what is tapering in running

Tapering in running refers to the practice of reducing exercise in the days or weeks leading up to a race, allowing the body to rest and recover from the weeks of hard training. The goal of tapering is to keep all of the physical adaptations of the training process while eliminating the negative effects such as fatigue, muscle soreness, and burnout. Tapering allows muscle glycogen stores to return to peak levels, metabolic enzymes, antioxidants, and various hormones depleted during training to return to their optimal ranges, and muscle and connective tissues to repair and strengthen. Tapering is a crucial part of marathon training and typically involves significantly reducing the intensity and distance of running in the final two to three weeks of training. The length of the tapering period can vary depending on the race distance, with a few days for a mile or 5K race to 3 or even 4 weeks for a marathon or ultra-marathon. The benefits of tapering include re-energizing the body before race day, repairing muscle damage, and minimizing accumulated fatigue.