Some Thoughts on Marathon Taper

tigger · Dec 30, 2007

A couple of runners are hitting taper right about now. I'm a few weeks away, but I guess it's time to start thinking about it and how to get into the marathon in the best possible condition. I haven't run a marathon for a few years, and taper for HM's or 10k races is pretty easy. In fact, I ran a 10k PR last year the day after a 17 mile run and a 3 hr ski, so taper was less than 24 hrs. 
I'm following the Pfitz 24/55 plan. The final 4 weeks look like this....sorry for the crappy format............. 
Long Run 21 
Rest or Cross train 
VO2 Max 6 x 600 m @ 5K pace 8 
General Aerobic 8 
Rest or Cross train 
Recovery 4 
8k - 15k tune up race 10 
Long Run 17 
Rest or Cross train 
General aerobic & speed - 8 x 100 m strides 7 
General Aerobic 8 
Rest or Cross train 
Recovery 4 
Lactate threshold 4 mi @ LT 8 
Long Run 16 
Rest 
General aerobic & speed - 8 x 100 m strides7 
VO2 Max 3 x 1600 m @ 5K pace 8 
Rest or Cross train 
Recovery 5 
Rest or Cross train 
Medium long run 12 
Rest 
Recovery 6 
Dress Rehersal with 2 mi @ MP 7 
Rest 
Recovery & speed - 6 x 100 m strides 5 
Recovery 4 
Goal Race 
My concerns with this plan are: 
1) I've always thought Pfitz plans are too heavy in the final 3 weeks. ie: 16 mile run two weeks out. I am thinking shorter...2 hrs or 12 miles, with half at MP 
2) Goal race is Sunday. I will probably do 5k on Saturday, and will run about 4 or 5 miles on Tuesday and Thursday, with 2 at MP. So my final week will look like this... 
Rest 
Dress rehearsal with 2 mi @ MP 5 
Rest 
Dress rehearsal with 2 mi @ MP 5 
Rest 
Easy Run 3 
Goal Race 
Comments on my plan? 
What are your thoughts on taper?

Dirt the other white meat · Dec 30, 2007

My thoughts are that many people use the taper to stop working out or cut back too much. For the preceding 15 weeks or so, you have been working hard and the body has made big adjustments, assuming you completely followed the plan. Because the body is now use to the higher activity load, by reducing the total miles early by just a few, allows for the needed rest, while keeping sharp for race day. During the last week, when you reduce intensity and total mileage, the body gets primed for race day. 
I have found that I go to the line best after a 3 week active taper 
Mike

ksrunr · Dec 30, 2007

Tigger - Looks like you and I are on the same plan pretty much. I've tried to combine the 70 mpw and 55 mpw plan to get mileage somewhere in the middle. I don't mind the long runs near the end of his plans. I ran 17 yesterday just over 2 weeks out. I replaced a lot of his interval runs with good solid tempo runs and a few races of 5k to a half marathon as I don't like "interval" work. I think Dirt hit it right on the head as well. 
This will be my first marathon since '01.

PJH · Dec 30, 2007

Tigger - 
I had 4 weeks at 60+ miles before starting a 3-week taper. I was feeling somewhat tired entering the taper period so timing seemed to be right. 
In week 1 I did 48 mi (80% of max mileage, i.e. 60); week 2 did 37 mi (62% of max); week 3 did 21 mi (35% of max). Reduced mileage, but kept intensity ... each of first two weeks had an interval/VO2Max workout and a tempo run (decreasing time each week). Last week did a 6 mi/10 km MP run on the Thursday. Really liked the 3 mi on the day before marathon to keep "loose". My LRs were 12 mi in first week of taper and 11 in second. The other thing I did was reduce days running from 6 in first week of taper to 5 in second and 4 in last. For me, this tapering worked well.

tigger · Dec 30, 2007

Sounds like everyone is doing the same thing. I dislike intervals too. So far I've had two sessions and done them both, but we will see if I continue with them. Last year I PR'd at HM with a plan that had only threshold runs of between 20 min and 50 min. Longer ones were done closer to race day. I've used my final week taper for HM's before but not for the big one. I'm hoping there is no difference!

teamslug1 · Dec 30, 2007

My four fastest (i use this term loosely - sub 3:27) marathons, have all come following a fifty miler exactly three weeks prior. I then spend a lot of time in the weight room and sauna, and get a deep tissue massage one week prior. Don't know...works for me. John.

tigger · Dec 31, 2007

That is one NASTY taper!!

mcsolar99 · Dec 31, 2007

i love intervals! and i'm crazy. two weeks out. pf chang, we've got a date baby. 
s: 23; 18 @ 8:15, 5 @ 6:36 (four weeks out) 
m: 7 ez 8:50 
t: 9 w/16x400 (100jog) 1:29 
w: 10 8:27 
t: 13.5 w/11 fast/slow (6:20/7:32) 
f: 14.5 8:21 
s: 12 w/ 2x400,800,1200m (too fast) 
s: 21 ez 8:06 (three weeks out) 
total: 87 
m: 9 ez 8:15 
t: 4.5 ez 8:53 
w: 9.5 w/7x800m 2:53 avg (2:00 rest) 
t: 4 8:07 
f: 10 ez 7:55 
s: 9.5 w/5x1mi (2:30, 2, 1:30, 1:00 rest) 6:04 avg 
s: 13.5, 10 @ 8:12, 3.5 @ 7 (two weeks out - planned 17, but too fast) 
total: 60 
plan: 
m: 8 ez 
t: 7 w/10x400 (100jog) 
w: 0 
t: 10 w/8 at 6:40 
f: 3 ez 
s: 8 w/3 at 6:40 
s: 12 ez (one week out) 
target: 45 
m: 0 
t: 5 ez 
w: 8 w/ 3x5min (1400m) mp 
t: 5ez 
f: 0 
s: 3 ez 
s: goal race

Opie · Dec 31, 2007

I use the taper in the Marathon Schedule A in the back of Daniels Running Formula (along with a lot of other stuff of his). I get comments sometimes about not tapering enough because he keeps it pretty intense until the last few days. And I'll end up with a lot of miles that week because there's quite a few easy miles at the beginning and then the marathon at the end. Pfitz intriques me but I think I would have the same concerns about it being heavy. I like Daniels emphasis on quality, not quantity, throughout including the taper.

hally · Jan 3, 2008

I thought this thread was interesting and warranted a bump

Some Thoughts on Marathon Taper

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