Tapering

Just two more weeks till the Auckland Marathon, and I have just finished my last long run, a slow, but still gruelling, 32 km run. I say last because now is the time for decreased training, called tapering, before the big event.

There are no workouts I can do in the last two weeks that will improve race performance. But there are lots of workouts that will hurt my race. In other words, there's very little benefit to the training done in the final days and a very steep downside.

My tapering period will involve decreasing the mileage from previous weeks. Two weeks before a marathon, the mileage will be reduced by 50 percent and then by 50 percent again in the week before the race. For example my total mileage this week was around 80 km. Next week, the total mileage will be 40 km, and the final week's mileage will be 20 km.

So now that I've managed to complete all the long runs up till now, I'm in the frame of mind that I am now sufficiently prepared to run the Auckland Marathon. I've had over four months to prepare, I have done countless long runs over that time, and generally I feel like I've trained forever for this event.

This tapering period will allow me to focus on studying for my exam as well. It's a pity that I have to sit the exam two days before the marathon, so hopefully I can handle training and exam study, like a fleet footed tight-rope walker during her delicate balancing act.