Tapering with the Devil
Hello, and welcome back to the end of the internet. This post is about my end of year taper going into a 100mile race, while in the process of moving.
First, I want to say that tapering is different for everyone. What works for me, may not work for you. A few stats about me. I'm 34 years old, 6'2, and range between 150-160lbs. I have a resting heart rate of 40. I'll be doing a write up on my slightly more advanced 100 mile run plan, but my very first post,was on my first run plan if any of your are interested here. In training, I aim to run 100miles a week or more. My body is used to performing in pain, and tapering feels unnatural.
Now, lets get to it.
Two weeks out. This is the last meaningful training week before a race. For this one, two weeks out, I ran a 10 mile, then a 28 mile (Berg Lake, its the previous post), then an 8 mile (viking ridge). The week was about 105miles (ending the Sunday 13 days out). This week just ended, was not ideal, and had a lot of 8-10mile runs, with a 92mile week (shin splints required lighter training). My big run was not too big (13miles). It is currently Sunday night as I type this, and I am heading in to my 5 days of taper.
Tapering. All runners hate it. Your body is used to going fast and frequent (or in my case slow and continuous!). During this week, I feel like I swell out like the Michelin Man, and basically spend an entire week panicking about my fitness level, and feeling terribly out of shape. So with this was my head space, I should also add this; I'm running my 100 mile Saturday, driving 9 hours home, then we are packing up, and moving 14 hours south Monday. My life is Busy!!
Now that I've wasted half your toilet time, here is my 5 day taper.
Monday- Run 7 miles in the AM, stretch, water (Run is at about 75% of max)
Breakfast: 3 hard boiled eggs
Lunch: 2 buns and hard cheese
Dinner: 2 Potatoes, 2 chicken breasts
*Lots of coffee and water (I love coffee)
Tuesday- Run 7 miles in the AM, slower pace (10km/hr or 22/3 of max)
Breakfast: 3 hard boiled eggs
Lunch: 1 Avocado
Dinner: 2 potatoes, 2 Chicken Breasts
*Keep that coffee coming!
Wednesday: Run 6 miles (60% of max speed) always in the morning for me (I start at 4:30am)
Breakfast: Oatmeal and cinnamon
Lunch: 2 buns and cheese or avocado on buns
Dinner: 2 potatoes, 2 chicken breasts (I would eat other food, but I'm trying to eat through my 4kg box of chicken in the freezer before I move!)
*mmmmm coffee
Thursday: Run 5 miles (60% of max speed).
Breakfast: Back to the eggs
Lunch: Avocado
Dinner: As I'll be driving to pick up my pacer, it'll be road food. Probably a salad or a wrap.
*Tim Hortons will get hlaf my paycheck this day (It's a coffee chain that makes sub standard addictive coffee up here in Canada).
Friday: No running!! Pick up my pacer from the airport, pick up my race package, go for a walk. Try to keep moving.
Breakfast: coffee and a pastry (cheat treat)
Lunch: Something small, maybe a sandwich,
Dinner: Pre-race Dinner!!! I'll consume about 2000 Calories.
I'll spend most of the day chilling and getting amped up.
That's it! Adjust your taper mileage based on your training and race distance. I run 7 miles almost every morning, with most days being double ups, so it feels natural to run a similar distance at a slower pace. As I feel like the walls are closing in during taper week, it is imperative that I stick to this plan like it is the holy Bible. So far it hasn't let me down.
Hopefully this post kept you busy for the entirety of your time alone in the bathroom.
Crush your goals,
The Canadian Ghost Runner
Look me up on twitter: @canghostrunner, instagram: Canadian Ghost Runner, Strava: Canadian Ghost Runner, or find me on Facebook: Joshua Slykhuis
First, I want to say that tapering is different for everyone. What works for me, may not work for you. A few stats about me. I'm 34 years old, 6'2, and range between 150-160lbs. I have a resting heart rate of 40. I'll be doing a write up on my slightly more advanced 100 mile run plan, but my very first post,was on my first run plan if any of your are interested here. In training, I aim to run 100miles a week or more. My body is used to performing in pain, and tapering feels unnatural.
Now, lets get to it.
Two weeks out. This is the last meaningful training week before a race. For this one, two weeks out, I ran a 10 mile, then a 28 mile (Berg Lake, its the previous post), then an 8 mile (viking ridge). The week was about 105miles (ending the Sunday 13 days out). This week just ended, was not ideal, and had a lot of 8-10mile runs, with a 92mile week (shin splints required lighter training). My big run was not too big (13miles). It is currently Sunday night as I type this, and I am heading in to my 5 days of taper.
Tapering. All runners hate it. Your body is used to going fast and frequent (or in my case slow and continuous!). During this week, I feel like I swell out like the Michelin Man, and basically spend an entire week panicking about my fitness level, and feeling terribly out of shape. So with this was my head space, I should also add this; I'm running my 100 mile Saturday, driving 9 hours home, then we are packing up, and moving 14 hours south Monday. My life is Busy!!
Now that I've wasted half your toilet time, here is my 5 day taper.
Monday- Run 7 miles in the AM, stretch, water (Run is at about 75% of max)
Breakfast: 3 hard boiled eggs
Lunch: 2 buns and hard cheese
Dinner: 2 Potatoes, 2 chicken breasts
*Lots of coffee and water (I love coffee)
Tuesday- Run 7 miles in the AM, slower pace (10km/hr or 22/3 of max)
Breakfast: 3 hard boiled eggs
Lunch: 1 Avocado
Dinner: 2 potatoes, 2 Chicken Breasts
*Keep that coffee coming!
Wednesday: Run 6 miles (60% of max speed) always in the morning for me (I start at 4:30am)
Breakfast: Oatmeal and cinnamon
Lunch: 2 buns and cheese or avocado on buns
Dinner: 2 potatoes, 2 chicken breasts (I would eat other food, but I'm trying to eat through my 4kg box of chicken in the freezer before I move!)
*mmmmm coffee
Thursday: Run 5 miles (60% of max speed).
Breakfast: Back to the eggs
Lunch: Avocado
Dinner: As I'll be driving to pick up my pacer, it'll be road food. Probably a salad or a wrap.
*Tim Hortons will get hlaf my paycheck this day (It's a coffee chain that makes sub standard addictive coffee up here in Canada).
Friday: No running!! Pick up my pacer from the airport, pick up my race package, go for a walk. Try to keep moving.
Breakfast: coffee and a pastry (cheat treat)
Lunch: Something small, maybe a sandwich,
Dinner: Pre-race Dinner!!! I'll consume about 2000 Calories.
I'll spend most of the day chilling and getting amped up.
That's it! Adjust your taper mileage based on your training and race distance. I run 7 miles almost every morning, with most days being double ups, so it feels natural to run a similar distance at a slower pace. As I feel like the walls are closing in during taper week, it is imperative that I stick to this plan like it is the holy Bible. So far it hasn't let me down.
Hopefully this post kept you busy for the entirety of your time alone in the bathroom.
Crush your goals,
The Canadian Ghost Runner
Look me up on twitter: @canghostrunner, instagram: Canadian Ghost Runner, Strava: Canadian Ghost Runner, or find me on Facebook: Joshua Slykhuis
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