Tapering

[Deleted User]

OK im about to do my second marathon, feb 03, and was wondering what the advice is to slow down before hand.

Ive read many articals on runners training right till the end, and some that wind down 2 weeks before.

Ok me thinks that everyone is different, and that we all have our own ways of approaching the big 26.2 miles.

Just wondered what advice people could give.

Speedie.

[Deleted User]

Good luck with the marathon Speedie. I have never tried not tapering, so I couldn't say for definite whether it works for me, but it seems to.

It makes sense that it should - the body has a chance to recover from the hard work, the muscles to repair themselves and get stronger, and for the body to lay down the glycogen reserves. You need some running to keep up the flexibility and speed, to prevent any loss of fitness, and for the psycholgical benefits - to believe you can still do it and to stop yourself going mad!

A few years ago the advice was do your longest run 2 weeks before the marathon, and then cut down mileage very significantly. These days, most marathon schedules seem to say do the longest run 3 weeks before the marathon, and then cut your weekly mileage by a third, and then by a half from your peak. The long run pattern may be something like 20m 3 weeks before, 16 m 2 weeks before, 12m 1 week before.

This pattern works well for me except I have more rest days in the final week, and end up raring to go.

One thing I have noticed, during the tapering phase everyone seems to have at least one run where they feel terrible. Don't know, could it be the body laying down glycogen so you feel very heavy?

[Deleted User]

I take my longest run 4 weeks before the marathon, then three weeks before take a half marathon distance as the long run, 2 weeks before take about 10 miles, then the last Sunday before take about 7 miles. The last week is along the lines of:
Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs - rest
Fri - hard 3 miles
Sat - rest and eat pasta
Sun - Race.

Works for me.
Good luck speedy.