Steps to a mental taper include limiting stress and the running content you consume. These efforts are just as important as the physical side of a running taper in improving your recovery and performance for race day.

(Feature photo by Jacob Wackerhausen/iStock.com)

Article written by Alexa Duckworth-Briggs

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You’ve put in the hard work. You’ve faced the early mornings, the long runs, and the hill sessions. Race day is approaching, and you’ve probably already started thinking about your running taper. But have you considered tapering your mind?

Many runners spend their final days and weeks leading up to an event focusing on their physical recovery. But they overlook one of the most powerful race preparation tools: mental readiness.

We all recognize that our bodies need to recharge and recover, and that’s also true of our brains.

I’ve been an advocate of the benefits of a mental taper ever since reading Dr. Josephine Perry’s fantastic book, Performing Under Pressure. I always encourage my coached athletes to consider incorporating some of the principles of mental tapering in the build-up to their target races. More often than not, those who follow these principles report feeling fresher and better prepared for their event.

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What Is a Mental Taper?

As the name suggests, a mental taper simply means reducing the mental noise, strain, and stress in the lead-up to race day. This can include increasing the time you spend physically inactive and mentally calm, engaging in relaxed activities, and generally avoiding the usual stresses and worries of daily life.

Now, in practice, this can be easier said than done. But studies have shown that mental fatigue has a negative impact on performance, so it’s worth thinking about ways you can pair your physical running taper with a mental taper.

Here’s how a mental taper can give you an extra edge on race day.

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Benefits of a Mental Taper

Reduced Mental Fatigue: The final week or two before an event can be a whirlwind of nerves, and a mental taper can help to quiet that unhelpful mental chatter. By creating space for calm, you’ll ensure you arrive at the start line feeling fresh, not frazzled.

Improved Confidence: Instead of frantically trying to absorb last-minute advice or second-guessing your strategy, a mental taper allows you time to reflect on everything you’ve already achieved. It’s a time to remind yourself of the dedicated, consistent work you’ve done to prepare and all the progress you’ve made along the way.

Sharper Focus: With fewer distractions, you’ll be better positioned to really focus on your race-day plan. You might spend some time visualizing the course, thinking about your pacing strategy, and practicing how you’ll respond in those tougher moments so you can stay cool when it counts.

Better Sleep, Improved Recovery: A busy mind is often a precursor to poor sleep. Undertaking a mental taper will help calm your nervous system, leading to improved sleep quality and, therefore, improved recovery ahead of the big day.

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4 Tips to Incorporate a Mental Taper into Your Running Taper

We all have life demands — many of which we can’t escape. This can present challenges in a mental taper. But there are still many things we can do to reap the benefits ahead of a race or big event, which I always cover with my online running coaching clients.

Here are a few guidelines to follow:

1. Say “no” to energy drains.
Ultimately, we want to avoid stressful situations as much as possible. Try to avoid situations that require you to think really hard and problem-solve, or react to things quickly. This might also mean scaling back on social activities for a week or two so that you can create space for this beneficial psychological downtime.

2. Step back from running content.
Two weeks before your event is a great time to start scaling back your engagement with running content. Resist the temptation to binge-watch race strategy videos or trawl blogs for last-minute tips. You’ve already put in the hard work, and the most important thing you can do to maximize your performance is give your mind and body some time to rest and recover.

3. Limit race talk.
Pre-race nerves can become all-consuming, so it’s helpful to set some guardrails on your race-related talk. Don’t feel guilty for dodging chatty training pals who want to rehash every detail. It’s important to protect your headspace.

4. Schedule a little “me” time.
If you can, schedule some time for yourself. You might try deep breathing exercises, meditation, or even some gentle yoga. (Don’t overdo the stretching, though!) Scheduling a day off from work for relaxation can be a fantastic way to boost your mental readiness, if you’re able to do so.

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Your Race-Week Timeline

One Week to Race Day: If you haven’t already, start winding down your mental stressors and strains. This is the time to slow everything down, avoid new podcasts, social media posts, and blogs. Perhaps spend some time visualizing your race.

Three Days to Race Day: Reflect on your training and all the hard work you’ve put in to get ready for race day. Practice some calming activities. Don’t feel guilty about not “doing more” during this time. Rest and recovery are the biggest levers you can pull before race day.

Night Before the Race: Trust the process. Breathe. Sleep. Allow the excitement to build. You’ve worked really hard to get here, and you’re ready!

The mental taper is arguably as important as the physical running taper, so it’s worth taking the time to think about what this might look like for you. Of course, we don’t all have the luxury of abdicating all our responsibilities ahead of a race, but there are simple measures we can take to give our minds the time they need to rest and reset.

A well-executed mental taper will help your recovery and boost your performance on race day.

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MORE PRE-RACE TIPS FROM RUNNING COACHES

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Eat for Endurance Founder Claire Shorenstein’s Destination Race Nutrition Tips

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