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How Do You Taper?

Marcel
Joined: 14 Sep 2006
Posts: 36
California, United States
Posted: Mon 18 Sep 2006 05:00 pm GMT   topTop
I'm interested to hear how you taper before a long run.

I'm doing my first 50m run in three weeks, although I've already done two 100km runs. The training for those two 100k's was somewhat chaotic. Each time I realized that I was behind and ramped up quickly with a few back-to-back runs that left me with some injury about a month before the race. Therefore, tapering was never really a question. I would stop running, switch to bike rides, and hope for the best.

This time my preparation for the 50m has been much more prudent. With three weeks to go I feel pretty good and have the luxury of contemplating a taper. I'm just not sure what to do. I don't want to slack of too much, but I also don't want to push too hard and run the risk of throwing a rod right before the race. My ambitions for Firetrails are moderate. I would like to finish in about 12 hours (it took me just over 15 hours for the two 100k).

Any suggestions?
OwenChase
OwenChase
Joined: 15 Sep 2006
Posts: 11
California, United States
Posted: Mon 18 Sep 2006 05:27 pm GMT   topTop
I started tapering way too early. I ran 50K end of August and my knee was bothering me so I layed off running for a week then I had a cold so now I have 3wks before Firetrail's myself and I want to ramp it back up and taper back down within three weeks. This is my dilemma..

Steve
lightinaugust
Joined: 05 Sep 2006
Posts: 71
California, United States
Posted: Mon 18 Sep 2006 10:22 pm GMT   topTop
How do I taper? Badly. Very, very badly.
UltrarunnerP
UltrarunnerP
Joined: 27 Aug 2006
Posts: 23
Texas, United States
Posted: Mon 18 Sep 2006 10:48 pm GMT   topTop
I did a three week taper for Leadville this year. My last hard week was 141 miles with a 44 mile long run. Next week I did about 80 miles with a 20 mile long run. Then about 60 miles with a 15 mile long run and a 2000m repeat day. Then a 50 mile week with a 12 mile long run and a 10mile fartlek run for speed. The week of Leadville I only did 20 miles over the first 4 days of the week.

About half way through the 80 mile week my legs went dead. I was maintaining about 90 mpw up to that point and it finally caught up with me but when I got to Leadville I felt great.
dirtmama
Joined: 19 Sep 2006
Posts: 1
Texas, United States
Posted: Tue 19 Sep 2006 02:36 am GMT   topTop
mostly with Haagen Das/BnJ and a good book
dirtrunner
dirtrunner
Joined: 30 Aug 2006
Posts: 42
Texas, United States
Posted: Tue 19 Sep 2006 03:02 am GMT   topTop
4 weeks out from a 100 miler I go with 100 mile week then 60 miles then less than 50 then 15 miles. All at 10 minute pace or slower.
Marcel
Joined: 14 Sep 2006
Posts: 36
California, United States
Posted: Tue 19 Sep 2006 04:33 am GMT   topTop
Wow, those are some serious miles, UltrarunnerP and dirtrunner. If I ran that much, I would qualify for a nice taper. I top out at about 50 miles a week, so maybe I'll enroll in the dirtmama program instead! Thanks for your suggestions!