The Taper

"The taper (or tapper as ive been miss spelling it): three beers three days out, two beers two days out and one beer the day prior to your race."


Ha, just kidding!! But I did attend a wedding that derailed me a little. Now im back on track. I moved the workouts down to Denver for the time being due to wildfire smoke that has consumed Boulder.

My taper will consist of short workouts with quick accelerations that are designed to keep your arms and legs feeling fresh but worked. I will both isolate and incorporate each major and minor muscle group as well as regain some of my flexibility. Oh and REST! That is my major goal for the taper, mend any little pulls and tweaks, rest my mind and soul for the horror that awaits me on 9/19 in Syracuse.

The hard part is over, and now its time to relax and enjoy. There is not much I can do to better my times and endurance at this point but there are many mistakes I can make to lower it. Some of those mistakes I have already made like going out on a 4 mile run at 6:20 pace when it should have been half the distance and more like 3-4 days from judgement day instead of 2. Either way I feel that my body is able to recover a lot faster then that (it was back in June).


Future workouts on the menu:

5 mile run
10 mile ride with a jump off mile
Interval training in the pool 5x100m, Aqua Running (low impact)
6 mile run with only 3 miles at race pace
Hurdle mobility and shot throw test day
Short lift
Swim to bike and Bike to Run Transition practice
Mt. Sanitas Hike

Spin Class

I have 10 days to do 9 short workouts, which is a huge change from my normal 23 in 10 days. Now is the most important time to work on my mental training, to visualize myself attaining my goals, making sure I know the course and my equipment and setting up a great fan base to share the day with. Its the school of Ambassador U and class is in session.


Researched:

*endurance begins to be lost 7-10 days into Taper


Six to eight weeks out: Decrease the quantity of speed and strength work
Six weeks out: Increase race speed-specific workouts
Four to six weeks out: Shift your focus to endurance
Ten to 14 days out: Last endurance race-specific effort (3-hour bike/ 40-minute run)
Seven to 10 days out: Last long endurance sessions—ride and run. This is about volume, not intensity, so keep it all easy.

week before: 20 min runs, 40 min bikes, no blocks unless its just a transition day (tech day).

http://triathlon.competitor.com/2010/06/training/perfecting-the-ironman-taper_10355