Subtitle: Tapering is the art of shedding fatigue without losing fitness. Here is how to nail it for your first big event of the season.
The final two weeks before a race are a minefield. Do too much and you arrive tired. Do too little and your legs feel stale.
An Enduroco discussion from Manoj captured this pre-race anxiety: “I am in a good spot with FTP +20w… deciding what to do before my first B event.”
A, B, C race philosophy
Not all events deserve the same taper.
- A-race: full peak, full taper.
- B-race: important, but not at the cost of the season.
- C-race: training day with a number plate.
Manoj’s B-race dilemma
For B events, the approach shifts from maximal freshness to smart continuity.
As Coach Vikram advised: work backward from race day with a race-specific block plus a controlled taper.
For long events, this usually means a volume taper, not a complete intensity shutdown.
- Reduce volume, keep intensity: cut duration by roughly 40-50% while retaining intensity touchpoints.
- Avoid leg-testing rides: hard validation efforts 2-3 days pre-race usually add fatigue, not confidence.
The mental side
Tapers often feel bad before they feel great.
Heavy legs during taper can mean glycogen restoration and recovery progression, not loss of fitness.
Conclusion
If a near-term race is a stepping stone, taper enough to race well without derailing the bigger target. Keep the engine awake, remove excess fatigue, and trust the plan.