How long to taper and how much to cut, why you feel sluggish, what to do in race week, and how to reach the start line fresh.
A taper can stretch from one week to three depending on the race and the runner, and about two weeks is a safe rule of thumb. Drop to roughly 75% of your volume two weeks out, around 60 to 75% the week after, and 40 to 50% in race week. The race itself is a big slab of volume, so you will not run much before it. Hold a little race-specific intensity the whole way through, but pull the volume right back.
Completely normal. Your body is soaking up everything you have thrown at it just as you ease off, so it can feel heavy and strange. That is what the last week is for, a little running to keep the legs ticking over. Taper right and you will feel fresh on the day, and even if the legs feel flat early, they should come to you. That is the beauty of the marathon: there is time to run into it.
Yes, keep a touch of intensity. Something like a short interval or marathon-pace session early in the week, a Tuesday for a Saturday race, a Wednesday for a Sunday one. Then a few strides or a tiny workout the day before, maybe 3x2 minutes at race pace. It keeps the legs sharp, settles the nerves, and reminds you what race pace feels like.
Rest. Put a full day off in there to come up really fresh, then keep the rest to simple, easy runs. You cannot build any fitness now. It is all about reaching the start line fresh and ready.
From your coach
“These are the same answers we give the runners we coach. They are grounded in the sports science and held against what works on the road, by an accredited coach. The marathon is simple, but it is not easy. Do the right things, consistently, and respect the distance.”
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