In this episode of the Endurance Athlete Journey Podcast we talk all about the art of the taper. We dive into what is the purpose of the taper and why it is important to taper before a big race. We also discuss how to approach the taper including some considerations when planning a taper. We talk about mistakes people make when tapering and how to avoid these mistake. We also dive deep into the mental and nutritional side of tapering.

Here is an outline of our discussion on the taper:

• Katie's current experience with tapering for her marathon
• Different aspects of the taper and how to plan a taper including how to manipulate volume, frequency, and intensity to plan your taper
• What to consider with training volume and intensity during the taper
• When to do a longer taper vs a shorter taper and how your consistency with training might determine how long you taper
• The mental side of the taper including positive visualization, keeping your mind from wandering and reducing anxiety, and avoiding social media as much as possible during the taper
• Why the week of the taper is not a good time to start new projects and get active in other ways
• Planning your final race day strategy including finalizing your pacing plan and fueling strategy
• Using this time to practice aspects of the race such as changing a tire on your bike or packing and planning for the race
• The nutritional considerations during the taper to avoid weight gain while also eating enough to repair your body for the race

There is a lot more to this episode so hopefully this information is helpful as you plan your taper strategy. Justin wrote a blog on this topic if you want to check that out: https://tabularasaracing.com/coachs-corner-library/f/the-art-of-the-taper

Coach Katie and Coach Justin are fresh off their respective race courses so during this episode, we provide some race recaps.

• Coach Katie: NoCo Half Marathon
• Coach Justin: Smith Mountain Lake Sprint Triathlon

We talk about:

• How we both approached our tapers
• Pre-race fueling strategy
• Our race execution
• Our thoughts on how we used these races in preparation for future races

We discuss the following

• Why meal planning and prep is so important
• How it can help save time and money
• What happens when we don’t plan ahead
• It does not have to be perfect. There is all this stuff on instagram of people prepping perfect meals and putting the meal portioned out perfectly in a tupperware for the week. This is not necessary! Don’t overthink it!
• Steps for meal prep including planning, prepping grocery list and shopping
• Tips for meal planning from apps you can use to how to make it easier and less time intensive
• Bulk cooking and how meal planning my look for different types of schedules and preferences. Some people are okay with leftovers or eating the same meal over again and some people prefer more variety.
• Convenience options such as Greek yogurt, Rotisserie chicken, canned beans, pre-cooked rice, pre-cooked hard boiled eggs, cooked shrimp or salmon, pre-cut fruit or veggies, or cottage cheese.
• Combining bulk items with convenience options with some quick meal ideas to make meals for the week.
• Other considerations with meal planning including how to allow for some flexibility