Tapering for Ironman

My tapering plan varies from sport to sport:

• Run: 4 weeks
• Bike: 3 weeks
• Swim: 1 week, but not really a taper at all...
  

The Run Plan

This weekend is my last run training weekend before the taper, so instead of my usual 20-25k long run I went for a 27k, and chose a route with some hills and elevation changes. It went fine, no issues, comfortable distance.

Plan for the next few weeks:

• 18k, short run of 10k
• 15k, short run of 7k
• 12k, short run of 6k
• Race weekend! Short run of 5k during the week
  

Intensity will stay the same, slow and steady on the long runs, comfortable tempo on the short ones.

The Bike Plan

I always feel good on the bike, like I can recover from anything. This is something I need to watch in the run-up to the race!

• 130k (pre-taper)
  
• 80k
• 50k
• Race weekend! Short bike prior.

The mid-week rides will be around 20-25k instead of 30-40k.

The Swim Plan

I haven't been doing a lot of long swims, mostly because I have more to gain from doing speed work (focusing on fixing my form). I did a 3000m session today, that was my longest ever, and that should be about as long as it gets for me. So there isn't really a need to taper, my volume is pretty low already.

In the last few weeks, I'm going to get in a few last open water swims. I also have a few sessions with a swim coach, just to see if there's anything we can identify that might help me out.

Ready to Rock!

It's nice to be done the bulk of the training and be looking toward the finish line... I feel confident I've done what I need to do in order to be ready for this race. Of course I won't know for sure until I hear those words... "you ARE an Ironman!" But I think I'm there, I'm ready, let's do this thing!