Pre-Race Taper Sharpener
Workout - Pre-Race Taper Sharpener
- 10min @ 10'00''/km
- 5min @ 5'00''/km
- 3 lots of:
- 2min @ 7'30''/mi
- 1min 15s rest
- 3 lots of:
- 1min @ 4'00''/km
- 1min 15s rest
- 5min @ 10'00''/km
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Intro: The FOD Runner put out a smart week-10 taper for sub-75 half-marathoners. Here’s what you need to hit the start line fresh. Watch the full video for the nuance.
Key points
- Taper week: easy runs, a 60-minute steady session, and a speed workout to sharpen the legs.
- Aim for 6:38/mile (~10 km/h) on steady runs. Keep the effort aerobic and controlled.
- Wednesday’s speed work is short, high-intensity intervals for leg turnover without piling on fatigue.
- Race strategy: start conservative, stay below tempo pace, and save harder effort for the final 5 km.
Workout example
Monday, 60 min steady:
- 9.5 miles at 6:38/mi in a relaxed, controlled rhythm.
Tuesday, 30 min easy:
- 30 minutes easy, no structure. Just keep moving.
Wednesday, speed session:
- Warm-up 5 min easy.
- 5 min at 5K race pace (~5:30/mi). Hard but controlled.
- 3 × 2 min at ~4:30/mi with 75 s recovery jog between each.
- 3 × 1 min at ~4:00/mi with 75 s recovery jog.
- Cool-down 5 min easy.
About 12 minutes of interval work. The goal is to wake the legs up without piling on fatigue before Sunday.
Thursday, 50 min steady:
- Same pace as Monday, focus on relaxed breathing.
Saturday, 30 min shake-out:
- Easy run with a few quick strides at the finish.
Sunday, race day (74 min half-marathon):
- Target 6:38/mi across the full 13.1 miles. Stay controlled, below tempo pace, for the first 10 miles, then build effort in the closing 5 km.
Closing note Adjust paces to your current fitness in the Pacing app.