Tapering Time!

Whatever's been done has been, or should have been done. Whatever's not will no longer matter as it's already too late. With 18 days to D-Day, this is the time to allow the body to recover from the battering it has been subjected to the previous months. This is the recover-and-rebuild phase when the body is supposed to come back stronger.

However this does not mean that the runner is turned into a full time couch potato. Of course there are more opportunities for "feet-up" time when one can catch up on rest and the DVDs but keeping the key workouts going are also critical. Runs will be tempo-based - shorter but with greater intensity. Long runs should be reduced. I subscribe to a 2-week tapering period, so this week will still see a somewhat similar program as last week's. Racers will be ultra anxious of not catching colds and flu. They will be drinking and eating healthily and consistently and some may even experienced a slight increase in weight due to the lower mileage (not a concern). Some extra time too can be spent with the family. They have after all tolerated our time away while training. 

Those who have yet to renew their passports will be doing so with eyes on the Forex board as well to monitor the most favorable exchange rates. Confirmation of hotel accomodation should also be tied up during this time. It's still too early to pack but it's not a bad idea to have a packing checklist already in place. Runners should also check the official website for last minute updates or to download the event handbook. Finally it's timely to review the racing plans and previous race experiences to refresh the memory on what mistakes to avoid and what successes to stick to.

 

For more tips about tapering, hit this link.