Race Shape › Answers › What is a taper, and how long should it be?
AnswersWhat is a taper, and how long should it be?
A taper is the final one to three weeks before a race, when training volume drops sharply while intensity stays. It lets accumulated fatigue clear so you arrive fresh without losing fitness. A meta-analysis by Bosquet and colleagues found the best results from about two weeks, cutting volume by roughly 40–60% while keeping intensity and frequency. Race Shape tapers one week for a 10 km or shorter, two for a half marathon, and three for a marathon or longer.
Taper length by race distance
| Race | Taper in a Race Shape plan |
|---|---|
| 5 km and 10 km | 1 week |
| Half marathon | 2 weeks |
| Marathon, ultra, 70.3 and Ironman | 3 weeks |
What changes, and what does not
| Element | In a taper |
|---|---|
| Volume | Falls steeply — the main lever |
| Intensity | Kept. Short, sharp efforts at race pace or faster |
| Frequency | Mostly kept, so your legs do not go stale |
| Long run or ride | Shortened, and gone in race week |
The commonest mistake is cutting intensity along with volume, which leaves athletes feeling flat. The second is panic training — a big session in the last ten days to prove fitness is still there. Fitness does not disappear in two weeks; fatigue does, and that is the point.
Common questions
Will I lose fitness in a taper?
Not meaningfully in two or three weeks. What you lose is fatigue, which is why performance typically improves.
Why do I feel sluggish during a taper?
It is common and usually temporary. Keeping some intensity helps. Feeling heavy early in the taper says little about race day.
Do B and C races get a taper?
A B race gets a few easy days; a C race gets none. Only the A race gets the full taper.
Sources
- Bosquet, L., Montpetit, J., Arvisais, D. & Mujika, I. (2007). Effects of tapering on performance: a meta-analysis. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.