Final Few Weeks - Why Tapering Matters

Why Tapering Matters:

How to Trust the Process and Show Up Ready on Race Day

With so many of my runners spring races coming up soon, I thought it would be a good time to talk - taper weeks.

You've trained for months—maybe even years. You've logged the miles, hit your workouts, practiced fueling, and pushed through both physical and mental barriers. Now, you're approaching the final stretch before race day... and it’s time to do less?

Yep. Welcome to the taper.

Tapering might just be one of the most mentally challenging parts of race prep—not because it’s hard on the body, but because it feels like you should be doing more.

But here’s the thing: tapering is not slacking. It’s a critical phase of your training plan that allows your body to recover, rebuild, and prepare to perform at its best.

Let’s talk about why tapering works—and why it’s worth trusting.

The Mental Game: When Less Feels Wrong

Tapering is usually a 1-3 week period where we gradually reduce training volume (especially long runs and intensity) while maintaining enough movement to stay sharp.

For many runners, this shift can trigger anxiety.

Suddenly, you feel sluggish, achy, or even question if you’ve trained enough.

This is totally normal. Your body is absorbing the training load and replenishing its energy systems.

It’s like recharging your battery before a big race—you need full power, not just 70%.

What Tapering Actually Does

Tapering allows your body to:

Repair muscle damage from training
Reduce inflammation
Rebuild glycogen stores
Restore hormonal balance
Sharpen neuromuscular coordination
Improve immune function (because yes, high training loads can suppress it!)

The result?

Improved performance, fresher legs, and better mental focus on race day. Studies show that tapering can lead to a 2-6% improvement in race performance—just from recovering well.

How to Taper Like a Pro

While every runner’s taper will look a little different, here are a few key guidelines:

✅ Cut back on volume, not intensity - Keep a few short, controlled workouts with race pace efforts to stay sharp—but ditch the big mileage.

✅ Stick to your routine - Now’s not the time to start trying new strength workouts or diets. Familiar routines help your body and brain stay in balance.

✅ Prioritize sleep and nutrition - You’re not burning as many calories, but your body is still working hard behind the scenes. Support it with solid sleep and fueling.

✅ Avoid the “just one more run” trap - No gains are made in the final week of training. You don’t need to prove anything to yourself right now.

✅ Trust the plan - You’re not losing fitness. You’re letting it show up.

Final Thoughts: Tapering Is Training, Too

The taper isn’t about doing nothing—it’s about creating space for your hard work to pay off. You’ve put in the miles. You’ve stayed consistent. Now, the best thing you can do is back off just enough to let your body fully prepare for race day.

So when those taper tantrums show up (and they will!), take a breath, shake out your legs, and remind yourself: This is part of the process. And come race day, you’ll be so glad you trusted it.

You've got this.

—Dayna 💪👟

Happy running!

I also encourage my athletes to get in a lot of mobility before their big race. During your taper is a great time to join our 15-day Mobility Challenge an easy design to help you get to the start line mobile, fresh, & ready to go!