Tapering for a Half Marathon

scott_burrows

Hi all,



I'm doing a half marathon next Sunday (8th, Wokingham), could anyone suggest how I should structure training this week with the half in mind.. how much/little should I do??



Cheers



Scott

juleso

Good luck, Scott - let us know how it goes!

TommiTri

well this is what i normally do for 5k-1/2 marathon races



monday - easy running



tuesday - high intensity session such as intervals or track work



wednesday - cruise intervals/ tempo session - this is when you work at a sustained effort just below your anaerobic threshold. cruise intervals are the same speed, but you break it up into 3/4 runs with 2min break between each one.





Thursday - easy running



Friday - day off completely



Sat - in the morning I go out for about 3/4 miles, at an easy pace, with about 10 or so strides in this ( running at just under max speed for about 50-100m) This will get your body warmed up and fired up. Rest for the remainder of the day.



Sun - get up about 4 hours before race, go for a 2mile easy jog, eat porridge, then prepare for race.



So basically you get the two harder sessions done earlier in the week, so your muscles are not too damaged on race day. The run the day before is to remind your body to run fast, it can be detrimental to rest too much because you may feel lethargic. The run on the mornin of the race is just to get the body going and to get it ready to start burning fuel for the race.

HarryD

Without knowing your schedule a simple rule would be to halve your normal workload in terms of volume but maintain the intensity.



As Tommytri says don't let your body switch off.



Also agree about the warm up - you do need one that works for you. Mine begins 30 mins before the race start. Start with easy running, after 4 mins increase the pace to just under race pace for 1 min, then run for 3 then run at race pace or slightly faster for 2 mins, then ease back into a run steady for another 5 mins. This will warm your body up & get the metabolism firing. Spend the next 15 min keeping warm and mobile and do some gentle stretching.

Blinkybaz

Hay Scott



Good luck man!



I havent done a half yet am looking to do the Bristol in september.



I have done a few cross country runs and found the first thing you need todo is start getting lots of water into your system at least 4 days before. This because you will need to be full of liquid on the day and if you havent upped your water intake before you will wash all the salt and electrolites out of your system and hit the wall early. So if you arent already get at least 4 litres in a day this week.



I tend to easy off 3 days before and stock the body on complex carbs (pasta)



Prior to the 3 day easy off as Tommi Tri said get some interval work in.



I would also look to run in the outfit you are going to run in to make sure you can get all you want like sweets and maybe ipod in. Sounds strange I know but if its could you wont want sore nipps.



I jope this helps and have a good one!!

md6

Good luck Scott. For my half I did similar to Tommi_tri, but without the level of intensity. It was my first half and i didn't want to get too tired/ the sunday before I did 7/8miles at race pace, monday very gentle 2 miles to recover. Wednesday rest, Thursday, 3/4 miles relatively easy (1min/mile slower than race pace) Friday gentle swim to recover. Saturday, nothing. The on Sunday the race.