The Ultimate Taper Week Checklist

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You’ve put in the work, and you’ve put in the miles. You’ve committed and you’ve trained hard. But the work’s not completely finished – now it’s time for taper week. Your taper week is the crucial final step of your training plan, and it needs to be done with intentionality to get the best results.

What is a taper? A taper is a period of reduced training VOLUME before a big run, race, or competition. A taper helps you recover and prepare for your event.

Why taper? A taper helps you recover by:

Reducing muscle fatigue and wear and tear from months of intense training
Replenishing fuel stores levels like glycogen and carbohydrates
Re-energizing your body before the big day
Overall improving performance

Tapering accomplishes two things: allowing your body to recover while still keeping your fitness sharp.

Believe it or not, taper week is HARD for many runners to follow. After all the hard work, any runners worry that they are going to “lose” their peak fitness level during a taper. As hard as it may be to accept, the taper is vitally important. Yes, you can hit your goals without tapering, but taper rest is what is going to make you feel stronger, fresher, and more ready to perform at your absolute best, rather than struggling through.

So how long exactly should your taper be? That depends on the distance you are training for.

For a half marathon, it consider a taper week. For a full marathon, look at a two week taper. For longer distances like ultras, even up to 3 weeks is appropriate.

Disclosure: Below are some affiliate links-these are all products I highly recommend. I won’t make any recommendations on this page that I haven’t tested or personally used! Enjoy this guide to the ultimate taper checklist!

Table of Contents

Your Ultimate Taper Checklist

Here’s 6 simple steps for a complete taper checklist.

#1: Adjust Your Training

Reduce Mileage: Cut back weekly mileage ~50%.
Keep intensity (but no more): Keep your intensity level the same (just with less mileage), and do not push your intensity level.
Avoid new: Don’t try or add anything new to your workout and running routine.

*For a one week taper, cut back weekly mileage by ~ 50%. For a two week taper, cut back ~ 30% the 1st week, and 50% the second week.

#2: Prioritize Sleep

6 hours of sleep is actually not enough, especially when you are training hard. Getting enough sleep, especially during a taper, is one of the absolute best (and often most under-prioritized) things you can do to prepare for a big running event.

Get at least 8 hours of sleep each night. I personally like to aim for at least 9 a night during a taper.
Don’t count on “sleep loading” the night before only. Your nerves are likely to interfere with that. A few nights of good sleep leading up to the race matter more than the night before.

#3: Dial in Your Nutrition and Fueling

Eat balanced meals with lean proteins, complex carbs, and healthy fats.
Don’t drastically carb load – “carb loading” shouldn’t mean gorging till you bust the night before. Your body can only hold so many grams of carbs before reaching its limit (like a gas tank). Instead, gradually increase carbs (rice, pasta, potatoes, whole wheat bread) 2–3 days before your race.
Hydrate consistently: Again, hydration doesn’t mean chugging a bottle of water 10 minutes before your race. You gotta put the work in ahead of time. Drink water consistently throughout your taper, and include electrolytes if necessary.

#4: Get Your Mind Right

The mental side of running is a huge part of the game, and that’s never more true than leading up to a race and executing. Get your mindset and your mental game where it needs to be during your taper.

Review your pacing strategy: it’s really easy to get carried away with adrenaline on race day, especially at the start. Know your pacing strategy and stick to it for best results.
Destress: help calm pre-race jitters by visualizing your race, reviewing logistics of race day, doing something relaxing, getting extra sleep, checking and laying out your gear in advance (to avoid morning of panic moments), etc. Help yourself stay relaxed and in the right mindset by avoiding any surprises if possible, which means doing your research on race day and getting familiar in advance.

#5: Gear Check

Lay out your race day gear and accessories the day/night before: shoes, socks, shirt, headlamp, bib, hydration gear, accessories, hats, etc. Include fuels like gels, chews,
Double-check everything: make sure your headlamps and watches are charged if you’re using them. Have your playlist ready. Make sure your hydration gear isn’t leaking.
Practice run: make sure you’ve done at least one short practice run prior to race day with all the gear and accessories you plan to use. Practice run with the clothes, shoes, socks, hydration gear, etc. that you plan to use for your race. You’d be amazed how you can discover an itchy seam or defective item of gear you wouldn’t have caught until race day.

#6: Listen to Your Body

Tapering is all about helping your body recover and rest, and therefore get STRONGER. So be sure to listen to it. Don’t worry about “losing” your fitness level during a taper and therefore pushing aside what your body is needing. You’ve done the training. Trust the training. Allow the taper to do its work.

Address soreness or aches: don’t push through pain. The taper is a chance to address these issues if you have them.
Use active recovery methods: tapering doesn’t mean sitting around doing nothing. Remember, you are reducing the VOLUME – your weekly mileage. You can still cross train, strength train, and keep the intensity the same on your shorter training runs. Also make sure to use some active recovery methods like stretching, foam rolling, walking, yoga, or Pilates to stay loose.

Be sure to check out my other beginner-friendly running resources – from beginner gear recommendations, to preventing common running injuries, to beginner training plans for every distance!

Need a simple cheat sheet for getting your nutrition nailed down? If figuring out your fueling plan is overwhelming, this guide can help: The Runner’s Diet: Fueling and Nutrition for Beginners.

Full of helpful breakdowns, easy recipes, simple checklists, and more to take the guesswork out of your runner’s diet!

The best runner's diet — *The Runner’s Diet: Nutrition and Fueling for Beginners*

Did you know that I offer 1:1 Consults and Coaching Plans for Beginner Runners? Get customized and relatable support with building the perfect training plan for you and your goal distance, plus all your questions answered about gear, nutrition, fueling, destinations, and more! RESERVE YOUR SPOT HERE!

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The Ultimate Taper Week Checklist