HOW I TAPER For An Upcoming Race / Time Trial - Running Tips | FOD Runner - The FOD Runner

This is a quick summary of “HOW I TAPER For An Upcoming Race / Time Trial” from The FOD Runner. It’s a great watch — we’re breaking it down so you can try the workout today. Be sure to check out the full video for all the details.

Key Points:

• Tapering is about staying under‑cooked rather than over‑cooked; aim for 85‑95 % of race‑day fitness.
• Reduce weekly mileage to about 60 % of normal training in a one‑week taper (or 80 % → 50 % for a two‑week taper).
• Keep the legs sharp with a short, race‑pace interval session about 5 days before the event. This is a crucial element of a successful taper, and you can learn more about the methodology in our guide to Mastering Interval Training: Science-Backed Workouts and How a Smart App Can Personalize Them.
• Add brief surges (20‑30 seconds) at the end of easy runs to maintain cadence.
• Active recovery (light walking) on rest days helps circulation without adding fatigue.

Workout Example:

• 4 × 3‑minute intervals at target 10k race pace (≈ 5:30 / mi) with 1½‑minute jog recovery. Nailing this pace is key, and if you’re preparing for that specific distance, our complete guide can help you develop the right strategy for Mastering the 10K: Proven Training Plans, Pace Strategies, and How a Smart App Can Elevate Your Performance.
• Total work ≈ 12 minutes, just over 2 miles.
• Run the intervals in race shoes on pavement to simulate race surface.
• After the session, finish with 4‑6 short (20‑30 s) surges on a cool‑down run to keep leg turnover high.

Closing Note: Try this taper workout this week and adjust the paces to match your own goal time in the Pacing app. Feel free to customize the intervals or recovery to suit your fitness level. For instance, if you’re tapering for a shorter event, you can adapt these principles using the kinds of workouts found in our guide to Mastering 5K Speed: Proven Interval Strategies to Cut Minutes off Your Time. Most importantly, stay fresh for race day. Good luck, and enjoy the run

References

• HOW I TAPER For An Upcoming Race / Time Trial - Running Tips | FOD Runner - YouTube (YouTube Video)

Workout - 10k Taper Sharpener

• 12min @ 6'00''/km
• 4 lots of:
  • 3min @ 3'25''/km
  • 1min 30s rest
• 10min @ 6'30''/km
• 5 lots of:
  • 20s @ 3'00''/km
  • 1min rest

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