Marathon Training and the Importance of Tapering
Jennifer Heiner has served as the retail director of a running company in New Jersey since 2019. Active within the New York City running community, Jennifer Heiner has helped organize a number of training runs for the New York City Marathon, including the 20-mile Three Bridges Run, where she was also a pace group leader. Training for a 26.2-mile marathon requires organization, persistence, and discipline. The first training element is base mileage, which requires running three to five times per week and gradually increasing weekly mileage.
Over the course of 10 to 20 weeks of training, runners should plan to build their mileage up to around 50 miles per week. Avoid increasing mileage by more than 10 percent per week. Every 7 to 10 days, runners should plan on a long run to help the body adjust to long distances. This distance should increase over time, then drop back down in order to let the body recover. These long runs should be taken at a slower pace in order to help the body adjust and learn to utilize fat for fuel. A peak run, such as the 20-mile Three Bridges Run, ensures the runner is prepared for marathon day. A marathon training schedule should also include rest days, which are essential for muscle recovery and injury prevention.
Also essential is the art of tapering — the gradual decrease in miles, effort, and intensity in the 2–3 weeks leading up to race day. With the New York City Marathon less than 2 weeks from today, the NYRR Strava forum posted some more helpful tips about how to taper properly!
How to Make the Most of Your Tapering
It’s taper time! Tapering is the process of decreasing your training volume and intensity in the weeks leading up to race day. Athletes taper to decrease their general fatigue levels from training while still maintaining their fitness, so they are rested and ready for race day. Below are ten tapering tips to help remind you to rest up!
1) Don’t make up for lost training. You can’t gain fitness now, but you can tire yourself out!
2) Keep your running pace relaxed in the days leading up to your race. Run with a friend to keep your runs at a comfortable, conversational pace.
3) Get plenty of sleep the week before your race. Sometimes it is hard to sleep the night before, but don’t worry! One tough night is not going to affect your race.
4) Eat well and don’t cut calories. Just because you run less during your taper, doesn’t mean you should cut back on what you’re eating! Your body is going to need that fuel to help you cover 26.2 miles.
5) Continue drinking plenty of water. Hydration is your friend!
6) Treat yourself to some soft-tissue work. If you can’t get in to see a physical therapist or massage therapist, make time for your own mobility work. For example, try a little foam rolling. But don’t try anything new the week before race day. Only do this if you’re already familiar with massage, foam rolling, etc.
7) Put your feet up! This is a time to recover and prepare for race day so take the time to relax.
8) Make sure you have your race-day plan set. Know when and where you have to go, what you’re wearing, and have all the hydration and fueling stations prepped in advance.
9) Write a list of things you’re proud of accomplishing during this build up. Remember that no matter what is thrown your way on race day, you have a lot to be proud of.
10) Feeling nervous? Take some time to relax, whether it’s reading a book, going for a walk, or meditating.
626 kudos
