How to taper

Hey Koger, I cut my interval workouts (right now, usually L4 3x20 and L5 6X5) by half in the week leading up to a race. So my L4 workouts are a 1X20 and a 1X10. And the L5 is a 3X5. The workouts are shorter, around 50 minutes, so my overall workout time is cut too...by about 50%.

The workouts you do on taper weeks should have some racing efforts, just much fewer than what you usually do. I know that 40 to 60 percent reductions for 1 or even 2 weeks are common.

koger said:

Hello

So this is it, the end of the season two weekends left, where I would like to do my best. How do I taper and prepare for the last races?
I don't have a complete plan myself, just to train a few hours less overall during the weekend and shorten the hard session I usual have with L4.

Any suggestions, what do you do?

Yeah, I always go with the same intensity and lower volume. For my last taper wee I just did MAP, 5", 1', and 5' tests. That worked out really well, leaving my fitness peak higher than ever.

Do all of you think it's too late to strengthen your anaerobic systems 2 weeks before an "A" crit race? I'm planning on focusing on L6 and L7 workouts this week and then reducing duration and keeping intensity on the week before the race weekend. A good season is now winding down (with a strong base/build), and many L6 and L7 efforts have been done, I just haven't focused on them.

I know it's mostly accepted that it takes 6 weeks for muscular adapatations but tapering and high-end efforts are usually prescribed much closer to the event than 6 weeks.

Also, would you guys taper differently for a crit than for a RR?
Thanks