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Welcome to the second season of Training Diaries, a Mytour series documenting my journey to the 2024 Philadelphia Marathon. This series dives into the highs, lows, and hill repeats on the road to race day, set for Sunday, Nov. 24. Along the way, I’ll explore key aspects such as fueling strategies, overcoming injuries, navigating setbacks, treadmill techniques, wardrobe hiccups, long run wisdom, and reflect on the dedication required to cross the marathon finish line.
I’m writing this post while anxiously bouncing my leg with a mix of nerves and excitement. With my marathon just two days away, all I want to do is head out for a long run to calm my nerves. But unfortunately, in the final days before a race, running is the one thing I’m not allowed to do.
Last year, when I shared tips on surviving the dreaded taper, I focused on the mental challenges it brings. This time, I’m bringing you more practical strategies to make your taper phase work for you, ensuring that all the hard work you've put in over the months leads to a strong race day performance.
The Importance of the Taper
The taper is more than just a pre-race rest—it’s a scientifically supported approach designed to maximize your performance. Tapering involves allowing your body to recover, refuel, and prepare for peak performance come race day. This phase helps repair tissue damage, restore glycogen levels, and reduce fatigue while maintaining fitness. Research indicates that a proper taper can enhance race performance by 2-3%. Let’s explore what a well-executed taper looks like.
The Ideal Taper Schedule
After months of rigorous training, it’s time to ease off the intensity and shift focus toward your final race preparations as the big day approaches.
Seven Days Before
Reduce your weekly mileage by 40-50%.
Keep your workout intensity consistent but cut back on the duration.
Complete your final 'long' run, aiming for 8-10 miles.
Prioritize quality sleep, aiming for at least 8 hours.
4-5 days prior to race day
Lower your mileage to 30-40% of your peak training volume.
Incorporate brief intervals of running at race pace.
Start loading up on carbohydrates.
Steer clear of trying unfamiliar foods or activities.
2-3 days before race day
Go for a light, 20-30 minute run.
Engage in visualization techniques to mentally prepare.
Get your race-day gear organized.
Review your race strategy and pacing goals.
The day before the race
Consider a light, 15-20 minute shakeout run (optional).
Rest and keep off your feet.
Prepare your race gear and supplies in advance.
Make sure to get to bed early for a good night's sleep.
Nutrition during the taper week
Oh, how I love to carbo-load with a purpose. In the final days before the marathon, aim to gradually increase your carbohydrate intake. This doesn’t mean overindulging but rather focusing on quality sources like pasta, rice, oats, and sweet potatoes to fuel up for race day. Spread this out over a few days, rather than cramming it all in the night before. Stick to familiar, easily digestible foods.
What to eat the day before the marathon
Boost your carb intake! For the three days before the marathon, make sure that carbs make up 70% of your daily calorie consumption. Great carb-rich foods include whole wheat pasta, potatoes, rice, oats, and more.
Stick to familiar meals to avoid digestive issues. This isn't the time to try unfamiliar or exotic foods. Keep your meals simple and in line with what your body is used to.
Hydrate properly in the days leading up to the race. Aim for 12-16 cups of water a day to help store water in your muscles. Also, reduce fiber intake to minimize digestive problems.
Eat a hearty, carb-loaded dinner the night before. Think pasta primavera, rice and beans, or a big pizza.
What should you eat on marathon morning?
Eat 2-4 hours before the race starts. Wake up early enough to give yourself time to digest your meal.
Choose easily digestible carbs and a bit of protein. Consider oatmeal, whole wheat toast, a banana, peanut butter, or eggs.
Drink about 16oz of water or a sports drink to stay hydrated in the morning.
Steer clear of foods that are high in fiber, fat, or protein, as they can upset your stomach.
Common tapering mistakes to avoid
Cutting back your mileage drastically can mess with your mind. Over the past five marathons, here are the taper mistakes I’ve learned to avoid.
Phantom pains. Don’t stress over every little ache—lower training volumes can make runners overly aware of regular sensations. Trust in your body's healing process.
Excess energy. Avoid the temptation to channel your newfound energy into non-running tasks. Now isn't the time to rearrange furniture or start tackling home improvement projects.
Compensatory eating. Stick to your usual portion sizes, even with the reduction in training. A small weight gain from glycogen storage is typical, but overeating could negatively impact your performance on race day.
Trouble foods. For me, the usual offenders include high-fiber foods the day before the race, heavy or greasy meals, unfamiliar foods, and too much caffeine.
Training doubt. The taper phase often triggers anxiety over lost fitness. Keep in mind: you can't boost fitness during the final week, but overtraining could ruin it. My mantra for surviving the taper is: “the hay is in the barn” — the hard work is already done, and nothing more is needed, even if the urge to do more arises.
In conclusion, it's essential to view the taper as an opportunity for recovery, rather than as a limitation. Take time to review your training logs to enhance your confidence, and reach out to other runners for motivation. Personally, I like to imagine various race-day scenarios and set outcome-driven goals for the big day. For example, I mentally picture myself pushing through the challenge by tapping into my inner reserves of strength.
This taper phase is an integral part of your marathon journey. Embrace it with trust in the process, stay patient, and remember that arriving fresh on race day is far more advantageous than being overtrained.
During this taper period, focus on maintaining your current fitness level instead of trying to increase it. Your goal is to be rested, recovered, and ready to hit your marathon targets. Control what you can and trust that your hard work has already set you up for success.
Keep in mind: the taper isn’t about improving your fitness, but rather ensuring you're rested and primed for the race. Focus on what you can manage and trust that your preparation has already set the stage for your success.
