What is Tapering?

Tapering means deliberately reducing your training load in the final weeks before a race. The goal is simple: arrive on the start line feeling fully recovered, fresh, and ready to perform at your best! You've put in the hard work, now it's time to prioritise some extra recovery.

For most runners, tapering begins in the final 1–3 weeks before race day, with the exact duration depending on the distance you're racing.

Why Should I Taper?

It might feel counterintuitive to ease off right before your big race, but here's the truth: training hard in that final week will bring minimal fitness gains while still carrying a real risk of leaving you feeling flat and fatigued on the start line.

The hard work is already done. Tapering gives your body the time it needs to:

Replenish carbohydrate stores depleted by weeks of long runs
Repair muscle damage accumulated during your training block
Absorb the fitness gains from months of hard work
Arrive on race day feeling genuinely fresh, not just partially rested

When Should I Start Tapering?

Tapering typically begins the day after your final longest training run, which in your plan is the Race Practice Long Run. Depending on your race distance, this usually falls around three weeks before race day.

How Much To Reduce Your Training Whilst Tapering

During the first week of your taper, your total mileage will generally reduce by around 30%, followed by a further reduction of up to 50% in the final week leading into your race. This can look like:

Reduced length of easy runs
Reduced length of long runs
Fewer reps in interval sessions
One less session per week

What Should I Do When Tapering?

You'll be spending less time running, which frees up more of your day than you might expect. Here's how to make the most of it:

Focus on Recovery

Sleep more – this is when your body does its best repair work.
Prioritise mobility – gentle stretching and Yoga can help keep you feeling loose.
Stack 1%s – whether it's taking some extra time to foam roll or use a massage gun, small recovery habits can help make you feel refreshed.

The Best Recovery Tools
Eat well – cook high-quality meals and start thinking about your pre-race nutrition.

How to Maximise Recovery

Effective tapering goes hand-in-hand with proper fueling. Our nutrition hub has all the advice you need on eating well and fueling your tank before you race.

Race-Week Nutrition Tips

Keep Some Speed for Sharpness

If you stop running entirely your legs can end up feeling a bit flat and stiff on the start line. Keeping a small amount of speed work in your schedule helps your legs stay sharp and dialled into your target pace, just with much lower volume than a normal training week.

Your plan will include taper interval sessions in your final weeks to make sure your legs stay sharp.

Enjoy the Extra Time

Use the freed-up hours to catch up with friends or family you may have neglected during heavy training. Going into race day feeling mentally relaxed is just as important as feeling physically fresh.

Trust the Process

After months of building mileage, maintaining routines, and pushing hard, suddenly doing less can feel like you're going backwards.

You're definitely not. Trust the process. When everything clicks into place mid-race and your legs feel better than expected, you'll understand exactly why tapering works.

Should I Keep Strength Sessions During Taper Weeks?

Here's a general guide:

2–3 weeks out: You can continue strength sessions but begin to reduce volume and intensity – fewer sets, lighter weights.
Final week: Keep sessions short and light and only include at the start of the week. Focus on activation work rather than heavy loading. Avoid any strength work for the final days before your race that could leave your legs feeling heavy or fatigued.

The goal is to arrive feeling sharp, not heavy. So overall, this isn't the time to push a new PB in the gym.

Should I Keep Mobility Sessions During Taper Weeks?

Mobility work like yoga, Pilates and stretching actually encourages active recovery and can help to flush out lingering fatigue. If it's already been something you have incorporated into your training, you will be fine to continue these sessions during your taper. However, remember:

Avoid deep, aggressive stretching in the final 48 hours
Avoid hot yoga or intense sessions in race week
Avoid any reformer sessions that leave your legs fatigued
Avoid trying Pilates or yoga for the first time during your taper. These activities can engage muscles you may not be used to using, which could leave you with DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness).

Keep it gentle and restorative, the goal is to feel loose and calm, not to challenge yourself. Save the hard sessions for after the race.