Marathon Training Week 12: Taper, Track OPEN, Time Trial Recap - Seth James DeMoor

Aug 13, 2025

Intro

This is a quick summary of “Marathon Training Week 12: Taper, Track OPEN, Time Trial Recap” from Seth James DeMoor. It’s a great watch — we’re breaking it down so you can try the taper workout today. Be sure to check out the full video for all the details.

Key Points

After a 13‑mile time‑trial at 8:05 /mi the runner feels only 50 % of the soreness from a previous 23‑mile long run, showing good adaptation.
The taper plan is a three‑week taper leading up to the marathon (now rescheduled for Sep 13): 90 mi this week, 65‑75 mi next week, then 30 mi the week of the race, followed by 4‑6 mi easy days with strides in the final six days.
Use a soft dirt track for easier leg recovery when doing longer track sessions or fundraising runs.
Practical tip: keep the last 4‑6 mi of each taper day easy, include a few short strides (20‑30 sec) to keep legs fresh.

Workout Example

Week 12 (Taper Week)

Monday‑Wednesday: 90 mi total (split as you prefer).
Thursday‑Friday: 65‑75 mi total, lower intensity, include a 13‑mi run at 8:05 /mi (or similar effort).
Saturday: 30 mi total, keep legs easy.
Race week (Sunday race):
- Monday‑Friday: 4‑6 mi easy runs, add 4‑6 × 20‑30‑second strides after the easy miles.
- Saturday: Rest or very light jog.

Closing Note

Give this taper plan a try and feel free to customize the paces in the Pacing app to match your own race goal. Good luck, and keep those legs fresh for race day!