Does anybody out there taper for these shorter races? My first tri is coming up next week and I’m not exactly sure how much to rest for it. I know that I should probably complete it somewhere around my 1/2 marathon times, so for those I typically stop running early in the week.
Does this make sense?
Since this is your first tri, I would assume it could be categorized as a “key” race. If this is true, then you are going to want to have your best possible time, and you will want to taper.
For my first sprint tri, I did a very gradual two-week taper. Maybe overkill, but I was happy with the results!
As has been mentioned in other threads, taperings is more art than science and is a really personal thing.
Assuming your sprint is an A race and you’re not simply training through it on your way to a longer event, a one week taper (what you seem to have left before the race) is appropriate.
What works for me for sprints: I cut back significantly on my weakest event, swimming. Go from 3 to 1 workout, just do a bunch of hard 100 and 200s to get used to the idea of going hard, but not doing so much as to tire my grossly underdeveloped upper body. The other 2 events are about equal, I cut back to 50% of volume, but up the intensity, working at or about race pace. For a sunday race, I run hard friday and spin easy on saturday so I go in feeling super fresh.
For my first event, also a sprint, I ‘tapered’ by doing shorter workouts for about five days and taking the day before the race almost completely off. I just did not want any residual soreness from training. Also I think it helps build energy stores - you can burn alot of fuel just with nerves before the event.
Start carbo loading at least two days before, relax, and Have Fun!
Make sure to tell us all about it when you’re done.
Peter
I always take two days off from training before all my races, including sprint tris. This way I have fresh legs for the race and maybe more energy. I can’t imagine doing this is detrimental in any way. Besides, if God needed one day of rest, it’s logical that we mere humans need at least two. Of course, Mr. Darwin may disagree with this.
Depends on where my training is at distance-wise. I wouldn’t taper for more than a few days for a sprint (which to me just means reduced volume and intensity for maybe 3 days). If I’m trained up to half-IM distance type racing, then I wouldn’t even taper for a sprint at all. If I’m training specifically for sprint to Oly distance, I’d do the taper.
I recommend cutting way back early in the week and then putting some short duration, faster segments in during the two days before the race. Something like:
Friday: Swim :30 w/ :05 at race pace, Run :45 w/ 2 x :03 race pace
Saturday: Swim :20 w/ 2 x :03 race pace, Ride :45 w/ 2 x :05 race pace
Many athletes don’t perform well immediately after complete rest days. I generally prefer to have athletes swim & run 2 days out and swim & ride the day before with just enough speed to stay sharp but not enough to be at all tiring. Ken
I know some elite runners and triathletes who train like that right up to race day but my body has told me during the 27 years I have been racing that two days rest immediately before a race is a good idea. I like the “fresh” feeling which you can only get from rest. Of course, this is from a guy who doesn’t need a heart rate monitor to tell him whether he is going too fast or too slow so my “listening to my body” approach may be as antiquated as I am. So long as I keep placing in my age group in most races, however, I’ll stick with what has worked well for me.
Just one guys opinion:
I like doing short, intense stuff with lots of rest 4-6 days out:
Example: Run 30 min. (10 min. warmup; 4x400 faster than 5K pace with lots of rest + 1 mile close to 5K race pace + 5 min. cooldown). Similar short, intense stuff with much rest on swim and bike.
Barely do anything 2-3 days before (walk & stretch) & workout a bit the day before to loosen up (like an easy 15 min swim & run 15 min with 5 30 second pickups)
I think this is exactly why I “taper” the way I do…
I agree with Bigsky and Ken
jaretj
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Thanks so much guys! Lots of helpful information. I know what works for me for 1/2 and full marathons, but the training has been different for this, so I’m unsure of how to approach it. I worked by backside off yesterday doing a brick and then I strength trained, which I hadn’t done in a month. I am so incredibly sore today.
My training has been basically loosely structured in that I’ve been using my perceived rate of exertion as a measure of how hard I have been working. I thought I would do one more workout this weekend, not sure if it should be another brick or a bike ride of about 1.5 hours (I have really been pushing on the bike…trying to strengthen the quads). Then on Monday, swim one more time - lots of drills for about 20 min. and then simulate the race day swim and be done with it. On Tuesday, run between 3-4 miles rather hard, just under 5k race pace? How does this sound to you guys?
One more question…I eventually would like to do an Olympic distance if everything goes well (read good finish with no injuries!) I have a Trek 700 with slicks on it now. Would I be driving myself into the ground timewise with this bike? I have limited funds for equipment. Would I be able to fit it with aerobars?
<<Start carbo loading at least two days before,>>
Carbo loading for two days for a race that takes just over an hour to finish?
I will need to carbo load for two days before every training day.
That’s a plenty good bike if you’ve got the legs. Put an aerobar on and you’ll do fine. Ken
Ken, how much does this cost generally? Do I need new handlebars entirely or just the aeros? I would assume my seat position would have to change to accomodate the geometrical angle?
An areobar should be about $100, plus or minus. There are many kinds, but you can definitely find one that will attach to your handlebar … called a clip-on. Generally we slide the saddle forward and raise the seatoost by 1/3 as much as we move it forward. However, you may do just fine without huge adjustments. I recommend raising the handlebar at first. You may want to lower it gradually as you get accustomed to the aerobar. Initially, use the aerobar to get narrow, but not low. After you are comfortable riding on the bar, experiment to see if you can get lower and still pedal efficiently. Don’t make the mistake of getting 5% more aerodynamic and trading off 10% of your power due to ineffciciency from getting too low. Ken
Thank you Big Sky! I’m looking forward to the challenge. I’m pretty competitive so I will go all out despite it being the first one. I’ve learned alot from reading everyone’s posts here, plus Total Immersion has been working well too. I think my swim technique is getting better because it’s certainly getting easier, although no one has been coaching me. I have been doing the training and preparation all by myself, so at the least I will see how well I’ve listened to and taken advice. I’m a clean slate…I knew very little about this and gave myself 7 weeks to prepare. By the way, I will take God’s advice over Darwin’s anytime 
I am coming off of knee surgery from a little over a year ago and that concerns me a great deal (paranoid).
Ken, how will I know if I’ve gotten too low? I would think the time would slow down or will there be aches and pains anywhere? In the back, hips or knees? Also, is there adequate balance with the clip on aeros and existing handle bars? Does the center of gravity change there?
I agree with all the above about some shorter, higher intensity workouts throughout the week before, and I would add to make sure you get a good night’s sleep two nights out. Plan on not sleeping well/being restless the night before, especially if it’s your first race.
Just curious gimpy, how did you arrive at the conclusion that your sprint time will roughly equal your 1/2 marathon time? For a point of reference, my first 1/2 marathon time was 1:50ish, and my first sprint was 1:07ish.