We want to be as sharp as possible going into a race. We do a lot of training and when the race approaches, we work out extra hard to get ready. But if that´s your routine, you need to stop it immediately and read this article.
Because even though it may sound counterintuitively the best thing you can do before a race is to lower your training load. You simply need to start tapering, so your body is completely fresh for the race. Research have shown that you can improve your performance by 6%, if you start tapering in the classical way. At first 6% doesn´t sound like a lot but if you can run 5km in 20 min, tapering will help you finish in 18.48 min which is a significant improvement which you are handed "for free".
But how do you go about it? Well, there are different recommendations according to the distance. And there are actually also many differerent ways of tapering. But I will present you to the most classic and thoroughly tested methods.
And before we go on. One thing which is very important for all routines is that you under no circumstances try to catch up on missed workouts during your period of tapering. Its absolutely forbidden! A huge no-go!
Tapering for a 5km race
The longer the race, the more time you need for tapering. Therefore you don´t need to decrease your training load so much for a 5km race. In fact you only need to use four days for tapering. If you are used to running intervals, you need to run your last interval four days before the start of the race.
Your intervals should, however, be 25-33% shorter than normal. If you usually run 8x400, you now need to run 6x400 meter, but with the same speed and pauses as usual. You need to cut down on the number of repetitions and not the length or the pace of the intervals.
During the last three days, you just need to go for easy-going runs but you also need to cut down the length, so your runs are 25-33% shorter than usual. If you usually do a run of 7,5 km, then you need to do only 5 km.
Tapering for a 10km run
In this case your tapering period need to last for a week. You need to do half the length of your normal runs but you also need to do the same number of runs that you usually do. But your runs should only be half as long.
If you usually run intervals, you should keep doing it but you should only do half as many as usual. If you usually do 6x1000 meter, you should now only do 3x1000 meter. And when you do it, you should follow the same pace as usual and take as many breaks as you usually do. You should do the last interval session four days before the race.
The rest of the days, you do easy-going runs, half as long as usual. The day before the race, it can work to your advantage to do an easy-going run of 5km where you towards the end of the run do a couple of 10 sec. sprints. The sprints are so short that you won´t wear out your muscles but you will signal your nerve patways to get ready for the following day.
Tapering for a half marathon
For a half marathon, you should normally use the last 10-14 days for tapering. Two weeks before the race, you go for a hard, long run mixing it up with the pace you will do during the half marathon.
During the next week you cut down 20% of your normal length of your workouts. You still run as often but 20% shorter. So, if you normally do a 10km run, you go for 8km.
If you normally do intervals, you should still do them this week. But you need to cut 20%. So your 5x1000m turns into 4x1000m. And if you normally do a pacy 20 min run, you need to decrease it to 16 min.
In the second week, you need to lower the length by an extra 20%, but also the length of your intervals. Be aware that you should do the last tough session (intervals or pacy run) at least four days before the race.
In addition, you should work out as normal, but your runs should be 40% shorter than normal. So, your normal 10km run, which you cut down to 8 km in the first week of tapering, should now be lowered to 6km.
Tapring for a marathon
The most common and thoroughly tested kind of tapering plan for a marathon is a classic three-week plan where you lower the length by 20% a week starting from the week where you have done most miles in your training. So, if your training in terms of kms, have peaked around 100km in a week, then you need to do 80km in the first week of tapering and the next week 60 km. The last week you shouldn´t decrease your training any further, but try to hit 60km in total and remember that a marathon is 42.195km.
Once you have started tapering, you should maintain the frequency of your runs, but the distances should be shorter. If you normally do a 5km run Monday night, you should lower it to 4km in the first week of tapering and 3km in the second week of tapering.
And just like for a half marathon, you still need to do your intervals or pacy runs. And you have to do it according to the same format. So, if you usually do 5x1000 meter, you need to do 4x1000 meter in the first week and 3x1000 in the second with the same number of breaks and the same speed. And if you normally do a pacy 20 min, you need to do a pacy 16 min in the first week of tapering and 14 minutes in the next.
The last week of tapering is a little special. During that week, I recommend that you don´t have any hard training sessions - but only easy-going runs. I. e. you can do a few minutes with your marathon pace, but not more than that. At this time, you can´t improve physically by doing hard workouts, instead you will only make yourself more tired.
In the end, I just want to recommend that during the last period of time before you race, you should remember to relax. Your performance will improve by being well-rested and relaxed before the start instead of being tired and stressed out. So, relax and look forward to the race, its going to be great fun.
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