Is tapering supposed to be such a pain?

[tbowren]

So I've been getting ready for my 4th or 5th endurance "race" and it's taper time again. Having done this a few times now I am starting to see a pattern.

Every time I start to take it a bit easy I get strange aches and pain throughout my body. Mostly it's in my joints and tendons, not the muscles. It feels like everything is tightening up and sharpish pains plague me throughout the day in my back, knees, ankles, hips, etc. They are not horrible stabbing pains, but they are noticeable. Stretching helps but the problems areas just move around.

My muscles feel sluggish and heavy but I would expect that. Someone had said on STR before VQ that if you feel sluggish your taper is working, but I don't recall anything about body aches and stiffness.

When I'm riding 5 days a week I never have these issues, but then my muscles are the parts that hurt.

Am I just getting old or do others get this too?

[Zippy]

Totally normal symptoms for starting a taper. I get that sluggish feeling every time, but my aches and pains occur more often during big training weeks.

Stick with stretching and consider a massage 2-3 days before your "race"...trust me, it works wonders.

[lukewiens]

you are lowering volume while maintaining intensity i take it. possibly try lowering your volume by a lower percentage. some of my best tapers and races were preceded by close-to-normal training weeks.

it is a weird thing that taper....an individual mystery as to what works for you!

[schleppp]

Originally Posted by Zippy

Totally normal symptoms for starting a taper. I get that sluggish feeling every time, but my aches and pains occur more often during big training weeks.

Stick with stretching and consider a massage 2-3 days before your "race"...trust me, it works wonders.

+1

And make sure your taper is just that, a steady reduction of stress on your body.

Originally Posted by lukewiens

you are lowering volume while maintaining intensity i take it.

I would assume he is tapering both volume and intensity. That is the typical format anyway...

[tbowren]

Originally Posted by lukewiens

you are lowering volume while maintaining intensity i take it.

Yes thats how I was told to do it. Basically if I goto Aliso Woods, I'll still hammer up Cholla or Mathis, but take it easier on the connective trails.

Also, last weekends 4 hour road ride was closer to 2.5 hours but I still don't like to get passed so there is a fair amount of "spontaneous intervals" when I encounter like minded riders.

And last week I stopped the ride to work - ride at lunch - ride home triple treat days that I used to do.

So ya less volume, and high intensity less frequently but I still have to "drop the hammer" at least a few times on every ride.

Luckily, The 8hrs of Adrenelin is next weekend, so I can get back to feeling "normal" soon.

Thanks for the replies.

[lukewiens]

Originally Posted by tbowren

Luckily, The 8hrs of Adrenelin is next weekend, so I can get back to feeling "normal" soon.

see ya there!

2 man or solo?

[tbowren]

Originally Posted by lukewiens

see ya there!

2 man or solo?

Solo!
I figure if I can spend 7 hours on the Counting Coup, I can spend 8 hours at Hurkey Creek.

[mp3]

Originally Posted by tbowren

So I've been getting ready for my 4th or 5th endurance "race" and it's taper time again. Having done this a few times now I am starting to see a pattern.

Every time I start to take it a bit easy I get strange aches and pain throughout my body. Mostly it's in my joints and tendons, not the muscles. It feels like everything is tightening up and sharpish pains plague me throughout the day in my back, knees, ankles, hips, etc. They are not horrible stabbing pains, but they are noticeable. Stretching helps but the problems areas just move around.

My muscles feel sluggish and heavy but I would expect that. Someone had said on STR before VQ that if you feel sluggish your taper is working, but I don't recall anything about body aches and stiffness.

When I'm riding 5 days a week I never have these issues, but then my muscles are the parts that hurt.

Am I just getting old or do others get this too?

Never had any pains during taper. Legs don't get sluggish either they feel fresh. I'm usually going crazy before a race with so little ride time.

Good luck!!

[tbowren]

Originally Posted by mp3

Never had any pains during taper. Legs don't get sluggish either they feel fresh. I'm usually going crazy before a race with so little ride time.

Good luck!!

That's interesting. I wonder if that is due to your higher level of conditioning having done this for numerous years?

I have noticed Lynda's training plans include a lot of foam roller and core work. This would help reduce muscle imbalances and help keep your body more balanced.

Sometimes I wonder if I over train or I over train certain muscles (and not their opposing muscle group) which is causing extra stress on my joints.

[bvader]

I seem to get strange "phantom" aches/twitches in my knees when I taper. It has happened a number of times. And by race day it can get borderline annoying, but I have learned/interpreted over time thats it just my body "itching and twitching" to go.

I like to feel if the race was canceled that I would have to go out and ride anyways...no matter what.

-- Better to be over rested than over trained --

[Padre]

I've never tapered...but I have hurt after events.

[emfc]

What's tapering?

[tbowren]

Originally Posted by emfc

What's tapering?

Tapering is reducing the amount and/or intensity you ride your bike for about 2 weeks before a race to optimize your performance on race day.

Form = Fitness + Freshness

Ride your bike ALOT and you can get very "fit" but you may not have the energy to go your fastest because you are sore or your legs feel heavy.

Take a break from riding and you feel very "fresh". You can sprint very hard but you will run out of gas quickly.

The idea of a taper is to find that ideal combo of maximum fitness and freshness.

I'm surprised Padre has never tapered. I would assume Madre's coach must work some sort of taper before her big events.

I have read the opinion "The shorter the event, the longer the taper." because short events are usually very fast.

[Wrecker]

My taper still includes hitting AT on my rides, my understanding of this theory is to continue processing the acid within the muscles and keep those pumps primed for the main event. But, I'm also not at the level of most of you guys and enjoy the social aspect of the ride

[Padre]

Madre's tapering usually involves a slight schedule change about 5 days prior to an event. There is a slight reduction in intensity but still has some hard work.

Originally Posted by tbowren

Tapering is reducing the amount and/or intensity you ride your bike for about 2 weeks before a race to optimize your performance on race day.

Form = Fitness + Freshness

Ride your bike ALOT and you can get very "fit" but you may not have the energy to go your fastest because you are sore or your legs feel heavy.

Take a break from riding and you feel very "fresh". You can sprint very hard but you will run out of gas quickly.

The idea of a taper is to find that ideal combo of maximum fitness and freshness.

I'm surprised Padre has never tapered. I would assume Madre's coach must work some sort of taper before her big events.

I have read the opinion "The shorter the event, the longer the taper." because short events are usually very fast.

[RidetheRAAM4]

race tapering is for pussies!!

http://www.cafepress.com/cp/moredeta...colorNo=6&pr=F

[mp3]

Originally Posted by tbowren

That's interesting. I wonder if that is due to your higher level of conditioning having done this for numerous years?

I have noticed Lynda's training plans include a lot of foam roller and core work. This would help reduce muscle imbalances and help keep your body more balanced.

Sometimes I wonder if I over train or I over train certain muscles (and not their opposing muscle group) which is causing extra stress on my joints.

Dunno. The foam roller is to iron out the hot spots. I used to do that, but now I get a massage on my legs once a week when the training volume is pretty heavy. She also has plenty of stretching in her plans.

I have to qualify my statement about tapering. That applies to races I actually taper for, like Hurkey Creek this weekend. I rarely taper for training events like XC races, Vision Quest, any event before April...