Coach Stephane has many years of experience preparing for big races and knows how his body will feel on taper. Here in the week before Ironman Australia (Port Macquarie) he shares his thoughts.
Taper is here now if you are racing Ironman Australia. You might have picked a week, a two week or even a three week taper, this is very individual. What can you do on taper to gain the edge? Nothing at all but the focus should be on resting, sleeping heaps, reducing caffeine & eating clean.
Training wise, keep it short & sharp to get out of the lethargic taper stage. It is often a time when you get sick so eat lots fruit & green vegetables. To further support your immune system consider taking supplements such as zinc, vitamin C, a good quality probiotic, echinacea and/or olive leaf extract liquid daily.
Don’t be worried if you put on one or two kilos as the extra weight will help you stay healthy, especially in Autumn when the weather is changing & the nasty flu bug is spreading around.
Do not overthink, over analyse or stress too much. Try & relax and enjoy your time off, you deserve it. Stay away from any sources of stress & unplug from triathlon & even triathletes, as they can be full on. Also, don’t try any new things at all now, they won’t make you better or faster, on the contrary. Control your ego, your emotions, your insecurities & you will have a much better race. The hard work has been done, so just enjoy & have fun.
