With spring marathons approaching, runners entering their taper period need a structured plan to arrive at the start line fresh and ready. This four-week taper strategy gradually reduces volume while maintaining intensity.
Week one cuts mileage by 20 percent while keeping one quality session. Week two drops another 20 percent with shorter intervals. Week three reduces to 50 percent of peak volume with a final tune-up race or tempo run. Race week features only easy short runs.
Common taper mistakes include adding extra cross-training to compensate for reduced running, trying new nutrition strategies, and panicking about phantom injuries that often arise as the body repairs itself during recovery.
