r/AdvancedRunning • u/v4veritas 4:25 mile l 1:18 HM • Oct 06 '19
Training Marathon Taper, feeling terrible
So I have my first marathon coming up this Saturday in Hartford. My training for the most part has been fantastic for the past 18 weeks. Only bonked once and except for a slight 2 week hiccup, haven't really missed any workouts. Tapering now and I'm feeling like straight garbage.
I feel like I'm probably overthinking, but every run the past week has felt rough and I just feel heavy. Is this normal?
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u/mjern Oct 06 '19
Yes. Completely normal. I'd tell you not to worry but it won't help.
Stick to plan.
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u/v4veritas Oct 06 '19
I'm definitely trying not to worry. Thanks! I was figuring I'd be feeling sharp as hell with a taper but I guess it's a common sentiment to feel like shit lol
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Oct 06 '19
Yeah it's possible. I'm not a marathoner but a lot of other people will probably tell you it's normal.
You've done the work, you know you're fit. The taper is here to help you feel good. If anything, it's the least structured period of the plan. Run short, crosstrain, or cut runs if necessary, focus on sleep, nutrition, and recovery.
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u/MediumStill Oct 06 '19
It's pretty common. I call it the taper flu. Your start noticing every little ache and you feel sluggish and depressed. Just do enough running to stay sharp. don't change up your routine too much, just do less of it. My last big race I tapered for a longer time, but didn't decrease my mileage as much and I felt great. Either way, you'll do great.
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u/Epell8 Oct 06 '19
Hey! I’m also racing Hartford so GOOD LUCK!!! Tapering means less running and therefore a chemical balance change. Your body was used to one baseline, and the reduction in mileage changes that chemical balance. It’s not bad, just different and your body is responding appropriately. You will start to feel better towards the end of the week and just in time to CRUSH IT!
Trust your training, you’ve done the work, the race is the cake. On Saturday, WE EAT THE CAKE!
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u/v4veritas Oct 06 '19
You too!! Thanks, that gives me a lot of reassurance lol. Hope your marathon goes well and that we miss the rain!
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u/MortisSafetyTortoise Oct 06 '19
My taper starts soon and I am already dreading it. You have my sympathy.
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u/Alta1971 Oct 06 '19
Take it from a guy who literally just finished his first marathon 2 hours ago and who had felt much worse than expected during the taper...
Stick to the plan. You will feel amazing on race day. I felt so good I kept holding myself back a little until about mile 9 because I was worried I would bonk. After that I just relaxed and let my body do it’s thing. Good luck!
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u/RR_Runner Oct 06 '19
This. This. And more this. Just finished my first marathon this morning after a final taper week that was anything but enjoyable. My final 3 carb loading days left me feeling overloaded and "fat" (clearly far from it, but that was the feeling). And each of my runs, which were 30 to 60 seconds over my planned marathon pace, felt way hard. And then today happened. I felt on fire and only kept it in check during the first half because I fell in with a couple guys who were pacing really well, though at my "pipe dream" pace. Finished my first half at just over 1:44, then just opened it up and finished the second in just over 1:40. I felt invincible. No hint of a bonk. If you were faithful to the training, trust it!
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u/v4veritas Oct 06 '19
Thank you!! Hope your marathon went well, look forward to reading the write up if there is one ;)
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u/cchalsey713 Oct 06 '19
I agree with other posters. Stick to your plan, and ensure proper nutrition, hydration, and sleep. Once you get to race day your body’s prep over the past months will pay off
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u/MrLettuceEater Oct 06 '19
I had one run in my taper that I hated and I never feel that way. My runs, even the tough ones, usually wiz by and this felt like it was twice as long as it was. I was extremely sluggish and the negative feelings were so intense that I thought I was losing my love for running. This was fleeting though, just the one run... On race day I felt great and noticed a really nice performance boost. Hang tough this is just a blip...
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u/v4veritas Oct 06 '19
Yeah I just had my last "medium-long run" yesterday and it was rough until the last mile. Been stressing since then which is why I posted this thread. Everyone's responses have been really reassuring though. Thanks for the feedback!
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u/mini_apple Oct 06 '19 edited Feb 24 '26
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u/AprilJamie Oct 06 '19
I’d say this is proof you’ve trained right. Now time to recover before the big day. First marathons are so special! Have a great race!
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u/[deleted] Oct 06 '19
When I taper for a marathon I usually notice the same thing. I feel a bit more sluggish and "off" doing less mileage; however, I always notice the dividends of additional rest on race day. Just maintain the quality of your runs and don't think too much about it - race day adrenaline will take care of the rest too.