works? what do I need to reduce most? what experiences have runners had that did or didn't work?

Richard.

Hilly

Hi Benji, you don't say what distance you're tapering for or wanting to know about.

I'm tapering for a marathon at the moment and am reducing my training over 2 weeks. First by 50% of peak mileage and then in the last week I'll only be running 25% of peak mileage. I reduce the long run from 20 to 10 miles and then either have an extra rest day or reduce my other runs. The shorter distance runs I do at marathon pace and in the final week the runs are just to keep the legs stretched and me from getting bored!

There is no point in working hard in either of the last 2 weeks as there'll be no fitness gained at this stage.

Hope this helps.

I think you'll find others have different ways of tapering as it's what works for each individual.

candy ollier

three weeks to recover more or less properly from lsd runs, so keep it to ten miles for the two weeks before as hilly says

and have your last run on wednesday (and an easy one at that) for a sunday marathon

[Deleted User]

Thanks Hilly, Andy, running the Great North Run this week end, have reduced my approx 40 miles by about 50 % this week, and "jogged" into work today. Do you think I should do a short run on Friday / Sat ?

Hilly

I would rest on Fri and do a short easy run on Sat morning.