How to taper!

Spring marathon season has arrived. With Paris last weekend, Brighton this coming weekend and London the week after, the marathon running community are (or should be) well in the grip of a well earned taper*.

Taper time may cause some runners discomfort, at best it's a leisurely and relaxed period of time before the big race day, at worst it will leave you grumpy, fat and itching to go on a long run.

After extensive research on what makes a good taper, as ever with the scientific community, the results are conflicting!

Food: There is a school of thought that says you should watch what you eat when you taper or you will get hugely fat and your marathon will take you hours. Alternatively, others say 'eat what you like' you'll run it off in a few days! What they all say is eat well and drink plenty. I have been testing out these various theories by eating a chinese takeaway last night, washed down with a glass of red wine, and this morning eating a low calorie breakfast. I have also included some chocolate in my taper diet as chocolate comes from beans and beans are after all a vegetable.

Sleep: It is important to get LOADS of sleep before the marathon. But you probably wont sleep so well due to either over eating, not eating enough or late night ruminating on last minute panic gel strategies. You may find you have lots of mad dreams before the marathon. For example: dreaming of running the London Marathon and having to stop for food and drink at every eating and drinking establishment you pass, involving vast queues and a huge delay in predicted marathon time.

Running: Again the advice is mixed, run fast, run slow, don't run far, run as much as you want but nothing over 8 miles. If you do, ensure it's an enjoyable easy/fun paced run.

Mindset: Depending on your psychological profile, you're either approaching your taper like Eeyore, worrying about it all going wrong, convincing you've not done any training, leaving your number at home on race day, eating the wrong thing or over thinking the whole event. On the other hand you could be like Tiger, bouncing around, desperate to run, jump and climb but trying to restrain yourself for fear of devastating injury!

Although I appreciate that Pooh doesn't model a fine figure of fitness for marathoners, he does have a quiet determination, courageous spirit and sincere appreciation for carb loading with honey sandwiches!


My best wishes for all who are in taper at the moment, don't be an Eeyore, try to be a Pooh!







*Taper: a gradual period of rest before competition.