It’s been a laid back weekend. This is a “training taper week” for me. Much more strength training happened and lot less running. I know it might sound strange, but for me to stay healthy and away from injury while building mileage, I taper down about every 4 weeks.
Here’s an example: week one- 20 miles, week two- 24 miles, week three- 27 miles, week four -22 miles. Then week 5- 24 miles, week six- 28, week seven- 30, week eight 25 (taper week). These numbers are just examples, but basically you build mileage slowly for 3 weeks, take an “easy” week then start building again. I’ve been doing this for almost a year now and it works for me and keeps me from burning out and literally running myself into the ground.
I take taper week to do a lot more strength training, stretching, foam rolling, compressing, maybe a visit to the chiropractor– so i’m ready to run the next stretch of training weeks fresh. I think of it as giving my body a tune up.
Taking a break from TRX’ing & of course wearing my Pro Compression socks
Weekly Workouts!
Monday: 5m easy 8:11/pace, 15 min TRX Core workout
Tuesday: 5m easy 8:12/pace
Wednesday: 4m easy 8:08/pace, 12 min leg/shoulder killer workout, 20 min abs
Thursday: 15 min abs
Friday: 50 min TRX full upper body
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Rest
Weekly Mileage: 14
**My goal mileage for the next 3 weeks are 21, 25, 27, then i’ll have a taper week around 20 miles. I’m hoping to having my weekly mileage base between 30-35 by January, we shall see!
How do you make sure you stay injury free while running year round or training for a specific race??
shesgoingthedistance.com 
11/17/2013 at 4:51 PM
That is a very interesting approach – never heard of that before! But I think the important thing is “it works for me!” Anything that keeps you feeling good and injury free? All for it!
When I think of tapering, I looked at your ‘Part I’ post from September that highlights feelings, and I’d add “I feel fat, Fat, FAT!” Even thought you KNOW everything, it is still a terrible feeling with less movement and sustained nutrition. Ugh.
Cool approach, did you find it somewhere or through a coach?
11/18/2013 at 1:00 PM
haha YES i’ll have to add fat to list of tapering madness.. all carbs and no running!
I honestly have had a lot of trouble in the past trying to build my mileage up without feeling burnt out or exhausted or just hurting all the time. I came up with this idea about a year ago and haven’t looked back. it feels good to run an easy week as opposed to always doing the same mileage or always adding extra miles in.
Pingback: Oh the weather outside is weather… |
Pingback: Trail Running & The Reverse Taper |