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Half Marathon Taper

workout_junkee
workout_junkee Posts: 473 Member
edited January 1 in Fitness and Exercise
My first half is in 2 weeks (10/21). I ran 12 miles last Saturday. I have planned the following for my final 2 weeks.

Tomorrow - 6 miles (I plan to "jog/shuffle" the Color Run that afternoon).
Monday - 3 miles
Tuesday - 5 miles
Thursday - 3 miles
Saturday - 8 miles (decreased from 10 after talking to a few friends)
Monday - 3 miles
Tuesday - 2 miles
Thursday - 2 miles
Sunday - half

Does this look okay? I did not taper enough for my 20k in June. My legs were tired and I hit a wall at mile 11. It was a sad crawl across thd finish line. I am trying to do a better job of tapering but do not want to over do it either.

Replies

  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    Just in case you missed them you got some replies in the other forum....

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/760930-half-marathon-taper-question
  • workout_junkee
    workout_junkee Posts: 473 Member
    Thanks I meant to post here and acidentally posted to the nutrition board.
  • arc918
    arc918 Posts: 2,037 Member
    My $.02 - that last week looks a little too light to me. 7 total miles and 3 rest days would leave me totally flat on race morning.
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
    I only tapered a week before both of my half marathons. My two weeks prior to the race looked like this:

    Half 1:
    Sunday - 13 mile run
    Monday - Strength (one hour, upper and lower body, heavy)
    Tuesday - 5 mile run
    Wednesday - 45 minutes of hill training
    Thursday - Strength (same as Monday) and a 3 mile run
    Friday - Rest day
    Saturday - 60 minutes of cross cardio
    Sunday - 10.5 mile run
    Monday - Strength
    Tuesday - 4 mile run
    Wednesday - 30 minutes of cross cardio
    Thursday - 3 mile run
    Friday - Rest
    Saturday - Rest
    Sunday - Race day, ran at my best pace ever

    Half 2:
    Sunday - 14 mile run
    Monday - Strength
    Tuesday - 5 mile run
    Wednesday - 45 minutes of hill training
    Thursday - Strength and a 3 mile run
    Friday - Rest day
    Saturday - 60 minutes of cross cardio
    Sunday - 11 mile run
    Monday - Strength
    Tuesday - 4 mile run
    Wednesday - 30 minutes of speed training
    Thursday - Rest
    Friday - Rest/drove five hours to the race location
    Saturday - 5-K in my fastest 5-K time (not on purpose, was just running for fun and happened to have a PR)
    Sunday - Race day, ran at the same pace as my first half despite it being 15 degrees hotter in comparison
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