PUBLISHED 12/09/2003
3 WEEKS TO GO
Week 1 of the taper begins the day after your last long run of about 20 miles, 3 weeks before the marathon. The taper starts gradually, because this training still "counts," and a dramatic drop in workload isn't necessary yet. This week, you need to run a bit less, eat a bit more protein, troubleshoot your race plan, and choose your race-day shoes.
Training Checklist
1. Last week should have been your highest-mileage week. This week, stick with the same basic running schedule you've been following, just decrease your total mileage from last week by at least 20 percent.
2. Your shorter weekday runs shouldn't be much different than last week's, but shave a mile or 2 off your longer midweek runs.
3. Generally, weekday training should consist of one medium long run of 8 to 10 miles, one marathon-goal-pace run of 4 to 6 miles, one nonrunning day, and two runs of 3 to 5 miles.
4. Your weekend long run (2 weeks before the marathon) should be a 12- to 14-miler at the same pace--not faster--as the previous week's 20-miler.
5. Except for the marathon-goal-pace run, all running this week should be at a relaxed pace of 11/2 to 2 minutes slower per mile than marathon goal pace.
6. Avoid running extremely hilly courses, hill repetitions, or speed workouts. This kind of training leads to muscle-tissue damage, which you need to minimize throughout your taper.
Mental Preparation
7. "Think of all the problems that could arise and work through how you'll handle them," says Kate Hays, Ph.D., a sports psychologist, longtime runner, and director of the starting-line "psyching team" at the Toronto Marathon. "Doing this will provide solutions so that you won't panic in case one of the scenarios does occur, and it reduces your anxiety because you'll know you're ready for any situation." Mentally rehearse the following scenarios:
- It's warm, freezing, or blustery. Less-than-ideal conditions mean you have to adjust your time goals. Headwinds can slow your finish time by several minutes, and heat or cold by even more. A survey of marathon finish times suggests that 55 degrees is the ideal temperature, a temperature of 35 or 75 degrees adds 7 percent to your time, and an 85-degree day adds 10 percent.
- You start out ahead of goal pace. Slow down to goal pace as soon as you figure this out (hopefully no later than when you hit the first mile marker), because running an even pace is crucial.
- You start out slower than goal pace. Speed up, but only to goal pace, because trying to "make up for lost time" is a fool's game. You can still achieve your goal time by speeding up slightly during the second half of the race.
- You slip off goal pace midrace. This is the time to become your own cheerleader. Coax yourself back into the groove by thinking about all the training you put in and how badly you want to achieve your goal.
- Your old (knee/shin/foot) problem acts up at midrace. Decide in advance how bad it has to get before you'll drop out. A good guideline is that if the pain forces you to alter your stride, drop out so you don't develop a long-term injury.
- A side stitch strikes. As excruciating as these can be, plan on hanging in there, because most stitches vanish within a couple of miles--especially if you slow down and apply pressure to the area where you feel the stitch.
