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Thread: Tapering

  1. #1
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    Tapering

    Hi all. I was just wondering how people physically prepare in the last month. At what point do u stop doing big runs? How much do u run in the weeks leading up an attempt. I've no knowledge of this as I'm not from a running background. Any tips would be much appreciated. Also just a shout out for doing plyometric squats. They are awesome! Doing 5 sets of 20 with 1min rest between sets at mo and have noticed big improvement in leg strength going up hill. I've run up what I previously had to rest on and did it with ease tbh. Great exercise!

  2. #2
    Senior Member Tahr's Avatar
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    What worked for me,

    4 weeks before, legs 3 and 4 back to back at sub 23 hour pace carrying rucksack supporting a BG.

    3 weeks before 50 mile on the bike.

    2 weeks before leg 1 then back to Keswick at sub 23 hour pace.

    1 week before 10 mile local run.

    5 days before, 3 mile run then nothing.

    I ran only 40 miles total in the 3 weeks before the BG, did a fair bit of cycling mind, ideally I would have ran a bit more in them 3 weeks but personal life did not permit this.

    But we are all different.

    ATB

    Tahr
    Annan and District Athletic Club. http://www.adac.org.uk/

  3. #3
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    If you've trained properly you *might* be glad of a rest before your attempt. I did very little for two weeks before my round, but my fiance Stef did a 20+ miler the Sunday before her successful attempt. Listen to your body and don't try to cram too much in too late, or do something daft like a hard race in the last week, especially if you're not used to racing!
    Poacher turned game-keeper

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    Cheers guys.

  5. #5
    I don't know if this was a good strategy, but for what it's worth, this is what I did. Coming from Cambridge, I knew that despite my attempts to train for descents on car park stairs etc, my legs would still take a battering when I first hit the mountains, and so I aimed to do my BGR in the second week of a 2-week family holiday. Hence the first day in Keswick I also did stage 1 (Skiddaw/Gt Calva/Blencathra) and back via the railway path, in the hope I'd get some last-minute training benefit from that by the second week. My quads were pretty stiff after that!

    Then I tapered down with one run up and down Skiddaw, one up and down Latrigg, and finally just a few reps up and down Stanger St in Keswick! Though I also did family walks including Latrigg, Crag Hill, Scafell Pike and Catbells/High Spy in that first week, and some reps in Fitz Park on the flat as I was also training for a half marathon after the hols.

  6. #6
    Master IainR's Avatar
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    For the paddy I never really bothered with a taper, just nothing more than 2 hours in the final week, most days 10 mile road trail, 2 fell runs checking out the route.. I don't think for big mountain challenges that the taper is as important as a marathon where you need the pace.

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    Also just a shout out for doing plyometric squats. They are awesome! Doing 5 sets of 20 with 1min rest between sets at mo and have noticed big improvement in leg strength going up hill. I've run up what I previously had to rest on and did it with ease tbh. Great exercise![/QUOTE]

    Plyometric squats? Wooj how do you do these? Sounds good!

  8. #8
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    Plyometric squats? Wooj how do you do these? Sounds good![/QUOTE]

    Stand with feet just a bit more than shoulder width apart, both arms pointing straight out infront of you. Squat down (I go onto the balsl of my feet and allow my heels to come off the ground slightly) to just below 90 degrees angle at your knees. Don't go all the way down or you will use the bounce of you bum on your heels to help with the jump up. Next spring up to straight leg and feet off the floor, you don't need to go high, just enough to get 10cm or so off the floor. Then drop straight down into another squat and repeat. Try to land softly with bent knees, go down and then up again. Every jump is 1 rep. Your thighs will begin to feel a burn pretty quick. You get a bit out of breath too so helps a bit with cardio. I haven't been doing them for long but they've helped already. Let me know how you get on, I'm keen to see if others rate the exercise too.

  9. #9
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    Plyometric squats?

    ...... Let me know how you get on, I'm keen to see if others rate the exercise too.[/QUOTE]


    Sounds good, will start these. I am one for alternate jump lunges... Forward lunge on right leg then jump up switch legs and land with left leg forward, dropping the back knee just off the ground, repeat switching back, keep good form and consistent speed... one to try? Alternate with press ups in the rest period for added intensity!

  10. #10
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    Sounds good, will start these. I am one for alternate jump lunges... Forward lunge on right leg then jump up switch legs and land with left leg forward, dropping the back knee just off the ground, repeat switching back, keep good form and consistent speed... one to try? Alternate with press ups in the rest period for added intensity![/QUOTE]

    Sounds like royal marine training! I'll try the lunges. I'll have an ass like Van Damme soon!

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