Pre-Race Taper Tune-Up

Workout - Pre-Race Taper Tune-Up

• 15min @ 6'45''/km
• 4 lots of:
  • 3min @ 5'35''/km
  • 2min rest
• 10min @ 7'00''/km

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The FOD Runner released a valuable video on taper workouts that deserves closer attention. Here’s what you need to know to run this session this week.

Key Points:

• Tapering involves maintaining a small amount of speed work while slashing volume significantly, so you arrive at race day feeling sharp and recovered.
• The workout centers on 4 × 3‑minute hard efforts with 2‑minute easy jogs between repeats (12 minutes of hard running total), done roughly five days pre-race. This type of interval session shows how adaptable structured work can be. For a deeper look at the science and different types of workouts, explore our guide to Mastering Interval Training: Science-Backed Workouts and How a Smart App Can Personalize Them.
• The hard repeats run at a relaxed 10k pace – around 5:30–5:40 per kilometre – with heart rate staying at or below marathon-pace zones. For help identifying your target pace, check out our comprehensive guide to Mastering the 10K: Proven Training Plans, Pace Strategies, and How a Smart App Can Elevate Your Performance.
• The purpose is to keep your legs moving quickly without taxing your system. Steer clear of threshold or tempo work during the final week. This differs sharply from the maximum-effort demands needed for raw speed gains, as described in our Mastering 5K Speed: Proven Interval Strategies to Cut Minutes off Your Time; here the objective is simply to prepare your legs for race conditions.
• Fit one speed session into taper week; everything else should be light running or complete rest days.

Workout Example:

1. Warm‑up 10–15 min easy running.
2. 4 repeats of:
   • 3 min hard at 10k race‑pace (≈5:30–5:40 km).
   • 2 min easy jog or walk for recovery.
3. Cool‑down 10 min easy. Total hard work: 12 minutes.

Practical Tips:

• Monitor your heart rate; keep it within the marathon-pace window to minimize fatigue.
• If 3‑minute repeats feel manageable, you can go up to 4 minutes, but cap the hard time at around 12 min total.
• Pick a pace that matches your own 10k fitness – aim for “comfortably hard,” not a flat-out sprint.
• Run this session 5 days before race day – that’s your final speed stimulus before tapering down.

Closing Note:

Try this taper workout and notice how energized you feel on race morning. Feel free to adjust the interval duration or pace to fit your training style, and you can set it up in the Pacing app for a custom version. Enjoy the running.

References

• How To TAPER - My Favourite Taper Workout | FOD Runner - YouTube (YouTube Video)