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Tapering 101
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 2016-08-07 12:36 PM |
 6 |  Subject: Tapering 101I have often heard that no real gains are made in training within the last 10 days prior to an event(triathlon, running). I have also seen numerous times where athletes are a week or so from an event and are concerned about losing fitness due to an illness or injury and veterans often tell them not to worry because "the hay is in the barn." So my question is,, in the 10 days prior to an event( in my case, a 50k trail run), does it matter if i diid nothing? No gains to be made and the hay is in the barn, right? Not trying to be lazy because I enjoy the training process just as much as the races, but why risk an injury if nothing is to be lost or gained during this period? For background, i have run 2 marathons and one 50k this year on 20-35 mph running and 1-2 easy spins a week for jan-may and have increased the running to 40-50 mph for the last 9-10 weeks. I do feel more than "normal" fatigue at the moment. No triathlons on the calendar any time soon. Thanks for any input! |
| 2016-08-07 4:05 PM in reply to: Tri-ingHard |
Expert 2852     Pfafftown, NC | Subject: RE: Tapering 101 Originally posted by Tri-ingHard I have often heard that no real gains are made in training within the last 10 days prior to an event(triathlon, running). I have also seen numerous times where athletes are a week or so from an event and are concerned about losing fitness due to an illness or injury and veterans often tell them not to worry because "the hay is in the barn." So my question is,, in the 10 days prior to an event( in my case, a 50k trail run), does it matter if i diid nothing? No gains to be made and the hay is in the barn, right? Not trying to be lazy because I enjoy the training process just as much as the races, but why risk an injury if nothing is to be lost or gained during this period? For background, i have run 2 marathons and one 50k this year on 20-35 mph running and 1-2 easy spins a week for jan-may and have increased the running to 40-50 mph for the last 9-10 weeks. I do feel more than "normal" fatigue at the moment. No triathlons on the calendar any time soon. Thanks for any input! If you're running 40-50 miles per hour, keep doing what you're doing.  |
| 2016-08-07 4:37 PM in reply to: 0 |
Veteran 945 South Windsor, CT | Subject: RE: Tapering 101 The answer, as almost always, is 'it depends'. If you are well trained, the rest will allow 'supercompensation' and if you time it right, you get to the start line refreshed, and ready for race day with a little extra. If your volume is low, you will just lose fitness and be worse off with a long taper. Tapering is very individual and I've said this before many times, athlete's just need to pay attention to what works for them and record in a journal-volume/injuries/intensity of workouts and how you felt and how you did post race. Your volume is higher than it's 'baseline' for a several month training block and I'd bet you will benefit from more taper, rather than less. I would not 'do nothing', but rather do a few very short runs to flush out those tired legs and one or two very short runs with goal RP or faster for a few miles just to keep neuromuscular entrainment. ~45 miles per week is very good volume. You don't state what your LR is but I did my 50K (many years ago, with a LR of 16 miles) and finished 4th OA. I think it helps with pacing to do a few miles at faster than goal race pace several times in the 10 days prior to race day. Some people like to practice goal race pace and that is good also. A volume taper that cuts mileage by up to 50+% for the 2 weeks prior to racing has worked well for me. Your own results may vary, of course. If that was my schedule: t-3 weeks-45 miles/week, LR of 2hrs with blocks of faster than goal RP (ie 3x2miles) t-2 weeks-20 miles/week, LR of 1 hr with blocks of faster than goal RP (ie 2x2miles) t-1week-10 miles/week, lots of 'off' days, one 3/4 hr run with 2 miles faster than goal RP-easing into it, just like it was race day-everything else, stupid easy Good luck in your race! Edited by dtoce 2016-08-07 4:37 PM |
| 2016-08-07 6:28 PM in reply to: Tri-ingHard |
Pro 6011  Camp Hill, Pennsylvania | Subject: RE: Tapering 101 Yes, it matters. Race performance is is the sum of several different variables. The primary ones are energy pathway fitness ( aerobic capacity) , freshness (well rested), skills (race execution) and neuromuscular function (how well your brain and nervous system contracts ypur muscles). Athletes tend to fixate on energy pathways exclusively, and ignore neuromuscular adaptations. Neuromuscular function is sensitive to changes in activities. By doing nothing the week of your race, you'll likely feel very "flat" on race day, because your brain has gotten "out of tune" with moving your body the way it needs to for racing well. Generally, athletes race the best when they do relatively short training sessions at, or slightly above, planned race intensity the week of the race. |
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