Hey everyone,

You may have been training for weeks or months already, but now it is 2 weeks before your race and it's time to think about resting. Many triathletes find this more difficult than swimming 5,000 yards, biking the hills, or running a half marathon! Here are some things to keep in mind if you are beginning your taper or rest period before your race.

Coach Oliver writes: For most athletes life seems to get busier rather than quieter during the taper period. Despite a reduction in training time and stress, the mind sometimes wants to do much more.

The final touches to any training program come during the taper. This is the period of your season leading up to a key race when you cut back your overall training volume and allow your body to absorb all of the hard work you did during your base building and speed phases. Doing the right kind of taper is an art unto itself.

Getting fit and fast is only part of the equation to having a great day, not only do you need to ensure that you peak at the right time, which is on the day of your event, but you also need to arrive fully recovered, that is fresh and without any feelings of fatigue. Peaking and Tapering is about ensuring full recovery while maintaining performance adaptations and it’s a fine balance.