By Marnie Kunz, NASM-certified trainer, USATF- RRCA-certified running coach

Whether you’re training for a 5K or marathon, learning how to taper running is key to a successful race day. You’ll be well-prepared and able to hit peak performance on race day if you taper well. Tapering means reducing your training in the time period immediately before your race. Runners can benefit from tapering even in short-distance races such as the mile and 5K. Before we get into how to taper running though, first let’s examine what tapering is and how it can help you crush your next race.

What Is a Taper?

Taper means to reduce gradually. Tapering for runners is reducing your mileage and training load in the days leading up to a race. The amount of time you taper running can vary from a few days for a mile or 5K race to 3 or even 4 weeks for a marathon or ultra-marathon.

Tapering prepares you to hit your peak speed and endurance on race day by allowing your body to rest and recover in the days leading up to the race. Taking time to taper in your training plan prepares your muscles to hit peak levels of performance on race day while reducing your fatigue.

Benefits of Tapering

Incorporating tapering into your running program gives your body time to rest and rebuild from your weeks of hard training. This reduced mileage training helps prepare you for race day, giving you time to refuel and rest. At the same time, tapering allows you to train enough to stay sharp for race day and maintain the fitness level you’ve worked so hard for in training.

Tapering involves a planned, scheduled reduction in your running miles in the days leading up to your race. Research shows that a well-defined and scheduled taper can improve race-day performance.

Some of the benefits of tapering include:

Being rested and energized for race day. Reducing your training intensity in the period leading up to your race gives your body time to bounce back from all the hard training workouts you put in.
Improved running performance in races. Hello, faster race times!
Less fatigue in races. Your body will be more rested going into races.
Better race recovery. A long enough tapering phase gives your body time to recover from training so your body and immune system are stronger on race day.

How to Taper Running

Schedule tapering into your running plan by reducing your run distance and intensity more and more as you get closer to your race. You can keep the frequency of your training the same for the first week of your taper and even into the second week.

A general guideline to keep in mind is to start tapering about 7–14 days between your final hard workout and race day. Your body takes about that time to fully recover and benefit from an intense workout.

Reduce your mileage. After your final hard workout, start cutting miles from your training plan. Generally, you can keep the same amount of days you run but reduce your miles and intensity by cutting out speed workouts, long runs, and tempo runs. Do not run any hard workouts for 2 weeks before your half marathon or 3 weeks before your marathon.

You can also add extra rest days as needed. Some short, medium-intensity runs such as doing strides after an easy run will help keep your legs fresh and primed for race day.

Tapering Guidelines

Here are some general tapering guidelines to help you figure out when to taper before your big race:

1-Mile Race: 3 to 5 days. The shorter your race distance, the less time you need to taper. Cut down your mileage and intensity for 3 to 5 days before running a mile race.
5K Race: 7 days. If you’re running a 5K, take a week to taper. During this time, reduce your miles to no more than 75 percent of your regular amount.
10K Race: 7 to 10 days. Reduce your mileage a week to 10 days before your 10K race. Cut your mileage to between 60 and 75 percent of your regular amount for your 10K taper. Ease up on the speed workouts, doing shorter speed work or strides in the week before your 10K.
Half Marathon Race: 2 weeks. Begin your half marathon taper two weeks before your race. This means you should do your longest long run three weeks before your race. After that, cut down your mileage by 30 percent two weeks before your race and by 50 percent a week before your race.
Marathon Race: 3 weeks. Begin your taper three weeks before the marathon, reducing your weekly mileage volume by 20 to 30 percent each week from your highest mileage training week, for three weeks.

Tapering and Your Running Program

It’s important to personalize your tapering plan to suit your individual body and training. For athletes that take longer to recover from hard training days, a longer taper, even for shorter races, will be most beneficial. Conversely, if you’re in the lucky class of runners who are rarely injured and bounce back fast from hard workout days, you won’t need to taper as long.

Mental Training

Many runners hate tapering, especially longer tapers before marathons, because less running can mean less dopamine and stress relief, right at the time you are preparing for the big race day.

As someone who has struggled with anxiety, I definitely understand the mental stress that can come during taper time, leading up to a race. When I competed in track and cross country in college, I learned to visualize a great race day in the time leading up to my competitions, and it worked wonders to help me relax and perform better. Over the years I’ve also incorporated other strategies like self-care and meditation to help improve my mental state before races.

To keep your mind at ease and happy, here are some suggestions to ease your mind as you practice your taper running:

Sleep well. Get enough sleep to maximize recovery time.
Eat nutritiously. This helps your body refuel and stock up on needed nutrients for race day.
Relax. Take some self-care time to do things you enjoy - read, take baths, meditate, do light yoga. Training can be so busy - especially the long hours required for marathon training - and now you finally have some time to catch up on your hobbies and relaxation time. Enjoy it.
Meditate. Practice some breathing exercises and meditation. This is a great time to do some visualization to prepare for race day. Here are some tips to visualize running success and prep for your race.

Do you have a tapering routine for your running? What helps you stay on track and relax during taper time? Follow and tag @Runstreet on Instagram to share your workouts and get cheered on. Need a training plan designed by a run coach and trainer? Head to the Runstreet Training Center to smash your next race goal!

Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified personal trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach based in Brooklyn, NY. Marnie likes helping people get and stay active to enjoy a better quality of life. When she’s not doing fitness things, Marnie enjoys exploring with her dog, a mischievous rescue Akita.

How to Taper Running - Tips from a Run Coach