Next weekend is my virtual Mid Sussex Triple, I have a 10mile on each of Saturday and Sunday then a 10k on Monday which comes to a marathon altogether.
I’ve never tapered before a HM. I did taper before my two runs which were longer: 27km and 33km.
Is tapering before next weekend necessary, optional, a good idea, pointless...? I would normally run 15km on a Sunday, 8k on a Tuesday and 5k on a Thursday. Advice gratefully received!
PS. Also, should I carb load?
Ooh that sounds like an exciting challenge. What a lot of running over 3 days. Carb loading is such a personal thing, how are you normally with long runs.? Can you take something with you to give a boost if needed? If you keep to your normal running plan that’ll be 56k over 8 days with the bulk of it at the last 3 days - have you done this distance comfortably in a 8 days before? Go with your gut instinct on what you know of your ability but don’t be held back by fear. Happy running 🤗
I can easily get a couple of jelly babies down during a run, every half hour or so. So maybe I’ll just eat normal, albeit carb-centred, food on Friday. I think when you put it like that, 56k, it sounds daunting and it’s a bit further than my longest ever eight day streak so maybe I should tone it down. Thanks!
Do you normally run on consecutive days? If so then just carry on as normal but keep runs fairly short and easy pace.
If you don't, then considering a bit of a break before that effort might be good.
As your mileage is spread over 3 days I wouldn't suggest massive carb loading, just eat well in the days before, with good nutritional value and make sure after each run you've eaten well and rehydrate. I would also recommend a sports recovery drink after each (within 30 mins) or at least a good protein based snack. Ideally 20g protein to help overnight recovery.
A good sleep each night is ideal 👍🏻
Love almond butter on my porridge or with a crisp, red apple.
I taper for a marathon I look forward to it very much. It marks the start of the countdown to race day and the preparation to eat well, hydrate , sleep well hopefully, and getting gear organised Enjoy the fewer relaxed miles for two or three weeks 🙂👍
Everyone is telling me to sleep well, it’s funny but I have never thought about that as part of prep for a long race, clearly I should!
I was due to run this event last year, then deferred it to this year. Due to restrictions it’s virtual again, so I deferred again and will hopefully run it properly in 2022!I have done the EG part, (2019) but as I hadn’t been running long, I didn’t do HH or BH.
Really looking forward to running them all next year!
Are you local to one of the locations?
I’d say drink plenty of water, sleep well, and maybe go for a little walk each afternoon, just to keep your legs from seizing up.
Enjoy!
I’m Crowborough so EG is pretty local. BH and HH are half an hour away. I’m definitely looking forward to doing it for real in 2022. (See you there!)
Next week I’m going to do a leg in Crowborough, a leg on the Forest Way between Groombridge and East Grinsted and a leg on the Ashdown Forest. Not the actual routes, but Sussex nonetheless.
Making it up as I go along now - how to taper for my HM?
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