2 weeks taper for IM...

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2006-06-15 12:17 PM

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Subject: 2 weeks taper for IM...
Is a 2 week taper before an Iron distance tri enough ?

My event is 3 weeks away from now and I do not feel overtrained at all. I'd still have 2 endurance w-outs in my program (150k bike, 25k run) exactly 2 weeks away from the event. I wanted to take it EZ (taper) for the 2 weeks before the Big tri, but I read that average athlete should taper from 2 to 4 weeks before IM. What do you think ?

Thanks a lot,

Christian.

P.S. I'm afraid tapering longer than 2 weeks would make me lousy or affect me mentally (loss of confidence by the fear of not being ready...)

2006-06-15 12:24 PM
in reply to: #455324

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Subject: RE: 2 weeks taper for IM...

Most people have a 3-4 week taper. You should give your body as much rest as possible leading up to such a huge event.

2006-06-15 1:28 PM
in reply to: #455324

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Subject: RE: 2 weeks taper for IM...

I did a very hard weekend 3 weeks out from my Ironman, the next few weeks saw me decreasing my volume, but keeping up the intensity.  For example, 3 weeks out I rode 5.5 hours, 2 weeks out 5 hours, 1 week out 4 hours..these are all bike rides obviously.  My last endurance run was 3 weeks out and was 15 miles long. 

I think Mark Allen wrote an article years ago about tapering, and everyone started getting a little extreme on too much of a taper.  Listen to your body, and go kick some ***!

2006-06-15 4:35 PM
in reply to: #455324

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Subject: RE: 2 weeks taper for IM...
Christ - 2006-06-15 12:17 PM

Is a 2 week taper before an Iron distance tri enough ?

My event is 3 weeks away from now and I do not feel overtrained at all. I'd still have 2 endurance w-outs in my program (150k bike, 25k run) exactly 2 weeks away from the event. I wanted to take it EZ (taper) for the 2 weeks before the Big tri, but I read that average athlete should taper from 2 to 4 weeks before IM. What do you think ?

Thanks a lot,

Christian.

P.S. I'm afraid tapering longer than 2 weeks would make me lousy or affect me mentally (loss of confidence by the fear of not being ready...)


I think 2 weeks is great...

If you've trained properly and tapered properly, chances are good you WILL feel lousy, fat, and sluggish at some point. That's why you just cut back on volume and intensity, while still doing something almost daily. But come race day, your body will thank you and perform like a formula one racer Of the people I know, the ones who taper badly are the Type A's who train Too Much and can't notch it back because of their egos! Also, nothing you do in the last two weeks will improve your fitness, but you can do many things that can seriously impact your fitness, your race, cause injury, etc.

Good Look at your IM!

Mike
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