Taper

So you have put in lots of work in the last few months, leading up to a run of 20 or more miles in the last week or so.  You have been pounding the path, the road, the trail, for miles on end and you are ready for a break.  If you are running a fall marathon, like Chicago, the good news is that you have earned a break.  You are ready for the big day, and you have entered the part of your training known as the taper.

I used to joke that the taper was my favorite part of marathon training.  After all the beating my legs have taken over the last few weeks, I'm ready to ease up and take some time off.  But what I have learned through experience is that the taper period can be a delicate balancing act.  You definitely want to rest your body a little, so you are feeling fresh on race day.  But if you take it too easy, you risk feeling sluggish and out of shape by the time the marathon starts in a couple weeks.

There are a lot of different schools of thought.  Some of my friends running the CARA program or others really ease up on the miles.  Most of them are running no more than 12 miles this weekend (two weeks before the race) and no more than 8 miles the next weekend (one week out).  I know other people who really don't ease up much at all until the week before.  My running partner and one-time coach, Rick is a believer in doing a 20 miler two weeks before the race.

I think you should listen to your body, and try to do what you feel best about.  The reality is that physically you are ready for the race at this point.  You really can't do anything to improve your performance in the next couple weeks.  But you can hurt your chances by over training.  I think you also want to get your head in the right place.  That means you should feel confident, a bit nervous, and excited.  It's natural to have a little self-doubt, but you just have to remind yourself that you are ready.

As far as my own plans for tapering, I have been considering a number of different options in the last couple weeks.  My original plan was to run 16 miles this weekend, and 10 to 12 next weekend.  My training partner Tom likes to do a 13.1 mile 'time trial' two weeks before the marathon.  He promises me that means about a 7:30 pace.  That sounds good to me, so I think I'll try that. 

The next issue is when to do my final track workout.  I have one more in my series of 'Yasso 800's' that I wrote about in an earlier entry.  The final workout is supposed to be ten 800's, and they suggest doing them anywhere from 10 to 17 days out from race day.  That means I could do them this week or next.  This week, however, I'm still moving a little slowly from the 20 miler over the weekend.  So I am opting for an easy 8 mile long run mid-week, and planning to hit the track next week.  That should still give be enough recovery time, I believe.  Again, you have to listen to your body, and that's what mine is telling me.

But after that, I'm really planning on resting!  Of course the week leading up to the marathon could involve Cubs playoff games, and that might make resting a little difficult!  I don't want to jinx them, but it could happen.

Anyway, there are a couple of good seminars coming up, hosted by my friend Mark Buciak, offering some good final tips before the race.  The first is at 4pm on Sunday, September 23rd at the Kiehl's skin-care store at 907 West Armitage.  It's free, but call to RSVP at (773) 665-2515.  The second is at the Garmin store at 663 North Michigan Avenue on Saturday, September 29th. It starts at 8:30 with an 8 mile run that includes the final two miles of the marathon course, and a light breakfast before the seminar.  It's also free, but RSVP at (312)787-3221.  Mark has run 51 marathons, including 28 straight Boston marathons.  He runs a training program and also writes a column for Chicago Athlete magazine.

So, check it out, and I'll see you on the roads....

Comments

[Michelle]

Good to see you at the City Hall mtg in Aurora. Didn't know you were a runner, or would have asked you some beginner questions. I'm running my first marathon here in Chicago on Oct 7th. Michelle