Other types of training during the taper.

Should I do strength training during the taper period?

First off, What does it mean to do strength training and why is it important for runners?

When I talk about strength training, I really mean the type of stuff that is beneficial to me as a runner. While it is better to be carrying some amount of weight, I am not talking about bulking up or building mass. I am talking about a healthy body weight and a beneficial strength to weight ratio. The type of strength training that I do focuses on leg strength and core strength. I also like to focus on agility and balance training. The one area that I feel that I am lacking in and should focus more on are fast twitch and explosive drills.

So which areas of strength training would be more beneficial to work on during the taper period? Well since my body is in recovery and rebuilding mode, my main goal is to preserve muscle glycogen and build up the body's stores of energy for the upcoming race. After weeks of continual breakdown, my body is trying to recover as much as it can while the getting is good. Therefore it can be assumed that my body doesn't require any more training. Especially if that is at the risk of injury (ahem trail racing!). But, in the same way that those last few track interval workouts can "fine-tune" your VO2 training, I believe that dynamic footwork and "Gear-changing" workouts could do nothing but help with footwork on race day. By focusing on drills like Pylon weave, five-point star, and agility ladder/small hurdle drills, I believe that I will be more than ready for race day as well as helping when I get to those toe-dragging, feet slapping last 4 miles of the marathon.


Tomorrow: What exactly does that last week of speed work do for you and when should your last workout be before the race?


Next Week: Don't underestimate the amount of sleep you need to rest properly.