Posted: May 4, 2006

Multisport by Lance Watson: The Taper

By Lance Watson - www.LifeSport.ca.

You've put in the hard work and there's a race coming up. What will you do to prepare your mind and muscles to step up on the day and give you the performance you are looking for? One of the tricks of tapering is to allow yourself to freshen up without losing feel or focus in getting ready for your big event.

For an Olympic distance triathlon with a moderate level of importance it is typical to work hard up until one week before the race, followed by an easy day on Monday, some moderate work Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday, and then have a very light Friday and Saturday prior to racing on Sunday. Workload in the week of the race includes specific range of motion and threshold-maintenance type sets that open up the arteries and remind you of what the effort and pace feels like. If you haven't raced since last season it is likely that your body has forgotten the feeling of racing and pushing its max. Short, high intensity sets will reduce the "shock" factor that your body might feel once the race gets under way but keep in mind you should not finish any set feeling completely empty or fatigued. You may start to feel like you have increased energy due to a lower volume of work however be aware and keep in mind that this is the time to rest and not push your limits. Push you limits during the race and save up for it.

To taper for an Olympic distance race with a high level of importance you should start to unload two weeks out. Week No. 1 has high-intensity sets intermixed with more rest to maximize threshold boost and work on anaerobic capacity. There is no endurance work. That means no long easy runs, rides or swims. Week No. 2 starts with two days almost completely off (perhaps a light swim), followed by three very light days including small amounts of work at race pace (realistic race pace, not "dream race pace"), another easy day on Friday, and some race-specific tune-up work on Saturday before the big race on Sunday.

One of the tricks to a successful taper is to keep your mental mindset positive. It is easy to become hypersensitive to how your body is feeling, always looking for positive feedback on your fitness. Often through the taper you may feel sluggish as your muscles are storing up glycogen, which absorb water, leaving them feeling a little heavy. Also, you don't have the regular feedback of your interval sets or time trials, etc., to draw confidence from. It is a good idea for you to do a short workout set that you feel familiar with and experience achieving your regular interval times with a little bit more ease. Acknowledge that your taper is going well but don't push it too far. Feel good in knowing that the work you have put in is "in the bank" and enjoy the lower volume of your taper workouts.

Occasionally an athlete will get injured during a taper. This is a result of micro-injuries that have been masked by regular doses of endorphins through training, coupled with less use of the body and putting it through less dynamic range of motion (things tighten up). So it is important to keep moving, stretching, get a massage, do yoga, and maintain a toned-down semblance of your regular routine. If your training is very similar from week to week then you may find yourself getting antsy. Try going for a short walk with a friend but avoid the temptation to head out for a run. Remember that you are doing less and getting close to your race, it is likely that you will be extremely focused on how your body feels because you are so focused on wanting it to feel good on race day. Be sensitive to how your body is responding but not hypersensitive. You may feel fantastic on race day (that is the plan!) however if you don't then rest assured in knowing that many races have been won when people haven't felt 100% on the start line.

Be smart about your training volume, be positive about your race outcome, eat well and allow yourself to freshen up. Have a great race!

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Thanks to Suzanne Weckend for her contribution to this piece.

Over the past 20 years, Lance Watson has coached a number of Ironman and Olympic Games Champions.
Beginner and experienced triathletes can contact him at LifeSport Coaching (coach@LifeSport.ca) or visit LifeSport.ca.

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Posted with permission from LifeSport.ca.

© Copyright 2006 Lance Watson Professional Coaching Inc.