We are in the final stretch of winter, friends. And that means we’re nearly into race season. So there’s no better topic to wrap up our recovery series than one so essential before a race – tapering.
Tapering is a part of your training plan that’s done in the final buildup to race day. This period of time allows your body to heal and enter the race at your very best.
This post is going to explain what tapering is, why it works, and what to do with your extra time. And if you’re amped up for race season, I’ll include information at the end about Endurance Athletics’ first 5k of 2021, as well as what topic we’ll be shifting to next.
What is tapering?
At the tail end of your training plan leading up to race day is a length of time called the taper. The idea is to significantly scale back training to let your body heal.
Tapering allows you to take all of your training and convert it into results. The goal is to go into race day 100% charged up and ready to explode.
How long to taper depends on your training plan and the race event. The short answer is one to three weeks. A rule of thumb: the more intense the event and training, the longer the taper. Someone running a 5K will be fine with one week, but someone heading into an Ironman would do well with a full three weeks.
For a deep dive reading, check out this article by MayoClinic on designing your taper to maximize your potential.
Take advantage of the extra time while tapering.
With a greatly scaled back exercise schedule, you should feel like you have a lot of extra time. So don’t waste it. Channel that time into supporting your race effort.
Although it’s a time to recover, these aren’t complete rest days. You should be focusing on recovery, staying active, and dialing in your nutrition plan. Keep your body flexible with stretching or yoga.
There should also be some light training during taper to keep your body working. (Think Zone 2 work, for those who remember our post on training within your own heart rate zones).
Get excited for that race.
Tapering is the culmination of weeks or months or training. It deserves just as much (if not more) respect than the entire buildup to this point.
Take it seriously. And enjoy it.
For those ready to sign up for their own race day, Endurance Athletics is co-hosting a 5K in early April. Click here for more information on the Fools for Fitness 5K, including who this charity walk/run will benefit.
A wrap on recovery and what’s up next
We’ve reached the end of our first Recovery series. We’ve covered stretching, injuries, foam rolling, and more. Please let me know if we missed something by leaving a comment below.
I hope by now you have a few more recovery tools in your athletic toolbox, and are viewing recovery as a mindset – one that’s critical for athletes.
After all (as we’ve said before), a healthy runner is a happy runner.
Up next I’m shifting focus from physical health to mental health, because both are important in our athletic journeys and all of life. That’s why Endurance Athletics celebrates a Strong Mind, too.
So, how do you build a Strong Mind? We’ll look at some examples like letting go of negative beliefs, eliminating self-sabotage, optimizing time and instilling good habits. So stay tuned and subscribe for the latest updates.
