How to Taper Before a Triathlon

If you have followed the common wisdom of triathlon training, you have been preparing for months. You have endured the long runs and the longer road rides. You've steeped in more chlorine than is good for any body, and ate through more intervals than you really wanted. The race is in three weeks. Now what? Here's how to get the recovery you need before the big day. The following steps will help make sure that you are in top physical condition.

Instructions

    • 1

      Realize that most of your training is over at this point The goal now is to capitalize on the gains that you have already made. Err on the side of recovery instead of stressing or straining on your body.

    • 2

      Draft a training plan for the last three weeks that includes a decreasing number of endurance workouts in each of the three sports. If, for example, you know that it takes a full week to recover from a long run, schedule one of those for about three weeks before the big day--and not after. As a general rule, cut your endurance workout in at least one of your sports for the first of the three taper weeks, and in at least two of the sports for the last two weeks.

    • 3

      Without going overboard, keep up your interval training. That is one department where it's not too late to make some last-minute training progress. Interval training reminds your systems how to switch from aerobic to anaerobic activity. You'll need that for attacks during the ride and hills during the run.

    • 4

      Gradually reduce the number of your workouts in the weeks leading to the race. Limit workouts in the few pre-race days to those that are absolutely necessary to keep your muscles warm or familiarize you with the race course. Stretch, eat nutritious food, drink water and be merry.

    • 5

      In the hours that are left in the void of those longer workouts, try a new kind of exercise--a mental one. Writing your thoughts if you need to, inventory the mental twists that buoy your performance and the ones that bring you down. Begin to discipline your mind to entertain only positive thoughts about your fitness and preparation--and learn to switch gears the moment you encounter insecurity or fear.