Tapering in Running: The Key to Your Best Race Day

The running world includes many words and acronyms that might not make sense to those outside looking in.

Sometimes we might infer the meaning of a word in running, but that doesn’t give us the whole picture.

You may have been a little confused if you’ve heard of tapering in running. Here we’ll talk about tapering during a training cycle, how and why we do it, and the common mistakes you should avoid.

What is Tapering in Running?

The Merriam-Webster definition of ‘tapering’ is “a gradual decrease.”

This explains what tapering means in running pretty perfectly. Tapering is what runners do just before a big racing event.

Rather than continuing to increase mileage, a few days or weeks leading up to a race day, runners gradually decrease their running mileage.

Why You Should Taper Before a Race

Why would a runner taper before a race?

Gradually decreasing the mileage leading to race day is essential for many reasons. As with all things in a training plan, sticking to your taper plan will also help you greatly on race day.

The main reason tapering in running is essential is to get the body to peak performance on race day. This allows the runner to have the best race from a physiological standpoint.

Benefits of Tapering Your Running

✅ Helps the body and muscles to recover from intense training.

✅ Allows the body to fill glycogen stores.

✅ Decreases fatigue in the body for the best race experience.

✅ Improve race day mental focus.

✅ Decrease the likelihood of getting sick before a race.

✅ Decrease the risk of injury before and during the race.

✅ Increase red blood cells and VO2 max.

Tapering Effect on Running

All of these benefits of tapering show us why it’s an integral part of any good training plan.

The effect tapering has on running can improve race day performance. I don’t know a single runner who would decline to do something that helps them have the best race day possible.

Even if the improvement in running ability is slight, tapering before a big race is highly recommended.

How to Properly Taper in Running

You know what tapering in running is and why tapering is beneficial. So, how do you taper?

To best succeed at tapering, you’ll want to complete the appropriate workouts and taper for the right time.

How Much Should You Run During Taper?

We taper for various race distances, so how much you should run during the taper phase of training depends on what race you’re running.

For example, someone who has trained for and is running a 5k race might not need to cut back on running distance much during the taper phase. This is because of the short length of the training runs throughout the 5k training cycle.

We see a more substantial difference in running ability with tapering when considering long-distance races.

A person running a marathon might cut their mileage down to a 10-mile long run the week before race day.

The general guideline during the taper phase is for a runner to cut back on running mileage and slightly decrease running frequency.

How Long Should You Taper for a Race?

How long you should taper for a race depends on the distance you’ll run on race day.

A person running a 5k race likely would taper for just a few days before race day.

The average taper timeline for someone running a marathon begins about three weeks before race day.

The length of the taper phase differs between a 5k and a marathon training cycle because of the wear, and tear training puts on the body. Although dashing at a 5k pace can lead to muscle fatigue, the pressure that long-distance training runs have on the body is more extreme.

How Many Weeks Before a Race Should You Taper?

A marathon taper phase will last for about 2 to 4 weeks.

A half marathon taper phase will last for about 1 to 2 weeks.

There is variation within the timeframes because training plans differ. When you begin training for a race, review the tapering in advance to be sure you have enough time to meet your body’s recovery needs.

Tapering for Long Distance Running

Tapering is a technique used for distance running. We see the most significant impact on running race day performance for middle- to long-distance runners.

Tapering When Running a 10k

If you’re preparing to run a 10k race, you likely know how far the 10k distance is. Because of the shorter length of this race, you won’t need more than a week.

An excellent guideline for a 10k training cycle is a taper phase of 2 to 7 days. Each runner is different, and whether your fitness level is high or low changes the need for a longer taper.

Remember that many people who run regularly don’t taper for shorter races like the 10k and 5k.

Know your body and find what works best for you. Because tapering helps to increase red blood cells, we know that tapering for a race is always good practice even if minimal.

Tapering When Running a Half Marathon

When running a half marathon, tapering becomes more critical.

During the most vigorous weeks of a training cycle, half marathoners will run upwards of 23 miles. Providing 1 to 2 weeks of tapering time in such a cycle will help a runner to be fresh for race day.

A half marathon runner will run about 10 miles in the final taper week before the race.

Tapering When Running a Marathon

Tapering if you’re running a marathon is essential for optimal performance on race day.

You’ve spent a lot of time training, running, cross-training, and resting. Implementing a proper tapering plan to succeed on marathon race day is just as important.

Is Tapering for a Marathon Really Necessary?

Some runners don’t believe in the taper.

It can be difficult for a long-distance runner to understand that cutting back can lead to gains. Although we might not notice the difference, studies have proven that runners who implement a tapering phase in their running cycle see a 3% average performance improvement.

As a runner, you likely desire any improvement on your race day. Make room for tapering in your training cycle. At a minimum, tapering will help to keep you injury-free leading up to race day. 

How Long Should You Taper Before a Marathon?

Tapering for any race always happens in the final weeks of your training cycle.

Marathoners usually taper for 2 to 3 weeks, although some prefer a longer taper of 4 weeks.

In a marathon training cycle, marathoners will run 40+ miles during the peak weeks. This means a lot of overuse of muscles, joints, and ligaments. A proper taper will restore the body and make way for the best race day.

Is a 10-Day Marathon Taper Sufficient?

Ten days is not ideal for a taper when you’ll be racing the 26.2 miles of a marathon.

At a minimum, you should plan for two weeks for a proper marathon taper. Consider that you’ll have run more than 40 miles in the week before you begin to taper. That’s a lot of miles for the body to endure.

To fully recover, increase your red blood cells, and have enough energy for race day, aim to taper for 2 to 4 weeks.

What Does a 2-Week Marathon Taper Look Like?

When you begin your 2-week marathon taper, you’ll need to remember that some intensity is still required. You want to take it easy on your body without losing your fitness level.

Important aspects of a marathon taper should include:

✔️ At least one day of total rest each week of tapering.

✔️ Equal intensity while decreasing workout length and frequency.

✔️ Limit your final long run to 10 miles.

✔️ Limit final week runs to no more than 5 miles a day.

✔️ Final days pre-race may be rest days or used for shake-out runs/workouts.

This 2-week marathon taper will help most athletes and allow their bodies to recover. If a person felt severely fatigued throughout their marathon training cycle, they should extend their taper to 3 to 4 weeks.

Marathon Tapering Mistakes

There are a lot of great reasons to taper. However, there’s room for mistakes and errors in a marathon tapering phase.

Avoid these common mistakes for best tapering results.

🚫 Adding a new type of workout during the taper phase.

🚫 Decreasing intensity in running workouts during the taper.

🚫 Becoming sedentary once tapering begins.

🚫 Overeating. Your body should be well nourished during your tapering. Mileage is being significantly cut back, so caloric expenditure also decreases.

🚫 Altering your schedule. Continue to get adequate rest in between your tapering workouts.

The Drawbacks of Not Running During Taper

What about not running at all during the taper phase of training? Is that acceptable?

No! Whatever you decide on for tapering, don’t stop running during this stage of the training cycle. Don’t cut your mileage back beyond a 90% decrease. For best results, you should decrease your mileage by anywhere from 60-90%, 

This means if you ran 40 miles during your max training week, you should run a minimum of 4 miles in your final taper week.

If you aim to decrease mileage by only 60%, your taper week should include 16 miles of running.

The problem with not running during the taper phase is the risk of losing fitness. This can start to occur at the 10-day mark, but most studies agree that muscle strength begins to decrease significantly at two weeks.

Not Running the Week Before a Marathon

So if you can theoretically keep your fitness level for about ten days without being active, is not running the week before your marathon acceptable? After all, a week is only seven days.

This strategy is not recommended. Remember the golden rule of tapering in running: don’t decrease mileage beyond 90%.

This means, at a minimum, you should be running about 4-5 miles total in the last week leading up to your marathon race day.

It’s important to taper correctly. Keep your legs fresh with some movement but also listen to your body.

What is Running Taper Madness?

If you’ve never experienced a running taper phase of training, be warned: taper madness is real.

Although not all runners experience it, many runners find themselves experiencing taper madness or the taper crazies. 

This is when a runner begins to experience some emotional and mood changes that may not have been felt throughout the training cycle. The drastic decrease in mileage can cause some people to become antsy and agitated.

It’s important to try to handle your taper madness as best you can. Some symptoms of taper madness may include:

👉🏼 Anxiety.

👉🏼 Feelings of depression.

👉🏼 Fatigue.

👉🏼 Irritability.

👉🏼 Feelings of doubt.

Remember that you’re likely not alone if you’re experiencing any of these symptoms during your tapering stage. Reducing physical activity in your daily life also decreases your body’s production of endorphins. Feeling less cheerful than you were during training is a shared experience.

Use this time to do simple things you enjoy that won’t threaten your running. Watch your favorite movies or TV shows. Spend time relaxing with friends and family. Read a great book or listen to music.

Focusing on positive things during your taper madness can be incredibly helpful to pull you out of the rut.

Do I Need to Taper When Running Multiple Races in a Training Cycle?

Occasionally, a runner will run a race as part of training.

For example, a runner training for a marathon might sign up to compete in a half marathon about halfway through the training cycle. This allows the runner to try to get a race day plan together and assess where improvements can be made.

Tapering before a test race is not generally necessary. This is because the race is not near the distance of your goal race, and effort does not need to be maxed. Running the test race may significantly decrease mileage for the long run during that week of training.

Final Thoughts: Tapering in Running for Race Day Success

If you’ve committed to training for a race like a marathon, you should also commit to the tapering at the end of your training cycle. It’s the scientifically proven way to prepare your body for peak performance on race day. Get through the taper madness, and you’ll be happy you took the time to rest and recover.