How to taper for a race at every distance

# What a taper is and why it matters

# How long should your taper be

• Marathon: three weeks. Reduce mileage each week after your final long run so your body recovers and absorbs training.
• Half marathon: two weeks. Your peak workload is lower than a marathon's, so you need less recovery time.

# Practical week-by-week guidance

• Start the taper after your last long run. Cut mileage each week for three weeks leading to the race. The article's guidance focuses on steadily reduced volume rather than sudden stops.
• Keep runs regular so legs stay used to running. Short, goal-pace specific reps can be included but keep sessions brief.
• Avoid taking up a new sport or energetic activity during the taper.

• Week 1 of taper: reduce total mileage by 30–50% depending on how fatigued you feel. For example, a 25-mile peak week would fall to roughly 12–17 miles.
• Maintain your usual number of runs. If you normally do speed or interval sessions, keep them but shorten their length and overall volume.
• Week 2 (race week): cut mileage further and remove speed sessions and strength training. Two 30-minute easy runs are sufficient to keep legs moving.

• During race week reduce both volume and intensity. Limit speedwork so any intervals are no faster than your goal race pace.
• A useful early-week session might be very short efforts, such as 6 x 1 minute at goal pace with 1–2 minutes easy recovery, bookended by warm-up and cool-down.
• Omit strength training in the final week and avoid any energetic new activities in the day or two before race day.

# Practical tips to make the taper work

• Trust the process: reduced mileage feels uncomfortable but preserves the fitness you built.

• Use distractions if you find tapering mentally difficult—low-key activities like watching a running film or reading can help.
• Don't compensate by adding other intense activities. The taper is recovery time.

# Author and reference