Completing a Marathon: IV (a): The TAPER

CM SEAL Team blogger: Tim Grizzell

Hello Charlie Mike teammates – I was initially going to cover just the day of the race in the final post of my marathon series. After reviewing a previous answer to CM teammate, Joe G., regarding tapering, it was suggested that I should cover this topic and break up the blog up into two parts: tapering and the day of the race. It was a great idea!

Tapering is very important if you want to post a good marathon time. It gives your body the opportunity to recover from all of the hard training you put in leading up to the race. You can replenish energy, rejuvenate muscles and possibly kick any nagging injuries you might have up to this point.

The tapering rule of thumb is the longer the race – the longer the taper and the more important it becomes. This is especially true for distances marathon and above (3 weeks). For shorter distances, the taper generally starts about 1-2 weeks out.

The two categories of concern when discussing tapering are volume of training and intensity of training. I will talk about volume of training first. When starting a 3-week taper, you can either do a measured stepped reduction in volume over the entire period or a major reduction in volume at first (50% in the first week) followed by smaller reductions over the remaining taper period. In my opinion, the latter is most effective.

When it comes to intensity of training in the taper period, you still need to run at race pace (just not as far) at least one day a week leading up to the event. Although you will be reducing your volume, you should not being running all your runs during the taper at a slow pace leading up to the marathon. Your muscles will not be ready race day if you cut back too much on both volume and intensity.

I would also suggest that you do not change your daily routine/habits (e.g., sleep and diet) too much leading up to the event. Keep doing what you have been doing. It will be a shock to your body otherwise. The one area that you really should watch is your calorie intake. Since you will not be training as hard, you might put on an extra pound or two if you are not careful. The bottom line is that you should eat healthy foods and hydrate regularly.

Fired up and ready for your questions!

Tim

FYI Teammates --
Here's a link to Runner's World -- I do not follow every single blog, but I do check out a lot of them on a regular basis.

CHARLIE MIKE SITREP: May 2009

Teammates – Check out our SITREP (Situation Report) for May - highlighting the depth and breadth of the CM SEAL Team bloggers. Click on their names to read more.


CM SEAL Team blogger: Mike Ryan
Title: Secret Weapon #1
"Cowards never got started and the weak died along the way. Truer words were never spoken. The first time I read this quote I was standing at parade-rest waiting to begin my first day of SEAL training. The words were carved into a wooden bench that stood just inside the doors of the Naval Special Warfare Center. At my feet, just in front of the bench, stood a perfect line of about 30 helmets - the last remnants of students who had reached their mental and physical limits and quit training. Predictably, my initial reaction was a mix of skepticism and sarcasm. “Yea” I thought, “that’s a little bit over-the-top.” About twenty minutes later I realized my worst nightmare had just begun.



CM SEAL Team blogger: Tom Rancich
Title: A Debt of Memory to Brothers and Sisters, Gratefully Paid
Memorial Day has always had an identity crisis. Even in the very beginning, it was only for Union soldiers, not merging all "Decoration Day" activities until after World War One. In 1971, Memorial Day became the last Monday in May instead of May 30. This move, designed to create a three-day weekend, irritated many by adding to the day an air of celebration instead of reflection: picnics, parades, ballgames, sales -- the start of the summer party. That doesn't bother me: somewhere in the 1.5 million soldiers remembered every Memorial Day there is certainly someone who would have really enjoyed another picnic, parade, ball game or day shopping. Some of those sacrificed would have liked one more party or one more prayer. It's all good.

CM SEAL Team blogger: Marcus Colburn
Title: MMA Fighters: Modern Day Gladiators
They entered the ring to the sound of rap, rock, old-school hip-hop, reggae, and even country-and-western, but the one thing every fighter at Saturday’s UFC (mixed martial arts fighting) event had in common was a powerful athletic physique built from metabolic resistance training. These modern-day warriors know better than to do bodybuilding, because those workouts just take too long and leave you puffed up, slow, and inflexible. That’s not how modern man should be – or look.



CM SEAL Team blogger: Stew Smith
Title: Stew Smith's Bodyweight Exercise Plan: Part I
Calisthenics, or bodyweight exercises, originated thousands of years ago in ancient Greece and have been a major component of fitness in athletics, military, law enforcement, and daily fitness for home workouts without equipment. Here is a request from a Perfect Pushup user in our YouTube group seeking to do more exercises without having to go to a gym.

"I need help in making a full body bodyweight routine. Any advice/sample that you can offer? I am seventeen and have been using the Perfect Pushup on and off for a year now."
CM SEAL Team blogger: Tim Grizzell
Title: Completing a Marathon: IV (a): The TAPER
Hello Charlie Mike teammates – I was initially going to cover just the day of the race in the final post of my marathon series. After reviewing a previous answer to CM teammate, Joe G., regarding tapering, it was suggested that I should cover this topic and break up the blog up into two parts: tapering and the day of the race. It was a great idea!

Tapering is very important if you want to post a good marathon time. It gives your body the opportunity to recover from all of the hard training you put in leading up to the race. You can replenish energy, rejuvenate muscles and possibly kick any nagging injuries you might have up to this point.

Teammates -- Mike, Tom, Marcus, Stew, Tim, Sav -- all of them get the meaning of CHARLIE MIKE -- that it's "An Attitude of Action" and they're preaching what they practice. Drop on Down and Get Fired UP for pushing out and pulling up after you read what my Teammates have to say.

CHARLIE MIKE – ALDEN