Including "B/C" Races Into Your Running Plan

Racing in the lead up to your "A" race has many benefits. Find out how to include these into your training and get the full benefit, without detracting from your key focus.

Include a 10k Race 

• Take a short taper, for example, take the day before the race as complete rest and only train for 1 hour (or preferably less) in low Zone 2 on the day before that.
• You may need to drop a speed workout and move your long run to at least 4 days before the race.
• After your race, take 48 hours off to allow for a full recovery.
• For the remainder of the week continue with training as planned (reducing intensities to Zone 2 until you feel well recovered).
• After this resume training to plan.

Include a Half Marathon

• Take a short taper, for example, take the day before the race as complete rest and only train for 30mins in low Zone 2 on the day before that.
• You may need to drop speed workout(s) - the race replaces your long run.
• After your race, take 48 hours off to allow for a full recovery.
• For the remainder of the week continue with training as planned (reducing intensities to Zone 2 until you feel well recovered).
• After this resume training to plan.

Include a Marathon (to ULTRA Training)

• 2 weeks before your Marathon taper by reducing your training to 70-80% of all volumes and intensities and reduce your long run by 50-60%.
• The week before your race follow the taper week at the end of your training plan.
• After your race, take 72 hours off to allow for a full recovery.
• For the remainder of the week continue with training as planned (reducing intensities to Zone 2 and volumes to 50%).
• Stay at reduced volume and intensity until you feel well recovered before resuming training to plan.

For all Races

• Your training plan includes an active recovery week every 4 weeks; if your race is before one of these, then this will fit well to promote recovery.
• If when you are ready to resume full training again, you find a recovery week in your calendar consider placing a couple of the sessions that were missed due to your mini taper or recovery into this week to bring volume and intensities up again.

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