Racendo

Taper

Taper guide: cut volume, keep sharpness

The art of arriving rested without going stale. A practical three-week taper for goal marathons.

Duration: 3 weeks

A good taper preserves fitness while letting fatigue dissipate. The biggest mistake is cutting intensity along with volume.

  1. 1

    Week -3

    Volume down 20%. Long run drops to 24 km. Keep one tempo and one VO₂ session at full intensity but shorter.

  2. 2

    Week -2

    Volume down another 25%. Long run 18 km with last 5 km at MP. Sharpening intervals (e.g. 6×800 m).

  3. 3

    Week -1

    Volume down 40%. Short tempo on Tuesday. Easy runs only thereafter. Race day intensity stays present.

If you finish taper feeling antsy and slightly bored, you've tapered correctly.