Running Taper

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codename_steve
codename_steve Posts: 255 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm training for my first full marathon and am entering the taper phase (race is in two weeks). Does anyone have suggestions for how to go about this? I have a plan with the suggested mileage, but can I do other activities, like cross training or aerobics? I'm concerned about continuing to lose weight during this time as I am two pounds away from my goal weight, which I was hoping to reach by race day.

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  • questionfear
    questionfear Posts: 527 Member
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    Just remember that part of the taper is being rested; if cross training isn't overdoing it, you're fine, but you don't want to exhaust yourself before the race.

    Worst case, you hit your goal weight after the race.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
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    2 pounds is literally nothing when you're talking about running weight. Focus more on being physically ready for the race than worrying about losing 2 more pounds.

    Rest is important. I have lots of running friends and many of them will tell you that they've had their best times when they didn't run at all the week before the race, for whatever reason. I only run half marathons but I usually stop running at all by the Wednesday before a Sunday race and even then it's only 2-3 slow miles.

    Hydration leading up to the race is important. You should be drinking plenty of water starting a few days before the race. Drinking lots the morning of, or during the race, is far too late to do any good.
  • 7lenny7
    7lenny7 Posts: 3,493 Member
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    We all have different priorities, but when I run my first half in October I plan on putting my weight loss goal on hold for the 2 weeks prior and go to maintenance. I want to be fully fueled for the race.

  • svirds
    svirds Posts: 57 Member
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    Put your weight loss on hold for tapering :) Rest is crucial - have some rest days where you have no workouts at all. On workout days, keep it very easy. Keep nutrition at the forefront - eat well, more carbs closer to race day, and hydrate. I am tapering this week for a race on Sunday. I am still recording everything in MFP, but weight loss is not my focus for the week. Have a great race!
  • Stoshew71
    Stoshew71 Posts: 6,553 Member
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    svirds wrote: »
    Put your weight loss on hold for tapering :) Rest is crucial - have some rest days where you have no workouts at all. On workout days, keep it very easy. Keep nutrition at the forefront - eat well, more carbs closer to race day, and hydrate. I am tapering this week for a race on Sunday. I am still recording everything in MFP, but weight loss is not my focus for the week. Have a great race!

    +1

  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    Stoshew71 wrote: »
    svirds wrote: »
    Put your weight loss on hold for tapering :) Rest is crucial - have some rest days where you have no workouts at all. On workout days, keep it very easy. Keep nutrition at the forefront - eat well, more carbs closer to race day, and hydrate. I am tapering this week for a race on Sunday. I am still recording everything in MFP, but weight loss is not my focus for the week. Have a great race!

    +1

    +2.
    Its pretty common advice to avoid the scale during a taper since you want to be increasing your glycogen stores and will retain some water as a result that may show you a spike in the scale.

  • goanothermile
    goanothermile Posts: 98 Member
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    Good advice above.

    During taper, run the mileage in your plan. Keep your pace on the slow side. Resist the urge to crank up the tempo on the shorter runs.

    For cross training, limit yourself to what what you've been doing during the training but at a lower intensity level. Don't start something new.

    Stretching or yoga is good. Massage is good.

  • LeanButNotMean44
    LeanButNotMean44 Posts: 852 Member
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    The hay is in the barn, so to speak. Nothing you do in the next two weeks is going to help, but doing too much CAN hurt so err on the side of caution. I know it's hard, especially when you start feeling like a sloth, but trust in the training program.

    I hope you have an awesome marathon experience!
  • Carrieendar
    Carrieendar Posts: 493 Member
    edited September 2015
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    I think thinking about weight while tapering is important if you have a time goal or not because an extra couple pounds (beyond normal glycogen load pounds) can leave you feeling BLEH for the race. I wouldn't try and lost, but I would look to maintain. You want to up carb intake in the days leading up the race for your carb load; HOWEVER, you are simply upping the percentage of carbs and not the overall amount of calories. You just want more calories to come from carbs. Just maintain your logging and be careful; you will be burning less with less volume of running.

    other thoughts:
    -maintain running on the same days you usually run, just reduce the volume
    -maintain intensity, just reduce the volume
    -keep "other" workouts 2 weeks out such as crosstraining, but again, you must have overall volume reduction. I stop these the week of.
    -don't do anything new-- like add a lifting day or a new lift or crosstrain in some way you have not before
  • Carrieendar
    Carrieendar Posts: 493 Member
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    https://www.mcmillanrunning.com/articlePages/article/35 "Don't Taper, PEAK!" article I love.

    also he has a short book on this as well:
    http://www.amazon.com/Surviving-Marathon-Freak-Out-Running-ebook/dp/B00NWRRJX4
    Surviving the Marathon Freak Out :)

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