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Taper week checklist

A practical taper checklist: what to reduce, what to keep, and what to rehearse so race week is calm and repeatable.

Last updated/Feb 03, 2026, 02:17 PM

The taper is a skill

Your job is to arrive with fresh legs and sharp rhythm — not to prove fitness at the last minute.

What to reduce

  • Total volume
  • Late “confidence workouts”
  • New gear / new fuel

What to keep

  • A small touch of intensity (short, controlled)
  • Short strength/mobility (low soreness)
  • Your fueling schedule rehearsal

Checklist

Do this, not that

Taper week checklist

  • • Reduce volume, keep a touch of intensity (short and controlled).
  • • Sleep gets priority; do not chase last-minute fitness.
  • • Practice the exact fueling products you’ll use (no new surprises).
  • • Lay out gear early; test shoes and socks you’ve already used on long runs.
  • • Confirm logistics (travel, bib pickup, start area, transport).
  • • Write your pacing rules on one note (start conservative, settle, race last 10K).
  • • Eat normally; don’t overdo ‘carb loading’ without a plan.
  • • If you feel a niggle: reduce, don’t ‘test it’ with intensity.

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FAQs

How much should I cut volume?

Enough that you feel fresher day by day. Many runners reduce volume significantly while keeping short, controlled intensity touches.

Should I stop strength training?

Don’t do anything that makes you sore. Keep light mobility and a short activation routine if it helps you feel good.

Why do I feel flat in the taper?

Reduced volume can feel strange. Keep a small touch of intensity and trust the process — freshness often shows up on race day.

Keep going

Marathon Fueling Planner (Carbs Schedule)

Turn a carbs-per-hour target into a simple fueling schedule you can practice in training and execute on race day.

18-Week Marathon Training Plan

A 18-week marathon training plan with week-by-week structure, workouts, adaptation rules, and built-in pace + fueling tools. Variations are included on one page.

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