When would you be available for a call on the topic of tapering? An email answer will also work, if your schedule doesn't permit a phone call.
Specifically I'm looking for answers to the following:
1) How far out from an event?
- Century
- XC MTB "A" race
- Time trial "A" race
- Something like the Race Across the West, Race Across America, the Death Ride (16000' and 120 miles)
- Double centuries
[Joe Friel] The key variable is the athlete. With that in mind, the longer and harder the event the longer the peak period. Another variable is how hard the training was leading up to the event. The harder the training (esp in terms of intensity) the longer the taper.
2) How much intensity do you leave in each week leading up to the event?
[Joe Friel] I can’t put a number on it. Peaking for an Ironman or double century is a lot different than training for a sprint tri or crit. Intensity is important to both but it isn’t the same.
3)How much of a factor is the fact that you get your body used to a certain level of activity, and it does its best when those levels remain constant?
[Joe Friel] The levels of stress cannot remain the same or there will be no improvement. Increased level of stress, in some form, must be a part of training up until the taper/peak.
4) I get "clever rest = performance improvement," but how much is too much?
[Joe Friel] Again, very dependent on the athlete, what they’ve been doing up to the start of the peak, and the nature of the event. There is no answer that works across the board. Too many variables.
5) How much fitness can someone lose if they taper too long?
[Joe Friel] can lose it all in a few weeks based on the WKO model. I try to have athletes no less than 10% in the peak period.
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