My big race of the year (or more accurately, the past two years) is coming up in just under two weeks. I just finished my last two big runs ahead of it, and now, it’s time to start the taper. While I’ll still be running plenty in the next week, then eventually dropping way down in the few days before the race, even in this week it still feels like I have So Much Free Time. (Relatively speaking.)
That’s a blessing and a curse. The extra time means extra time to ruminate, stress, and frankly, do some dumb things. So, in an attempt to keep myself honest, I’m listing out the things we should all STOP doing in our tapers.
Stop: Cutting calories (on purpose or accidentally)
Especially if the race you’re tapering for is an ultra-endurance race like Unbound or Leadville, the biggest mistake that’s easy to make is dropping your calorie count waaaaay down as your volume drops. With ultrarunning, my friends and I all joke that the optimal way to head into a race is feeling a little bit ‘fluffy.’ You absolutely, positively, definitely should not be using the taper time to drop a couple of pounds. Keep an eye on your intake—I’ve found the ideal is to keep eating the way I do during any normal training week. It can feel like a bit much if you’re cutting down on volume, but I’d rather head into a race feeling fully fueled.
Stop: Planning too much beyond the race
This one is my personal kryptonite. I find that as race day approaches, I tend to start looking beyond the race almost as a way to pre-rationalize if the race doesn’t go well. At least if it doesn’t, I have something else I’m looking forward to, whether it’s a home project or another athletic endeavor. That said, I don’t think harping on your race and spending hours and hours stressing about it is good either. I think there’s a healthy balance of keeping a bit of future focus in a way that feels good for you (personally, I have a new ‘home projects’ list I’ve started this week)… while still staying in the present moment and not getting so far ahead that race day almost seems like it’s in the way of your future!
Stop: Using this as a chance to ‘get ahead’ on whatever work project
Am I doing some extra writing and whatnot this week and next? Sure. But I’m trying really hard to not over-plan and overdo, because I know from experience that mental drain is just as serious as physical drain. You want slack in ALL of your systems before you head into the race, so the week ahead of the race isn’t the time to get way ahead on that report for work and put in extra hours. Instead, if you can, use the extra hours to (gasp!) relax, read a book, watch a new show, spend chill time with family, hang out in the park with the dog, or even simply make sure that you’re totally ready for race day, especially if it’s a demanding logistical one.
Stop: Trying to cram in any extra training
As the saying goes, the hay is already in the barn. In the week leading up to your race, no amount of extra training or ‘bonus intervals’ is going to make you do better on the day. It’s like trying to crash diet the day before a major event. It’s just going to make for a bad time.
