Tapering for Ironman or Ironman 70.3?

The countdown to IMSA 70.3 in Buffalo City (East London) has started and for many this is the toughest part of the preparation. The reason is quite simply, that you may be a novice, or you may be unsure what to do, or the little bird on your shoulder keeps posing thoughts, suggestions or questions.

Remember that it takes 10-14 days for training adaptations, so there is absolutely no point in striving for extra fitness at this time, as you will NOT get any fitter. With two weeks to go, here are a few thoughts, ideas and suggestions of my own (personal not scientific) gained over many years of tapering and competing.

1. Some athletes look forward to a taper as it brings with it a nice break from the tough training (I certainly do). However, some athletes and even coaches view the taper period with uncertainty and anxiety. You will not lose fitness by tapering, as the amount of training required to maintain fitness is considerably less than the amount of training required to acquire that fitness.
2. If you are feeling a little stressed, believe me it is normal for the anxiety levels to rise in the final two weeks. We are all in the same boat and hopefully the content that follows will help you to put your mind at ease and relax somewhat.
3. I can promise you that it is far better to go into a race 100% healthy and 90% fit (as opposed to 100% fit and 90% healthy), so beware of trying to chase a little extra fitness in the final two weeks. Rather relax and allow the body some invaluable Rest and Recovery!
   

   Rest and Recovery are vital!

4. DO NOT try and catch up on any missed long rides, or more particularly long runs as you will do yourself more harm than good. Too many Ironman athletes destroy any chance of a good performance by leaving much needed energy  (and reserves) on the training ground in the final two weeks.
   

   Cut back on long rides/runs

5. Mind: Remember that the mind is a very powerful tool and when you start a Taper, you may feel sluggish, weak, tired but I tell myself (and believe) that it is the mind (sub conscious) wanting to ensure that we don’t overdo things. The amazing thing is, I have often felt super ‘pap’ in the final days/weeks, but when that gun goes off and the adrenalin kicks in, the body (and mind) feels amazing and can produce super human performances. Don’t allow the mind to tell you that you are unfit, fat or lazy during your taper, as that is not the case and remember that allowing the body to Recover and absorb what you’ve put in, is an important training discipline.
6. During a taper period you can help maximise performance by controlling certain things, including the frequency, duration and intensity of your training sessions. The body is used to training regularly so it’s important not to go cold turkey and cull the training.
7. Duration: Ideally you want to trim the time (volume) spent training during the course of the final 10-14 days and I would even advocate one full rest day per week in the final two weeks. The key here is the long sessions, cut them back, especially running as there can be a great deal of accumulative fatigue that you want to eradicate. Reducing the duration of your sessions will help build/replenish muscle strength and avoid mental fatigue. Try and use the saved ‘hours’ to get some extra sleep/rest.
   

   Cut back on Volume

8. Intensity: From an intensity point of view I’m looking towards cutting back and being efficient in the final weeks. Bearing in mind that I would be aiming for 4:20-30/km for a 21km in a 70.3, there is no need for me to be hammering 8 x 1000m reps at 3:40’s 10 days out. I will do a set of 5 x 1000’s at 4 min/km and it will feel very comfortable, with little or no risk of overdoing it. This helps me to maintain some of the training adaptations that could be lost with a total reduction in volume and intensity. Remember to consider the Risk vs Reward equation at all times.
   

   Don’t leave it all on the track

9. Frequency: One thing I would do is avoid any days with 3 sessions during my taper but having said that generally I prefer to keep the frequency level  at a similar level, even though some of the sessions hardly seem worthwhile, but it does keep the mind settled. Too much cutting back on frequency of sessions can lead to an overactive mind and you may lose your ‘feel’.
10. You will not get fatter during your taper (unless you eat way too much), but you may get heavier so avoid the scale at this time. The reason you get heavier is that your Glycogen stores are being replenished and you are probably retaining more water. Just because you can relax on your training, it doesn’t mean that you can relax on your nutrition, so beware of inputting too many junk Carbs, especially if you are travelling. You need high octane fuel when you race, so pay special attention to good quality meals.

Wishing you all the very best for your race and remember to enjoy the day, as very often it is the Journey that is more important than the outcome of any race. As former Springbok centre Helgard Muller once said to me after the New York Marathon “Hey soutie, hoekom het jy so hard gehol want my medalje is dieselfde kleur as joune?” (translation: “Hey Englishman, why did you  run so hard, as my medal is the same colour as yours?”)

YES, you Can, you Will, you Want to!!