How to Taper Before a Triathlon

Getting prepared for any triathlon, from a sprint distance to an Ironman, takes time and discipline. Gradually building your base and then moving on to the rigorous training that increases in volume and intensity as the weeks pass makes your body more aware of the challenge that awaits. Yet with all this effort and invested time, what key factor do too many triathletes, especially new ones, take for granted and sometimes overlook in importance? The taper.

The tapering period, which is the segment of time at the end of your training just before the race, allows your body to recover and refuel for the big day. Some folks think that one more long run in the final few days or just one last two hour ride will make them that much stronger, yet nothing could be farther from the truth.

The fact is, in the final few weeks, you need to reduce the intensity and frequency if you want to perform at your peak come race day. Your body needs the chance to rebuild broken down muscle tissue, maximize carbohydrate intake and storage, and increase your blood volume. If not allowed this opportunity, your body will lack the energy and strength needed to carry you through that finish line.

So, how exactly should you go about setting up and executing a quality taper? Actually, it is surprisingly easy, if you just keep in mind a few simple ideas.

1. Consider the race you will do: If you are doing a shorter distance triathlon, something like a sprint version that has you swimming around 800 meters, biking approximately 15 miles, and running 3.1 miles, then your taper can be relatively short, say four to five days. Conversely, if you are preparing for a half-Ironman, which involves a 1.2 mile swim, a 56 mile bike, and a 13.1 mile run, the period of time needed to taper significantly increases to two to three weeks.

2. Cut the volume: Generally speaking, you should reduce the volume of your training by 30 to 40% for each week of the taper. So, if you trained a total of 20 hours in your final full week of working out, your first taper week would be around 13 hours, and the second would amount to roughly 8 hours of work.

3. Shorter, not fewer, workouts: Rather than reduce the number of sessions you have, keep that original training schedule and just cut how long you perform each task. You should still involve some high-intensity work rather than expelling in completely, even though this may seem to go against conventional thought. Keeping the edge is important, but cutting back by that 30 to 40% allows your body to recover adequately.

Avoid the pitfalls many other triathletes encounter because they can't seem to understand the need of the taper. You are not selling yourself short or minimizing your training by cutting back in the days and weeks before. Any successful athlete knows that rest is a critical component to any performance, so take the time to integrate a quality taper into your program.

Source:

Fitzgerald, Matthew. The Complete Triathlon Book.