Marathon Taper: High Intensity or Low?

St Croix Valley Runners 5 mi in 37:58, pace 7:36. Not bad. This definitely felt like a race, though. My legs really didn’t want to do it, but since I have some influence over my legs they did it anyway. If I hadn’t been running with buddies maybe I wouldn’t have pushed as hard; friends help. Lovely morning, if a bit dark. No pains.

Some other runners today: Jim, Tom, Brooks, Roy, Dave, Doug, George, Cal, Gauss, & A & S. The "Twelve Lords A-leaping," says A. That would make her and S "lords," but it's the thought that counts.

Everyone agrees that a taper is appropriate before a marathon. Typically, authors suggest the last long run be three weeks before, followed immediately by the taper. But there is less agreement on what the taper should be. Most agree on reducing mileage each week, so that the mileage in the last week before the marathon is less than half of the mileage of the highest weeks. Some, though, also suggest cutting back on intensity.

While that may be good advice for the elite runner, I don’t believe in it for myself. My best marathons have usually been one week after a shorter race, usually a 5k or 8k. The Easy Does It 8k race, now discontinued, was an excellent tuneup for a PR a week later at Grandma’s. Last September I ran a 5k on Saturday and then another Sunday, both at a good pace. One week later, I PR’d at TCM. So I believe in cutting mileage but NOT intensity until perhaps the last few days. Today’s tempo 8k was my tuneup for next weekend’s marathon. Just three more runs now before the marathon, 8 mi, 4 mi, and 3 mi, all at whatever pace feels good.

Myeloma: Waking HR, normally 48, was 40 this morning. Just two days’ more thalidomide, then a couple of weeks off.


It’s almost unbelievable to find Lake Woebegone open in the first week of January. Unheard of. Will the world return to normal next week? The weatherman is suggesting that it might.