Tapering

Do you taper before a race?  No, I don't mean apply that tape to various body parts just before a race.  Tapering is a deliberate training method whereby you scale back your training intensity (not frequency) to about 75% roughly two weeks prior to your event.  While this runs somewhat counter to my creedo from Bruce Lee to train like you fight (race), there comes a point in this master's life where I need to cut back. 

I do train like I race.  At the end of the session, I feel like I have been through a race.  I need to recover.  So on race day, I don't want to feel worn out from my training.  I want to feel ready.  I keep doing all the same training things on the same schedule.  The only difference is the intensity.  What does that mean?

My race pace on the street is about 8:30.  On the trail it's about 9:30.  During taper I run about 10:00.  For reps, I cut back intensity by reducing the number of reps and increasing the rest period in between sets.  I don't cut back on the weight because quite frankly I can't.  All the exercises I do are bodyweight.  We'll talk more about that another time.

My actual body weight will increase somewhat during this period.  That will happen for two reasons.  First, the metabolic burn decreases somewhat because my intensity has dropped.  Second, my carb and hydration intake will increase.  This taper period is the fueling period prior to a race.  The only thing that suffers here is a minor increase in body weight and a bit of rounding out.  The muscle cuts are not quite as defined.  But that's okay because by the end of the race all that fuel and extra hydration will be burned off and you will look as mean as ever.

There is a balancing point here however.  Don't overdo the fueling and hydrating with the wrong stuff.  We're talking complex carbohydrates and water here, not simple carbs and beer.  Save the latter for right after the race.  Pre-race, you want the slow burn, energy storage carbs.  While you do want to have minimum body weight on race day (less weight equals less effort on the obstacles), you don't want to compromise this important need for the fuel and hydration you will need to make it. 

I do not carry extra water and food on short races.  That's excess baggage that will slow me down or get in the way.  If I taper properly, I won't need any of it for races less than five miles.  If it's a hot day, I will take what's on the course. 

That's my plan.  Many elites do likewise.  But these are not rules.  You have to work with these variables and adjust them to your own needs.  Listen to your body, experiment with the fuel.  Race happy!