3 week vs 2 week marathon taper

Triathlon Forum
1

I’m running a marathon in 2 1/2 weeks (Feb 25), and I haven’t really done a full marathon training build. I’ve been pretty consistent in my running since late September, and have averaged around 55 mpw since then. Peak weekly mileage was 68 and the low was 47. The last five weeks have averaged right around 60. I’ve been doing a weekly long run of 16-22 miles, and did 21 this past Sunday. I’m considering another 20 this coming weekend with a two week taper as opposed to the traditional three weeks.

My goal in the marathon is qualifying for Boston for 2019. I’d be aging up, so the qualifying time would be sub 3:15 in M 40+. In the past I’ve been in sub 3 shape, but weather (hot for Boston in and a hurricane getting in the way of NYC plans - both in 2012) hasn’t been on my side. I ran a 1:22 half in November, and feel like I’m close to a sub 3. I feel like qualifying should be fine, but not sure about breaking three. The course is pretty flat with some rolling hills, but can be windy in sections along the water.

For those who have tried out a two week taper, has it worked out ok? Better to not run 20 or so this coming weekend and go with three weeks for the taper?

Thanks!

2

The thing to be careful with a two week taper especially this time of year is a cold. I’ve done 2 week tapers in the past and almost always got sick so I went with a 10 day taper. Of course, I had lots of marathon experience by the time I went to 10 days and lots and lots of base miles in the legs so I knew I’d be fine.

I did a 3 week taper for 100 miler which was perfect but would never think that long for a marathon unless you’re just so beat up or on the verge of injury/overtraining that your body needs that much.

The longer the taper the harder mentally too to stay in the taper. You definitely don’t want to blast a super fast 5 miler because you feel good 5 days out for example.

One last note, the taper is less time but same intensity type daily workouts. For example if you have been doing weekly tempos feel free to throw one last tempo in just make it “taper” worthy by cutting time/mileage a ton. For me I know my taper is working if the first half of it my legs are complete garbage but by the last 2 mile shakeout run they feel fast.

Good luck…

3

Thanks! I guess I’m probably leaning towards maybe 55 or so miles this week with a long run of 18 miles, then 45 next week.

I’ve found over the years that a two week taper for a 70.3 is far too long for me, so was thinking the same would make sense for a marathon. I haven’t run an open marathon in good shape w/o being injured or coming off an injury in five years. Hoping things go smoothly!

4

you won’t gain any more fitness from here out, but if you can do short taper for 70.3 two week taper should be good. It’s what I prefer. Keep speed up during taper but shorten time on feet. and stay away from anyone who is sick
good luck.

5

For those who have tried out a two week taper, has it worked out ok? Better to not run 20 or so this coming weekend and go with three weeks for the taper?

I normally go with two weeks & I’ll keep up some decent biking/swimming too.

I like having my last 20 two weeks before, physically I’ve recovered from it, but psychologically it’s near enough for some confidence.

6

If I were you in this position I would just do some race pace 5 to 10 milers(sub 3 hour pace) and throw in some 2 to 3 hour easy bike rides. I would even get in the water and do some kicking and light swimming for the taper. This will keep you busy and away from trying to do too much actual running where you might get hurt. It also helps your body to recover from all those heavy running weeks.

Then on race day I would go out at just a little over 7 minute pace for the first 10 to 13 miles, the ratchet it down from there if it feels easy and you are feeling good. Then at 20 reassess and either go for it, or just hold steady and make your BQ time. You can gain a lot of time in the last 10k if you went out too slow, that is the beauty of a marathon. You can actually get back some of that time you gave up in the beginning, sometimes much more. Just remember that putting time in the bank early can have heavy withdrawal consequences later in the race.

You are ready, don’t 2nd guess it too much, just be healthy and uninjured with a good plan and you will do fine…

7

1:22 half should easily be sub 3 if you pace correctly. Either taper is fine, as long as you fully commit to it and don’t cheat.

8

If I were you in this position I would just do some race pace 5 to 10 milers(sub 3 hour pace) and throw in some 2 to 3 hour easy bike rides. I would even get in the water and do some kicking and light swimming for the taper. This will keep you busy and away from trying to do too much actual running where you might get hurt. It also helps your body to recover from all those heavy running weeks.

Then on race day I would go out at just a little over 7 minute pace for the first 10 to 13 miles, the ratchet it down from there if it feels easy and you are feeling good. Then at 20 reassess and either go for it, or just hold steady and make your BQ time. You can gain a lot of time in the last 10k if you went out too slow, that is the beauty of a marathon. You can actually get back some of that time you gave up in the beginning, sometimes much more. Just remember that putting time in the bank early can have heavy withdrawal consequences later in the race.

You are ready, don’t 2nd guess it too much, just be healthy and uninjured with a good plan and you will do fine…

Putting time “in the bank” early in the marathon is usually as sound as financing your home-mortgage with a thousand differend credit-cards! :). At least in the sense that “time in the bank” leaves you with room to slow down towards the end - correctly paced you should hold dead steady of slightly increase second half :smiley: But - OP being a strong runner will already know more about this than me :slight_smile: I just know that of the three open marathons I’ve run, the first half has been run equally fast all three times, but my finishing time dropped gradually where my last one was 20 min faster than the first one!

9

I think my rough game plan is to go out ‘easy’ at around 7:00 pace, then after 4-5 miles try settling into something in the 6:40-6:50 range and hold steady, trying to finish strong.

The race is a two loop course, and it will be pretty lonely on the second loop. There are generally 4-5k people that do the half, but last year only about ten who went under three hours. I like having a pack to run with, but probably won’t have that after the half marathon folks finish.

10

I’m running a marathon in 2 1/2 weeks (Feb 25), and I haven’t really done a full marathon training build. I’ve been pretty consistent in my running since late September, and have averaged around 55 mpw since then. Peak weekly mileage was 68 and the low was 47. The last five weeks have averaged right around 60. I’ve been doing a weekly long run of 16-22 miles, and did 21 this past Sunday. I’m considering another 20 this coming weekend with a two week taper as opposed to the traditional three weeks.

My goal in the marathon is qualifying for Boston for 2019. I’d be aging up, so the qualifying time would be sub 3:15 in M 40+. In the past I’ve been in sub 3 shape, but weather (hot for Boston in and a hurricane getting in the way of NYC plans - both in 2012) hasn’t been on my side. I ran a 1:22 half in November, and feel like I’m close to a sub 3. I feel like qualifying should be fine, but not sure about breaking three. The course is pretty flat with some rolling hills, but can be windy in sections along the water.

For those who have tried out a two week taper, has it worked out ok? Better to not run 20 or so this coming weekend and go with three weeks for the taper?

Thanks!

Nate, all the stupidity about 3+ week tapers is based on pro runners doing 100+ miles per week. Honestly the smaller your build the less your taper, in that you have to taper down from something huge, if you taper down from “not that huge a mountain”, you’ll end up underground and lose fitness. Most of these marathon tapers for age group runners and rec people are way to conservative, because they are not training that much in the first place…since performance = work + rest, the best performance is balancing the rest with the amount of work…if the work is low, you don’t need as much rest (in this case assume taper is rest heavy),

I bet for what you are saying 10 days is plenty. 7 days is perhaps optimal. 14 days would be fine. 21 days you’re losing fitness.

My best marathon was off a one week taper. I was XC skiing 160 K per weeks (~10 hours) and speed skating 4 hours all winter and running 10K per week and swimming ~2-3 hours. 8 weeks out I started my marathon/tri “build”…lots of engine, not a ton of specificity. I built up to 100K week (started at 60K, built up to 80K) while riding around 3 hours and same swimming . My 100K week was between 14 and 7 days out. Ran 2:48 (I was also 27 that year so could get away with a shorter recovery given the higher testosterone in my body).

…but forget about my drive by brag about my best marathon. Most of my guys running 4-7 hours per week only get a 7-10 day taper because they are barely doing any running from the view of a marathoner. The 6-10 hour per week runners get another taper. The 10-14 hour guys get another taper. Also since you have a big engine, can you compliment with some really hard swimming during your taper to keep your cardio super high. You have an innate advantage compared to most runners, because they cannot exercise their cardio as hard as often as you. I had that as an XC skier too…pretty well 5-6 days per week had pretty high intensity.

11

I’ve BQ’ed on a MUCH lesser weekly mileage in your AG, with my best half time being 2 mins slower. Don’t overthink it, a 2 week taper is quite enough. If BQ is your goal - then aim for a 3:07-3:09 type of a time. If you are feeling extra fast on the last 3-4 miles, give’er a go.

12

I’m running mine off the 100/100 with basically nothing too long (to recover from daily) and basically no taper. My IM tapers have dropped over the years from 3 weeks to 7 - 10 days. Once didn’t taper at all except travel time and saw no real difference in performance . . . of course, in Dev’s terms, I wasn’t coming off a mountain.

Go get 'em!!

13

I think my rough game plan is to go out ‘easy’ at around 7:00 pace, then after 4-5 miles try settling into something in the 6:40-6:50 range and hold steady, trying to finish strong.

The race is a two loop course, and it will be pretty lonely on the second loop. There are generally 4-5k people that do the half, but last year only about ten who went under three hours. I like having a pack to run with, but probably won’t have that after the half marathon folks finish.

If you’re iffy about sub 3, you do NOT want to be running 6:40 miles before mile 18. If you run 12 seconds per mile faster than goal pace (provided your setting your goal correctly) any time except the last 6-8 miles, you will blow up. Big Time.

14

I’m running mine off the 100/100 with basically nothing too long (to recover from daily) and basically no taper. My IM tapers have dropped over the years from 3 weeks to 7 - 10 days. Once didn’t taper at all except travel time and saw no real difference in performance . . . of course, in Dev’s terms, I wasn’t coming off a mountain.

Go get 'em!!

Let’s view this another way. If you are running 100K per week, then tapering down to 60K 14-8 days out and 20K from 7-1 day out is plenty given that race week you’re also adding 42.2K making it a 62.2K week.

let’s say you are only running 50K per week, then you probably don’t want to drop much below 50K for any week leading up to race week other than race week when you may run 2x5K on Tue and Thu and then run 42.2K on race day, making this an “average” training week. It just seems like tapering down from anything less than 50K makes almost no sense other than on race week, because this athlete is already so undertrained for a marathon that any tapering down form an undertrained state is just losing more from an undertrained state!