For the marathon, I typically begin cutting athletes' volume and the length of their long runs three weeks before the race (or up to a week later if they haven't been running high volume). I reduce peak mileage by 30 percent for the first week, 50 percent for the second week, and 65 percent for the week of the marathon (not counting the marathon itself).
I keep the intensity high during the first week, including one interval workout at 3K race pace and one moderately-long run (20 to 24 kilometres) with slightly less than half at lactate-threshold pace (about 20 to 30 seconds per mile faster than marathon race pace for trained runners). I begin to decrease the intensity slightly during the second week, including two short- to medium-distance runs (8 to 16 kilometres) at marathon race pace.
The week of the race, I include one interval workout early in the week at either lactate threshold pace or slightly faster, cutting back on the pre-taper number of reps. The final week also includes a daily reduction in volume over the last few days that mirrors the pattern of the weekly reduction (see pre-marathon taper example below). Exactly what you do during your taper will depend on what you did before the taper.
More: What to Keep in Mind the Week Before Your Marathon
If you want to give your performance a boost, try these tapering strategies before your next race. And if you taper smart enough, maybe you won't have to shave your body hair.
Sample Pre-Marathon Taper
Exact number of weekly miles depends on the pre-taper training volume. This example is based on a pre-taper peak weekly volume of 80 miles.
|
Week | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | Total Miles |
| Week 1 | 7 miles | 9 miles | warm-up; 6 x 1,000m @3K race pace with 3-minute recovery; cooldown | 8 miles | 9 miles | rest | 8 miles + 4 miles @ LT pace + 2 miles faster than LT pace | 54 miles |
| Week 2 | 4 miles | 6 miles | 8 miles @ goal marathon pace | 5 miles | 7 miles | rest | 5 miles + 5 miles @ goal marathon pace | 40 miles |
| Week 3 | 5 miles | warm-up; 4 x 1,200m @ 10 seconds per mile faster than LT pace with 45-second rest; cooldown | 7 miles | 5 miles | 4 miles | rest | marathon | 28 miles + marathon (54.2 miles total) |
LT = lactate threshold; MP = marathon pace
More: How to Plan Your Taper
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About the Author
Jason R. Karp, Ph.D.
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