Questions on Tapering:

Can the fitness experts provide any guidance on tapering? I am a 40-something individual competitor.

1. What should be the target taper? (timeframe, goal, and is that measured against my peak training or the race length?). Note: my default is to start tapering to 50% of peak for all disciplines, starting about 2 weeks out. Trading pace for overall distance.

I don’t think you need to taper for a full two weeks. I’d say maybe do 75% volume two weeks before and the week before cut the volume back to 50% with some intensity thrown in (short fast intervals) in a run, xc ski, bike, & paddle.

2. Should all disciplines have the same taper? (I have heard suggestions that cycling, paddling start at 2 weeks out, and that running can start even sooner, e.g. 3 weeks)

I would assume you’re already doing intensity in each of these areas. You don’t want to taper 3 weeks for a 5 mile run. 1-2 weeks is more than enough.

3. Should my taper target a percentage of my peak training, or the race length? E.g. if my maximum endurance run is 10 miles, should I target tapering to 5 miles OR to about 2.5 miles (50% of the race length). Where does weight training factor in?

Two weeks before you could do one run that was race distance or even longer (5-7.5 miles) but the week before I would suggest cutting the runs back to 2.5 – 3 miles. Weight training can be continued 2-3 x week but I’d take the 3 days off before the race so I wouldn’t lift on Wed, Thurs, or Friday.

Hope that helps. J Juile