Half Marathon Tapering: How to Arrive Fresh, Sharp and Ready to Race

You have done the long runs. You have completed the tempo sessions, built your endurance and accumulated weeks or months of consistent training.

Now, with your half marathon getting close, it can be tempting to think there is still time to squeeze in one more big session.

There isn’t.

One of the most important parts of preparing for a half marathon happens after most of the hard work has already been completed. It is called tapering, and getting it right can make a significant difference to how you feel and perform on race day.

A good taper isn’t about stopping training and putting your feet up for two weeks. Nor is it about suddenly turning every run into an easy jog.

Instead, the goal is to reduce accumulated fatigue while maintaining your fitness, movement quality and familiarity with the intensity you will use on race day.

In other words, we want to arrive at the start line fresh, but still sharp and ready to perform.

For most of the half marathon runners I coach, the taper begins approximately two weeks before race day. Training volume drops significantly during that first week and then drops substantially again during race week.

However, there isn’t a single percentage reduction or tapering formula that I apply to everybody.

The taper needs to suit the athlete.

What Is Tapering?

Tapering is a planned reduction in your training load leading into an important event.

The key word there is planned.

You aren’t reducing your training because you’ve become lazy, lost motivation or decided that your fitness is good enough. You’re deliberately reducing the amount of fatigue you’re carrying so that the fitness you’ve spent months developing can be expressed on race day.

This is an important distinction.

Throughout a training programme, we deliberately create fatigue. A challenging workout temporarily makes you tired, but when you recover from it, your body adapts. Repeating that process consistently is what develops your fitness.

The problem is that you don’t want to arrive at the start line carrying all the fatigue associated with building that fitness.

That’s where the taper comes in.

Fitness Changes Slowly. Fatigue Can Change Quickly.

One way of understanding tapering is through the concepts represented in a Performance Management Chart.

Different coaching and training platforms display this information in slightly different ways, but the basic idea is to look at the relationship between your longer-term training load, your more recent training load and the resulting balance between fitness and fatigue.

These concepts have a long history in endurance training and have been developed and popularised through different training models and platforms over the years.

For the athlete, however, we don’t need to make it overly complicated.

Think of it this way:

Fitness takes time to build. Fatigue can disappear much faster.

If you have trained consistently for weeks or months, taking some training volume away during the final fortnight isn’t suddenly going to destroy all that fitness.

What can change quite quickly is how fatigued you are.

That’s exactly what we’re trying to manipulate during the taper.

By significantly reducing training load two weeks before your half marathon and reducing it even further during race week, we allow fatigue to fall while trying to retain as much of your fitness as possible.

The result we’re looking for is greater freshness.

That’s why trying to squeeze in one final monster workout during race week is usually counterproductive. There isn’t enough time to meaningfully improve your fitness from that workout, but there is certainly enough time to create fatigue that you could still be carrying on race morning.

At this stage, freshness is more valuable than another hard training session.

My Two-Week Half Marathon Taper

For most of my athletes, I start reducing training load approximately two weeks before their half marathon.

I don’t calculate an exact percentage and tell every athlete to reduce their training by the same amount.

Instead, I look at what that individual athlete has been doing, how well conditioned they are, how much training they can comfortably absorb and how much fatigue their normal sessions create.

Two weeks out, there will be a significant reduction in training volume.

One week out, there will be another very large reduction from the previous week.

Training frequency, however, will usually remain fairly similar.

If you’re accustomed to running five days each week, suddenly running only once or twice during race week may leave you feeling flat and disconnected from your normal routine.

Instead, I generally prefer to keep athletes running while making those runs shorter.

We’re reducing volume, not abandoning training.

What Happens to Your Long Run During a Taper?

The long run is one of the biggest sources of training load in a half marathon programme, so it is an obvious place to reduce volume.

However, I don’t necessarily change the intensity of that run simply because we’re tapering.

If you’ve been completing your long runs at Level II, perhaps finishing with some strides, then that basic intensity remains the same.

The difference is that the run becomes shorter.

If you’ve been completing progressive long runs, I’ll typically prescribe the final progressive long run approximately two weeks before race day.

The final long run, approximately one week before your half marathon, will then normally be entirely at Level II.

How long should that final long run be?

That depends on you.

Imagine two runners who have both recently completed a two-hour long run.

For the first runner, two hours has been completely normal for several months. Their aerobic fitness is well developed, their body is accustomed to the duration and they recover quickly from it.

I might prescribe that athlete a 90-minute Level II long run one week before their half marathon.

The second athlete may only recently have built their long run up to two hours. That same duration represents a much greater physiological load for them and takes considerably more recovery.

Their final long run might be 60 minutes—or potentially even shorter.

If an athlete has had some problems during the build-up or I’m concerned about how much fatigue the final long run might generate, I will err on the side of caution.

There is very little to gain from making the final long run too long.

You’ve already developed the fitness you’re going to take into the race.

Don’t Remove All the Intensity

One of the biggest tapering mistakes is confusing reducing training with making everything easy.

I still want some intensity during the taper.

For most of my athletes, that means retaining some Level III tempo running.

Level III is particularly relevant because, for many runners, it sits around the intensity they’ll be targeting during their half marathon.

The important change isn’t necessarily how fast you run.

It’s how much running you do at that intensity.

For example, your tempo session might still include repetitions at your normal Level III intensity, but the total amount of Level III running will be reduced.

There are several ways I can achieve that.

I might reduce the duration of the repetitions. I might reduce the number of repetitions. Alternatively, I could keep a similar repetition structure but give you more Level II running between efforts.

The exact workout depends on the individual.

What matters is that total training volume and total time spent at Level III are reduced.

You still get the feeling of running strongly. Your neuromuscular system still experiences the movement patterns and rhythm associated with faster running. Psychologically, you also receive a reminder that the fitness is still there.

But we’re trying to achieve that without creating unnecessary fatigue.

The Final Quality Session

For a weekend half marathon, the final significant quality workout for my athletes will typically occur on the Tuesday before the race.

Again, this will most likely involve some Level III tempo running.

The intensity doesn’t need to become easier just because it’s race week.

Level III is still Level III.

What changes is the dose.

The overall session is shorter and the total amount of tempo running is reduced compared with the sessions completed during the main training block.

Some athletes may then complete a few strides later in the week, often on Thursday.

But there is an important qualification:

Strides should already be part of your normal training.

Race week isn’t the time to suddenly introduce something new because you’ve read that another runner does it.

If strides have regularly featured in your programme and you recover well from them, a small number can help you stay sharp.

If they aren’t normally part of your training, there is no need to suddenly introduce them.

What Should the Final Few Days Look Like?

There isn’t one race-week schedule that works for everybody.

I generally try to maintain an athlete’s normal training rhythm wherever possible.

For a Saturday half marathon, if Friday is normally your rest day, I’ll typically leave it as your rest day. Thursday might involve an easy run, potentially including some strides, followed by your normal Friday rest and then race day on Saturday.

If Friday isn’t normally your rest day, you might complete an easy 30-minute run on Friday before racing on Saturday.

For a Sunday half marathon, an athlete who normally rests on Friday will generally continue to do so. Saturday will then often include approximately 30 minutes of easy running before racing on Sunday.

That short run isn’t about improving fitness.

It’s simply about keeping the blood flowing, maintaining movement and keeping the body accustomed to running.

Other athletes may benefit from an additional rest day on Friday, particularly if fatigue is a concern.

Again, the taper needs to suit the individual rather than forcing everybody into exactly the same schedule.

Strength Training Needs to Taper Too

Running isn’t the only source of training stress.

If strength training has been part of your half marathon preparation, that load also needs to decrease as race day approaches.

I generally maintain the normal frequency initially but reduce the amount of work being completed.

As race day gets closer, I may also remove the final strength session entirely.

This isn’t the time to chase a personal best in the gym or complete a particularly challenging strength workout.

Your strength has already been developed.

The priority is now ensuring that your legs aren’t carrying unnecessary muscular fatigue or soreness into your half marathon.

Why You Might Feel Worse During Your Taper

Something interesting can happen when runners start tapering.

They expect to immediately feel incredible.

Instead, they sometimes feel sluggish.

An easy run that should feel effortless suddenly feels awkward. The legs might feel heavy. A small niggle that you’ve barely noticed for months suddenly seems incredibly obvious.

Then the doubts begin.

“Am I losing fitness?”

“Why do my legs feel so bad?”

“Should I do another hard session?”

“Maybe I haven’t trained enough.”

This can be completely normal.

When you’re accustomed to training regularly, a sudden reduction in workload can feel unusual. You’re also getting closer to an event you’ve spent months preparing for, so you’re naturally paying more attention to how your body feels.

A tiny ache that you might have ignored six weeks ago can suddenly seem incredibly important.

Don’t interpret every sensation as evidence that something has gone wrong.

And, most importantly, don’t respond to those doubts by adding extra training.

You Can’t Cram for a Half Marathon

A half marathon isn’t an exam you can cram for the night before.

The fitness you will use on race day has been built over the preceding weeks and months.

If you’ve missed some training, trying to make it up during the final week isn’t going to solve the problem.

Likewise, if your training has gone brilliantly, one more massive session isn’t going to suddenly make you substantially fitter.

It can, however, make you tired.

This is one of the hardest parts of tapering psychologically.

You’ve spent months associating training with improvement. Now I’m effectively asking you to improve your race-day performance by doing less.

Trust the process.

The work has already been done.

Carbohydrate Loading and Hydration

Reducing your training load is only one part of preparing your body for race day.

Your nutritional preparation matters too.

As your half marathon approaches, I encourage athletes to increase their carbohydrate intake so that they arrive at the start line with their carbohydrate stores well stocked.

Your muscles and liver store carbohydrate primarily as glycogen, providing an important source of readily available energy during your race.

Importantly, storing glycogen also requires water. As a useful rule of thumb, each gram of glycogen stored is associated with approximately three grams of water.

That means increasing carbohydrate intake and maintaining good hydration go hand in hand.

You may even notice your bodyweight increase slightly as you increase your carbohydrate stores and the water associated with them.

Don’t panic.

Race week isn’t the time to worry about a small increase on the scales caused by well-stocked glycogen stores and hydration.

You want that readily available energy when you’re racing.

The objective is to arrive at the start line fuelled, hydrated and ready to perform.

Sleep Becomes Even More Important

Race week is also a good opportunity to prioritise sleep.

Training volume is decreasing, but that doesn’t mean recovery suddenly becomes unimportant.

Try to maintain your normal sleep routine and give yourself plenty of opportunity to sleep.

Don’t become obsessed with getting the “perfect” night’s sleep immediately before your half marathon either.

Pre-race nerves, an early start or unfamiliar accommodation can sometimes make the night before a race less restful than you’d like.

Good sleep throughout the week leading into your event can help ensure that one imperfect night doesn’t become another source of anxiety.

Don’t Turn Race Week Into an Adventure Holiday

Destination races create another interesting problem.

You’ve travelled somewhere exciting, you’re surrounded by things to do and you want to make the most of the trip.

If you’re racing somewhere such as Queenstown, for example, there will be no shortage of activities competing for your attention.

Race week isn’t the ideal time to go bungy jumping, spend hours luging, complete a big hike or spend an entire day walking around sightseeing.

Save it for afterwards.

The same applies to unfamiliar workouts, new shoes, different nutrition products or anything else your body hasn’t experienced during training.

Race week should be deliberately boring.

Keep doing what has worked.

Eat foods you know. Wear equipment you’ve tested. Follow routines you’re familiar with.

Then, once you’ve crossed that finish line, enjoy everything your destination has to offer.

The Best Taper Is Individual

You will find plenty of tapering formulas online.

Reduce mileage by a certain percentage. Run this exact workout. Rest on these particular days.

Those recommendations might provide useful general guidance, but they can’t account for the athlete standing in front of me.

Two runners can complete exactly the same two-hour long run and experience completely different amounts of fatigue from it.

One may have been comfortably running that duration for months.

For the other, it may be the longest run they’ve ever completed.

Their taper shouldn’t necessarily be identical.

When I’m designing a taper, I’m looking at the athlete’s aerobic fitness, training history, recent workload, recovery, normal training frequency and how much stress particular sessions place on their body.

The question isn’t:

“What is the perfect half marathon taper?”

A better question is:

“What taper gives this athlete the best chance of arriving at the start line fresh, fit and sharp?”

What We’re Trying to Achieve on Race Morning

By the morning of your half marathon, I don’t want you exhausted from one final week of training.

I also don’t want you feeling as though you haven’t moved for a fortnight.

I want you fresh, but sharp.

Your fatigue should have fallen substantially while your underlying fitness remains.

Your legs have still experienced some Level III tempo running. If strides are normally part of your programme, you’ve potentially retained a small amount of that faster running as well.

Your carbohydrate stores are topped up.

You’re hydrated.

You’ve prioritised sleep and recovery.

And hopefully you’re starting to feel slightly restless because we’ve deliberately held you back.

That’s a good place to be.

You’re not supposed to finish your taper feeling proud of how much training you’ve managed to squeeze into race week.

You’re supposed to finish it wanting to race.

Trust the Training You’ve Already Done

Tapering requires confidence.

Not confidence that you’re suddenly going to develop more fitness during the final few days, but confidence in the training you’ve already completed.

Your long runs built your endurance.

Your Level III tempo sessions developed your ability to sustain a strong pace.

Your easy running accumulated aerobic fitness.

Your strides helped maintain speed and running economy where they’ve been included in your programme.

Your strength work supported the physical demands of running.

Now you need to give that training the opportunity to show itself.

Reduce the volume.

Retain appropriate intensity.

Maintain your normal rhythm where possible.

Fuel well.

Hydrate.

Sleep.

Avoid doing anything stupid at your race destination.

And resist the temptation to squeeze in one more workout.

The goal of the final two weeks isn’t to build more fitness. It’s to remove enough fatigue that you can make full use of the fitness you’ve already earned.

Arrive fresh. Stay sharp.

Then race.

Want Your Training—and Your Taper—Mapped Out for You?

A successful half marathon isn’t just about what you do during the final two weeks. Your taper only works because of the training that comes before it.

Half Marathon Hub+ gives you structured half marathon training designed to take you from the early stages of preparation right through to race day, including the crucial final taper.

Instead of wondering whether your long run is too long, whether you should still be doing tempo work, or whether you’re doing too much as race day approaches, you can follow a structured programme designed around the demands of the half marathon.

Whether you’re preparing to complete your first half marathon or chasing your next performance goal, Half Marathon Hub+ can give you the structure and direction to arrive at race day knowing the work has been done.

Train with purpose. Taper with confidence. Arrive ready to race.