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Taper issues - flat races
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Lately been having issues with tapering for races. Includes 70.3 and even sprints.
For the 70.3 in particular, an easy 7 days with efforts sprinkled in leave me feeling flat race day. However I have noticed the week after, when I ramp training back up, inconsequential local club races I become a beast in? Even sprint tri’s, it’s as if I reduce intensity and volume a bit, I often have an empty tank at the start line - like in rest mode.

For reference I’m only doing 12-13 hour weeks at most, and a sprint tri taper getting to the race with around 9 hours down u would think be fine but often left me floundering for my legs…
Which begs the question

Anyone taper earlier in their lead up and rebuild as such for race day? Or have an easier / recover type week say the week prior to a race and then race week brings back the spice so ur sharp? I swear I race better this way ?
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Re: Taper issues - flat races [IamSpartacus] [ In reply to ]
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Matt Dixon suggests in his book The Well Built Triathlete an earlier low volume / easy / rest period about 14-10 days out from a race, then building back up in the days before the race (but not quite as high volume or volume of intensity as prior to the rest period).

This isn't presented as the main way to taper but as something to try to see if it works well or if the more traditional taper approach isn't working.

I have tried this a bit in the past few years as I have had similar flatness in races occasionally. I have also noticed in training some really good workouts about a week into a new block after some rest and only a day or two after another hard workout. I'd say it hasn't been anything revolutionary for me, but is probably my preferred taper approach now.
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Re: Taper issues - flat races [jwmott] [ In reply to ]
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So there is a method to this ! Glad this is a thing, it’s annoying having better training numbers than race numbers. Thanks for the reply !
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Re: Taper issues - flat races [IamSpartacus] [ In reply to ]
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2 things: on taper, keep some intensity but lower volume. Try something different the day or two before the race. Historically they are called openers where you are trying to induce some efforts into the legs while producing minimal fatigue. Also, I’ve found if you take a day off it’ll screw up all your systems as well, so where i may take a day off on a rest week, I don’t in a taper week.

I’ve noticed the harder I train, the more this is important. For some reason, I have to induce some fatigue in order to keep the legs, otherwise my body shuts down pretty hard.

My Strava | My Instagram | Summerville, SC | 35-39 AG | 4:41 (70.3), 10:05 (140.6) | 3x70.3, 1x140.6 | Cat 2 Cyclist
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Re: Taper issues - flat races [jwmott] [ In reply to ]
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Two other thoughts I've worked well with:

A strong short opener the day before, like a super sprint race.

Not burying myself in training in the last 6 weeks and keeping myself strong. Then building up like you mentioned the week of the race.
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Re: Taper issues - flat races [IamSpartacus] [ In reply to ]
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I always feel pretty good 5-7 days after an easy/recovery week.

What's your CdA?
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Re: Taper issues - flat races [IamSpartacus] [ In reply to ]
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IamSpartacus wrote:
Lately been having issues with tapering for races. Includes 70.3 and even sprints.
For the 70.3 in particular, an easy 7 days with efforts sprinkled in leave me feeling flat race day. However I have noticed the week after, when I ramp training back up, inconsequential local club races I become a beast in? Even sprint tri’s, it’s as if I reduce intensity and volume a bit, I often have an empty tank at the start line - like in rest mode.

For reference I’m only doing 12-13 hour weeks at most, and a sprint tri taper getting to the race with around 9 hours down u would think be fine but often left me floundering for my legs…
Which begs the question

Anyone taper earlier in their lead up and rebuild as such for race day? Or have an easier / recover type week say the week prior to a race and then race week brings back the spice so ur sharp? I swear I race better this way ?


Your dilemma reminds me of a skit on the old Hee Haw show, when one of the characters would complain to a doctor, 'it hurts when I do this', to which the doc would reply, 'don't do that', while whacking him with a rubber chicken.

The solution to your problem is simple, take what you've done before, adjust the schedule so that your race date falls at the end of what would've been a week later. Basically, you're taking a rest week 2 weeks out, then doing a bit of a build for the week immediately preceding the race.
Last edited by: Mudge: Jan 7, 24 14:55
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