You stay up late cramming for exams (or you did, when you were in school).
Big presentation or performance?
Be honestyouve rehearsed over and over, sometimes until the second you take the podium or stage.
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But the research and evidence suggest that thats probably the last thing you actually should be doing.
Psychologically, youre better off tapering, too.
For one thing, youll feel lighter and more energetic if you’re well-rested and your legs feel fresh.
That sort of stored energy explodes out and you end up with these amazing performances.
A well-designed training plan likely already has a taper built in.
Many non-elite marathoners do best closer to the 20-percent mark each week, McMillan says.
What you dont want to tinker with too much is your typical running schedule or pace.
Overload on vegetables, and dont be afraid of eating healthy, fresh fruit, Wells says.
But dont overdo it on foods like rice or pasta earlier in the taper, McMillan warns.
Remember, youre running fewer miles.
I am tired from the big week before, she tells SELFthats typically her hardest week of training.
Some runners also find theyre hypersensitive to new aches and pains during this time.
Thats largely because youre spending less time running and more time thinking, McMillan says.
Maybe its just semantics, he says.
Taper sometimes makes you just think, Im on vacation.
You dont want to take your mind out of the competition.
But every athletes a little bit different, he says.
Tapering works best if you trained relatively consistently.
Runners who missed big blocks of training arent going to peak with a taper, he says.
Usually, theyre feeling out of sync and just not good.
So they need to feel like a runner again.
Five to 10 runs usually gets them back in the groove, he notes.
I develop a mantra for positive thinking out on the course.
I break down all the things I control, and then I forget about the rest.
No need to waste energy.
Instead, she saves every ounce of it for crossing the finish line.
