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Taper Tantrum
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Getting ready to do my first HIM in two weeks. I've never swam the distance so that's still an issue although I am up to 1,700 m. The bike will be no problem, the run is questionable because my longest run this year is 11 miles. (I did a half mary last Feb). My question is about tapering. How should a taper for a HIM look? Lots of swimming? Days off?



Nor do I use punctuation in the way a child sprinkles glitter over a ribbon of glue on construction paper - Trash Talk
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Re: Taper Tantrum [lesson989] [ In reply to ]
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Two weeks out, I tend to keep a S/B/R routine, but with shorter duration and/or lower intensity - similar to a recovery week. It's one of those things I think you get a feel for as you go along. I tend to respond better if I take it easier pre-event, YMMV. I like to take a few extra days off as well. Focus on drinking lots of water and try to keep your diet really healthy in these two weeks as well. I also find all sorts of weird little "twingy pains" that make me paranoid. I don't know if it's just my body adjusting to the lower volume or me being paranoid, but I've talked to marathoner friends who comment on the same phenomenon.

Good luck on your race! Stay relaxed on the swim and you'll be fine. Please post a race report and let us know how it went.

M

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The beatings will continue until morale improves
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Re: Taper Tantrum [lesson989] [ In reply to ]
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I'm trying to figure out what a taper looks like for a HIM too :-)

As far as the "lots of swimming" - 1.7k isn't all that much so you would probably be fine not backing off on that. Last year for my HIM I didn't drop my swim volume at all and had a really good swim time - you recover quickly from it.

maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD
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Re: Taper Tantrum [lesson989] [ In reply to ]
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I dont taper much, but yes good rule to keep the workouts shorter, intensity higher. As for drinking lots of water, good, but if its going to be a hot race, I wouldnt drink all water as you can get rid of all the electrolytes you need. Im in this mode right now for the weekend, so Im drinking water with Nuun in it, has electrolytes but no calories. And DONT over 'carbo load', no need to start the race feeling fat and sluggish. I tend to eat healthy as mentioned, but not over do it. WHat works for me is a big late brunch the day before, so tomorrow Im having pancakes around 11, then an sandwich around 3-4 and snack rest of the day. And lots of nuun and juice diluted with some water.
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Re: Taper Tantrum [kbee] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks for the responses! Not eating too much is definitely a problem. Even though this week I was actually three weeks out from the HIM, I had to do a mini taper for a mountain century I'm doing on Sunday. Does it actually take two weeks to taper? My husband is telling me that I can do my last long run on Wed which will only be about ten days out. Thoughts? It will be hard to monitor eating, but you are right, it is definitely important. I like your brunch idea, I'll give that a try.

Swimming is a definite challenge so it's good that I can work on that right up until the day.... Wish I didn't get such a sick feeling in the OW though : {



Nor do I use punctuation in the way a child sprinkles glitter over a ribbon of glue on construction paper - Trash Talk
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Re: Taper Tantrum [lesson989] [ In reply to ]
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Is Eagleman your 70.3? We were out on the course last week-a bit windy, but the water wasn't too choppy or too cold.

I'm tapering for that right now-I'll do a long swim, long bike brick tomorrow and then a long run short swim brick on Monday as a depletion workout and then cut back the mileage and intensity on the bike and run, while keeping most of the swim. It'll be a S/B/R rotation throughout.

As far as running wednesday it depends on you and whether you're a runner or, like me, am not a runner. I have training buddies that are runners who can do a long run 10 days out. But me, I do mine 12 days out because I know I need a bit more recovery. It all depends on how you feel about 10 days as a recovery from your long run . . .



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Re: Taper Tantrum [plod_along] [ In reply to ]
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In Reply To:
I'm tapering for that right now-I'll do a long swim, long bike brick tomorrow and then a long run short swim brick on Monday as a depletion workout and then cut back the mileage and intensity on the bike and run, while keeping most of the swim. It'll be a S/B/R rotation throughout.[/quote] what do you mean by a "depletion workout?"

maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD
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Re: Taper Tantrum [plod_along] [ In reply to ]
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Yep that's the one. Not only first HIM, but first tri other than a pool sprint last month! I just learned to swim in January. Wind doesn't bother me too much, but that whole open water thing is a bit disheartening. Right when I thought I maybe could actually do this, I left the pool and tried OW. Whole new set of challenges two weeks before race day!

word of advice: never sign up for a half ironman in the middle of the night because you think it will force you to finally learn how to swim!



Nor do I use punctuation in the way a child sprinkles glitter over a ribbon of glue on construction paper - Trash Talk
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Re: Taper Tantrum [lesson989] [ In reply to ]
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First off: good luck!

Secondly, as for tapering, just make sure you decrease your volume by half the 2 weeks out from the race and half again the week leading up to the race. I would also suggest you keep swimming, and only reduce in the run and bike volumes. So if Race week -2 weeks you ride 100miles, then Race week -1 week you ride 50mi, then race week 25mi. Likewise running, if race week -2 weeks you run 30mi, then race week -1 week you run 15mi and race week no more than 7mi. So your race week could look like this (assuming a Sunday race):

running: 1x 4mi and 1 x 3mi
biking: 1x 25mi easy, with some intervals (4-10min) at HIM race pace.
swimming: 2x 1500m-2000m.

And the week before race week:
running: 1x5mi; 1x5mi; 1x 5mi; and 1x10mi (do the long run at the beginning of this week so it is farthest away from your race)
riding: 1x50mi or 1x35mi and 1x15mi with at least one short (2-3mi) run off the bike.
swimming: keep doing what you are doing now.

Day before your race, take the bike for a short spin (~1hr max) before you check it in. Make sure it feel comfy, and it working properly. Tighten everything and inflate your tires. While you are doing this ride, do some more of those short intervals at the pace you expect to race at. Check your bike and go for a short (15min) easy jog off the bike, with a few 1min pick-ups to your HIM race pace. Just to make the legs feel anything but sluggish. If you can, get in a short (750m-ish) swim afterwards. Stretch, cool down, eat, relax.

Let us know how it goes!

AP

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"How bad could it be?" - SimpleS
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