Updated by Rosie Edwards
One of the most important, but often overlooked, components of training for a goal race is the taper. The hard work has been accomplished and all that remains is to rest and sharpen up. Confidently easing off the gas pedal and arriving prepared, yet rested at the starting line is a crucial component to racing success. Here are a few things to consider when race day is in sight, but still a couple weeks away.
You don’t have to push hard all the way up to race day in order to preserve your hard-earned fitness.
Just as it is important to heed the scheduled call for recovery days in your regular training, the last 2-3 weeks of a half or full marathon training cycle is a singular opportunity to allow your body to be as rested as possible before going to the well on the big day. While there have likely been times where you have had to push yourself to finish the last few miles of a long run or get out of bed when a hard session is on the schedule, enjoy the reduction of miles over these last couple weeks, reminding yourself that you have the physical ability to go farther and the mental confidence from those workouts that will carry you through on race day.
The last few weeks are a great opportunity to focus on healthy living as you prep for your race.
If it is difficult to keep your sleep habits as you would wish for months at a time, this is an opportunity to get maximum impact from a few weeks of slightly increased sleep. Likewise, you can make a difference with a few weeks of healthier eating habits.
Many of us have too many obligations and commitments to live a daily life with the healthy habits we’d hope for, but many of us (and our families) can get on board for a few weeks as enthusiasm builds for race day. Maximize the rest you are getting from shorter workouts with an extra half hour of sleep per night and increased hydration and healthy food choices. This will allow you to arrive at race weekend without feeling the needing to cram hydration and nutrition concerns into a two day period when that may not provide the advantage you seek.
Keep your body in the training rhythm to which you are accustomed.
Tapering doesn’t mean change everything. What it does allow you to do is keep your body and mind focused while requiring less strain and allowing for more recovery. Your training schedule will follow a similar pattern with slightly easier tasks. Continue to take your workouts as seriously and resist the urge to over schedule your life now that you may have a bit more time to play with than in the last few weeks. For example, continue to allow time for the stretching you were so diligent about when the workouts were really tough, instead of dashing off in the car now that the workout wasn’t as taxing.
As your body will require less fueling to accomplish these workouts, the temptation may be to continue eating as though your long runs are still at maximum length. Consider your current fuel needs and adjust accordingly to allow yourself to maintain the spring in your step you are trying to gain by backing off the volume.
Use the taper to make final race day plans
The taper is a great time to break in the fresh pair of shoes you plan to use on race day. This will allow you to make sure you are past any risk of blisters or other problems, but won’t put that much wear on the shoes before you need them to really go to work. Similarly, consider your race day attire, pre-race food consumption, and mid race fueling. While your workouts are a bit easier, you can let yourself make final experimentations with these things to ensure you aren’t showing up to race day doing something for the very first time.
Don’t worry if you feel “flat” during your taper
Feeling a bit sluggish even while you are doing easier workouts can be a function of many things, but is quite common with recreational or pro runners alike. If you continue the good habits you have tried to implement throughout the training cycle, be mindful of your relative consumption as your volume decreases, and follow your schedule, you take confidence that you have done what you can. Yes, your body is used to a different level of activity and that may leave you feeling a bit off. This is why it is important to maintain a similar training rhythm so you can keep your body doing familiar tasks. Once the gun goes off, your months of training won’t betray you, and next time, you’ll recognize that flat feeling if it occurs and be even more confident.
Updated by Rosie Edwards
While we have many athletes who have been training with runcoach for years, we also love the constant influx of beginning runners or runners now tackling their first challenging goal race.
On the blog, we talk about all sorts of topics, but we also have an extensive archive of short pieces detailing some of the most fundamental aspects of running. So, whether you could use a quick refresher, or have been anxious to ask these questions but too shy to reach out, here is a sample of some tips we believe can help you reach your full potential!
What to do with your arms while running
What is a taper and how do I do it well
The mechanics of the running stride
Beyond these few topics, there are dozens of articles on our blog covering everything under the sun. We have Q&As about almost every imaginable ache and pain with experienced practitioners, interviews with professional and world class athletes, and even a few profile of fellow runcoach athletes like yourself. Check it out!
What would happen if you ran the same pace over the same distance every day you went out to run? Many people do it, and you may have even been that person yourself at one time.
You may have also wondered why your Runcoach plan has workouts at various paces and distances on your way to your goal race. We wanted to take a few moments to explain a few objectives to changing pace within workouts and/or running intervals.
What To Do When Your Goal Race Gets Delayed?
Don’t Give Up.
As the global pandemic nears year one, the mass participation road racing scene is still far from normal. The optimist in you hoped 2021 would finally be the year in which live road race returned to its full glory. Still, races are getting postponed (with valid reason) to the second half of the year. How long should you hold out hope? What to do with extra time?
First and foremost, absolutely hold on to that optimism! Your favorite road race, standing among strangers, butterflies in your stomach, and the minty muscle cream scent in the air will return. But I empathize with you, as my own race opportunities dwindle away each month. You’re allowed to feel disappointed. Allow yourself the time to go through the stages of coping using the techniques below.
1) Work On Weaknesses
Life is all about perspective. In any circumstance, the way you frame it allows you to move forward. I encourage you to see the delay as extra time to prepare (different from extra time to wait to start).
We all have areas of opportunities to develop and refine. Whether it’s physical (shin splints, weak glutes, runner’s knee, tendonitis), a target weight-loss goal, or mental (anxiety, mental strength to dig deep when it feels hard) the additional months can be invaluable to prepare your body and mind to have an exceptional race when it’s “go time”.
2) Scale Back
A common topic I discuss with my athletes is over-training. It’s the quickest way to kill your joy for running. If your goal race is a half marathon or longer, and the race is postponed, there is no additional benefit to keep loading up on miles. Instead, shift your focus to maintain fitness and find smaller goals to excite you.
3) Setup Time Trials
If this is a new word for you, think of a “Time Trial” as a practice race. Having a goal that you can chase on your own terms can be a big win (especially given the uncertainty in today’s world). Time trials can help to gauge your fitness, practice pace, try out race tactics, go through race day logistics like type of breakfast, and hone in on the mental side of racing.
Runcoach athlete Jeff is in a similar situation to many BQ athletes. He was hopeful Boston 2021 would go on in April. Most of his preparation in 2020 was done with hope of running a memorable 26.2 miles from Hopkinton to Boston. With the recent news of Boston getting pushed back to the Fall, he’s once again reassessing his training.
Jeff wrote, “I want to chase a half marathon PR, even at altitude I think my old PR is vulnerable”. That’s all a coach needs to hear, a spark of motivation. We decided on a half marathon time trial about a month out from the initial discussion, with training specifically focused on crushing his current personal best.
4) Explore Off-Road
Without a tight timeline to get ready for “race day” you have a free pass to run on trails, grass, packed snow (stay upright though!). Simply do something different to shake up your usual routes.
Doing so will not only help you see some different scenery, but it will challenge your body to activate muscle groups you don’t normally use while running on a flat road.
In short, when things change... don’t quit. Instead adapt and move forward with your running shoes ON!
Part 3: Running Through the Pandemic – Alternatives to Running
For the third installation of Running Through the Pandemic, I want to share what I’ve done through the pandemic as alternatives to running.
As we move into our 4th quarter of battling Covid-19, many of us find ourselves in need of alternatives to running.
In my last two posts, I shared How I Dealt with Bar Air Quality during the fires in the Northwestern part of the U.S. and my Recovery from Injury #2 after my knee surgery in July.
For this next edition, I want to discuss some other hobbies I’ve picked up through these uncertain times. I realize that many of us our back in social restrictions as the virus conditions to disrupt our normal lives and adversely affect so many people. Additionally, many will now enter the most restrictive winter season without access to gyms and normal workout locations. So here’s what I’ve done (potentially not all positive) in lieu of physical activity.
In April, I started fishing more at Coyote Pt. a City Park in San Mateo. The serenity of the water and the surroundings have always been good for my soul. Still it is the randomness of the potential and unexpected timing of the reward that drives me the most. This past spring the San Francisco Bay had one of the best California Halibut runs ever. My fishing partner/daughter, Riley and I were able to catch this 24” beauty which rendered some wonderful ceviche’ (email me for the recipe’;-).
I also went back to my youth and taught my older daughter, Olivia how to play my favorite childhood game = Battleship. As is often the case my 3-0 perfect record soon evaporated an the pupil has now overtaken the teacher. She leads the series 8-4.
I also started an online game of Hearts with my mother in western Pennsylvania and my in-laws here in the area. That has given us time to connect and of course compete during the restrictions. An online Zoom Christmas Scavenger Hunt with my niece, Elise in Philadelphia was a success (at least in my mind) and Zoom connections have been meaningful throughout.
Additionally, I started to play in an online poker game with friends and friends of friends from the East Coast. This was quite the lesson as I’ve always considered myself a good poker player until I met these guys. Now I feel like I’ve taken a Master Class in Texas Hold ‘Em and gained what I believe are meaningful insights into playing the hand you’ve been dealt and using the information at your disposal to make good decisions. Not sure I can entirely recommend this but I wanted to share nonetheless.
While I’ve tried meditation throughout the pandemic, the most impactful solace this year was my work with a life coach. She provides insightful perspective and is an invaluable sounding board as I continue to navigate these choppy waters.
Lastly, I’ve enjoyed nights with my wife. We set use Netflix & Amazon as our before bed hobby and have enjoyed The Boys (not my wife’s favorite), The Social Dillemma (a must see for all of us that look at our phones too often), and especially Schitt’s Creek based on a family that found themselves in crisis long before the pandemic.
That’s pretty rosy picture I’ve painted, but the truth of this journey is somewhere in between. I’ve been moody, anxious and nearly unbearable when not exercising. I’m sure if you asked my family and those closest to me they would tell a different story of how I’ve been throughout the year, but I keep trying and encourage you all to do the same. I have also stopped taking calls on my way home from work – it is a terrible habit and I’m happy to be rid of it.
If you’ve gotten this far – thank for reading. I’d love to hear about your alternatives to running and physical activity through the pandemic.
Coach Tom’s Top-3 List for Alternatives to Running Through the Pandemic
With the holidays around the corner, spending an extra few dollars on your next goal race or the gear to get you there can challenge the budget. With so much giving to do, here are a few ways to stay on track by taking advantage of some great bargains.
Register early and save big!
In many cities, and for lots of walkers and runners, a big local race is often a yearly goal, regardless of what else is on the calendar. Oftentimes, these races offer deep discounts for next year’s event when you are at the expo for this year’s race, or via email at what may seem like a far too early time to make the commitment. Registering early can save a large percentage of the last minute or race weekend fee, and can help you commit well in advance and stay on track. Consider it, especially if you have maintained a pattern of registration for some of the same events year in and year out.
Want a fitness test without paying big bucks? Try cross country or an all-comers track meet.
Many recreational runners and walkers don’t consider themselves cross country or track and field athletes, but these races are often low cost ways to mix things up and compete between big goal efforts. Many all-comers track meets only charge $5-10 to compete, and provide the most fail-safe, flattest course on which you can measure your 5K or even 10K fitness – a track. Although the change of scenery found on the roads may be more your style, an indoor meet during a snowy winter or a lit track on a dark night may prove a better alternative for a hard effort every once in a while. Since cross country races for adults tend to cater towards club athletes and not the general public, they tend to have modest fundraising expectations and lower entry fees. Cross country may also provide a solid shorter alternative to longer trail runs, with much of the same types of course challenges and fun.
Run a Relay!
You may want to take part in a local event, but may not be quite prepped to run the entire distance or able to justify the entire entry fee unless you are well prepared. Some longer races offer relay options, which are a way you can both share the experience with friends as well as take part at a lower price point. Again, the earlier you register, the better the price!
Crack the code!
Before you sign up for your next race, consider if there may be any discounts to that race for groups to which you already belong. Check your email for discount codes you may have been sent through a running or walking club, a local retailer, a gym or fitness center, or another running connection you may have. If you know you have a group of individuals or part of a club that may want to run a race, go ahead and ask if you can get a discount for bringing a group. The worst the race management can say is no, and for a couple of seconds of checking your email, the worst you can find is nothing – this time. $5 or 10% off might not make a big dent in your budget once, but over the course of a year or two, taking advantage of any code available to you can make a difference, particularly if you end up saving others a few more dollars.
Many races exist to help others, and there is a time when a full donation is the appropriate thing to do and is done gladly. However, taking advantage of opportunities to save here and there can help allow each of us to race a bit more, which helps everyone involved.
At runcoach, we work with thousands of new runners taking aim at their very first half marathon or marathon. Our goal is to provide you a training path toward success in all of your running endeavors, but as you get started, there are things to avoid, including the following …
Don’t change everything at once – make sustainable transitions
Many runners choose to start on the road to an ambitious goal because of a milestone, a health concern, or similar “wake-up call.” These motivations are strong, but making wholesale amounts of huge changes to your life all at once can result in commitments that don’t stand the test of time. Embrace the challenges and positive energy provided by the added training – we’ll make sure to give you a progressive plan. Piece by piece, examine the additional areas you want to take on with an incremental approach.
Take running advice with a grain of salt
Yes, this sounds strange to warn against taking a lot of advice by giving advice, but the truth is, the internet and magazine stand are chock full of tips on how to build speed, burn fat, eat well, shape your abs, shape your butt, stretch your pinky toe (or don’t stretch your pinky toe at all!) and everything else. With so much advice out there, it is easy to be overwhelmed about what you should trust. Many of these advice sources are good, but again, it is not a great idea to take one of absolutely every dish from the buffet. Keep a file of interesting articles and advice, and over time begin to get a more detailed picture of the types of dietary, ancillary, and other changes might be most helpful to you, leaving aside the more tangential advice for future goal race campaigns.
Your five year-old fitness shoes may not be up for the task
Shoes degrade both by use and over time. While the many different styles of shoes can require some shopping, it is worth making sure that your feet are comfortable and prepared to handle the growing length of your runs. A pair of shoes that has served as your “running shoes” for many years of sporadic casual use is probably not going to be the best springboard for a healthy and successful goal race campaign. Invest in some well-fitting running shoes and hopefully in doing so, gird yourself against many potential injury problems.
Running can help regulate sleep, but it also requires sleep!
Many new runners or others embarking on their first sustained exercise regimen report the regulative effect running can have on sleep habits. However, the maintenance of a progressive training plan will require adequate rest. Your body will need to be stressed in order to be prepared to handle a long race. It will need to recover in order to adapt and be prepared to be stressed again. Prioritize sleep to get the most out of the work you are putting in.
Don’t pick a goal race more than a year or less than a couple months ahead
Picking a race to far into the future can decrease the level of your immediate commitment to the task, where as a goal too close can encourage going over the top and getting injured as you press on toward a goal you wish was a few weeks or months later. 3-6 months is a great sweet spot for a half marathon, with half a year to a year allowing a relaxed and thorough buildup for a goal marathon. Successful campaigns can most definitely be had with varying timelines, but choosing a horizon that matches your need for a particularly paced buildup can greatly increase your chances for finishing successfully!
It occurs to me that we spend a good deal of time with emphasis on the keys to our training approach:
However sometimes I see even the most organized, motivated runners miss out on some of the basics. Everyone knows to wear sweats and bundle up in the winter months, but what about the kind of cold Fall presents. It's tricky to dress for the 40 - 50*F (5-15*C) days.
As always I am most concerned that all you remain healthy. Remember if you're healthy, you're aerobic economy can be continuously developed through stress, recovery and compensation/conditioning.
So here are a few basics for running attire in the 40-60 degree temperature range. 
As you run you will feel warmer, that's your body's engine heating up. That's why I suggest dressing for how you will feel 20 minutes into the run then the first mile. If you are running long, bring a change or clothes of a warm sweatshirt to change into after you finish up. It's never fun to be sitting in your frozen sweat on the drive home.
Throughout your training, you likely have given a lot of thought about how you will handle the challenges of race day. Another day worth giving a fair amount of consideration is the day before the big day. Before it sneaks up on you, here are a few general tips for making sure your “Goal Race Eve” sets you up for success.
Get the your pre-race shakeout done before noon
Certainly, many athletes have been successful when their schedules require them to do whatever pre race shakeout walk or run they have planned later in the day. However, doing these few miles earlier in the day will likely put you in a spot where you are exercising at the time of day you will be on race day, and give you the maximum amount of recovery. While probably minimal in actual physical benefit, it can make a difference to an athlete looking to feel in rhythm.
Avoid walking around aimlessly at the expo
If possible, take care of your bib number pick up two days before, when the process will likely be less impacted by crowds and nerves. If you want to order an official race shirt for a family member or yourself, you can often do that online. If that isn’t an option or the expo is only open the day before, be strategic. Decide what, if anything you need (want) to purchase, and make deliberate progress to accomplish that efficiently. A big race expo could keep an athlete busy for hours, with myriad vendors hawking various energy bars, drinks, clothing, and other gadgets. There is a time for testing all these things, but hours on your feet and a bunch of weird stuff in your stomach the day before is not a winning formula. Be mercenary. Get in and get out.
Plan your morning checklist
Sometimes nerves can get the best of us in the lead up to a race. Many athletes find comfort in knowing that they just have to check off a series of steps and can focus on the doing rather than worrying if they forgot anything. Lay out your exact outfit and pin on your bib. Have your breakfast food ready and a bag packed with extra long sleeves, cold weather gear, or whatever you need for a meteorological surprise. Riding a train or parking where you need change or funds? Have that ready so you aren’t standing in line for a fare card or digging through your car for change. Let the race be about the race, and not about these mundane details.
Stay in charge
When friends and family are just as pumped up about race day as you are, they unfortunately don’t have an outlet like you will. This can lead to some over enthusiastic ideas, too much excited energy and chatter, and epic plans that may not have anything to do what is best for you. Gently make clear that your itinerary the day before is your itinerary, and while you appreciate their love and support, on this particular day, you need to prioritize the race.
Eat early, and in moderation
A lot of thought is often put into a pre-race dinner, but one important one is how your body will deal with that dinner in the hours between dinner and the race. Plan to eat a bit earlier than normal. With many races on Sunday, Saturday night can mean a bit of a wait in a restaurant, etc, pushing you to a later time of day when you actually are chowing down. Eat familiar foods that you know will sit well - no risk taking. Even if you are doing a marathon the next day, keep in mind that your body can’t suddenly process a huge amount of food in a short time. What isn’t used, is discarded, which can be a distraction on race morning.
Hydrate early and not only with water
Hydration is a key part of your race day prep, and it is important to make sure you aren’t trying to accomplish it on the morning of the race. Throughout the several days before the race, include enough water and sports drink (for electrolytes) that your urine is very light yellow. You are in good shape if that last day before the race, you are able to carry around a bottle for the occasional sip and top off.
