Looking for peoples’ thoughts on tapering for Timberman Half. Is this Saturday too late to do a hard 50 mile ride, 8 days before? I’ve been concentrating on intervals lately and plan to do shorter stuff in the week prior to the race.
I would also add that I have a new tri specific bike that I only have about 150 miles on so far. It is my first tri specific bike so I am still adapting, all though quickly.
One-week tapers for HIM’s seem to suddenly be in vogue.
I know for me, if I ride long-and-hard one week out from my race, it slows me down on my race.
I did my last long-and-hard ride 2.5 weeks out from my HIM last weekend. I found that I was very fresh and fast on the bike in my race. (My longest run (14.5 mi) was 3 weeks out and my legs were very fresh for the run, as well.)
Others respond better to shorter tapers.
Probably the only way to know is to experiment a bit with your tapers in different races.
I’ve got Boulder long course this weekend and I did a moderately hard 85 mile ride on Saturday. Granted, Boulder’s not my A race.
It depends on how you recover, but I’d think you’ll be fine.
I would think if a 50 mile ride kills you 8 days out then you have bigger fitness issues to worry about. If you’ve put in the time and training, you’ll be fine, just recover and replenish well.
I’m following Rich Strauss’s HIM plan for an A race on 8/19. (Pigman)
The last hard ride (55 miles) was last Saturday. It was a race rehersal.
This week I have two 75 minute Interval sessions scheduled and nothing over the weekend.
Next week, three 45 minute fairly intense sessions.