Tapering for the marathon

This weekend is the Austin Marathon, which is the next race on the list. I'm currently in taper mode, which is a *concept* that almost everybody agrees with; but almost nobody agrees on exactly how to do it. The basic idea is to rest enough to allow your body to recover from the previous weeks/months of training; while still retaining your fitness level. For me, that means this week I'll cut way down on run mileage, and cut off the swimming and biking after Wednesday. Today I ran 6 miles of intervals, where I run for a while at a fairly easy pace, then do short 3-4 minute intervals of running a little faster than my expected marathon pace. I'll do 4 or 5 miles in a similar fashion on Thursday, then that will pretty much be it; other than perhaps a mile or two on Saturday just to feel loose and fresh on Sunday.

Tapering makes endurance athletes crazy (crazier than normal that is...). You start feeling all the aches and pains, you feel heavy and slow and lethargic, you're convinced you are getting sick, you're doing too much, you're not doing enough... not to mention all the stressing over race-day strategy, weather, clothing, nutrition. Luckily, this is not an "A" race for me this year, so I am not super-stressed. I think my wife and daughter are pretty happy about that :)


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Please see this website to read more about the HFK program and to make donations:
RMI Hope For Kidz Website Link
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Race Schedule:

January 11: RunTex 20 Miler (20 mile run) -> COMPLETED

January 25: Frost Yer Fanny Duathlon (27.2 miles run/bike/run) -> COMPLETED

February 15: Austin Marathon (26.2 mile run)

April 5: Lonestar 1/2 Ironman Triathlon (70.3 miles swim/bike/run)

April 20: Boston Marathon (26.2 mile run)

September 19: Redman ironman distanceTriathlon (140.6 miles swim/bike/run)

October 25: Longhorn 1/2 Ironman Triathlon (70.3 miles swim/bike/run)

November 29: Ironman Cozumel Triathlon (140.6 miles swim/bike/run)