{"id":65132,"date":"2026-04-22T13:40:13","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T11:40:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.inspiredbysports.com\/boston-marathon-2026-96-hours-taper-goal-time\/"},"modified":"2026-04-22T13:40:27","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T11:40:27","slug":"boston-marathon-2026-96-hours-taper-goal-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.inspiredbysports.com\/en\/boston-marathon-2026-96-hours-taper-goal-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Boston Marathon 2026: How 96 Hours of Taper Decide Your Goal Time"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\">[vc_row row_type=&#8221;row&#8221; use_row_as_full_screen_section=&#8221;no&#8221; type=&#8221;full_width&#8221; text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; background_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; css_animation=&#8221;&#8221;][vc_column][vc_row_inner row_type=&#8221;row&#8221; type=&#8221;full_width&#8221; use_row_as_full_screen_section_slide=&#8221;no&#8221; text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; css_animation=&#8221;&#8221;][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]\n<h4><a href=\"\/?cat=797\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Individual Sports<\/em><\/a><\/h4>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_separator type=&#8221;normal&#8221; color=&#8221;#3b3b3c&#8221; border_style=&#8221;&#8221; thickness=&#8221;2&#8243; down=&#8221;30&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n[vc_row row_type=&#8221;row&#8221; use_row_as_full_screen_section=&#8221;no&#8221; type=&#8221;full_width&#8221; text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; background_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; css_animation=&#8221;&#8221;][vc_column][vc_row_inner row_type=&#8221;row&#8221; type=&#8221;full_width&#8221; use_row_as_full_screen_section_slide=&#8221;no&#8221; text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; css_animation=&#8221;&#8221;][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/6&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;60970&#8243; img_size=&#8221;200&#215;200&#8243; alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; qode_css_animation=&#8221;&#8221; el_class=&#8221;ibs-wappen&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;5\/6&#8243;][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;10px&#8221;][vc_column_text]AUTHOR:[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;10px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<span style=\"font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 18pt;\">Benedikt Langer<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;10px&#8221;][vc_column_text]<em><span style=\"font-family: Merriweather;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.inspiredbysports.com\/experts\/benedikt-langer\/\">To the profile &rsaquo;&rsaquo; <\/a><\/span><\/em>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height=&#8221;30px&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n[vc_row row_type=&#8221;row&#8221; use_row_as_full_screen_section=&#8221;no&#8221; type=&#8221;full_width&#8221; text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; background_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; css_animation=&#8221;&#8221;][vc_column][vc_column_text]\n<div style=\"display:inline-block;background:#00FFFF;color:#1a2a2e;padding:4px 14px;border-radius:20px;font-size:0.85em;font-weight:600;margin-bottom:18px;\">6 min read<\/div>\n<p><strong>On Monday, April 20, the 130th Boston Marathon rolls through Hopkinton to Copley Square. Over 30,000 runners will be on the start line. What they do today, four days before, decides their goal time more than the training blocks of the last three months. The science behind it is called tapering &#8211; and it is half physiology and half self-control.<\/strong><\/p>\n<div style=\"position:relative;margin:28px 0 32px;padding:24px 28px 20px;background:linear-gradient(135deg, rgba(0,255,255,0.06) 0%, rgba(149,200,219,0.08) 100%);border-radius:12px;border-left:4px solid #00FFFF;overflow:hidden;\">\n<div style=\"position:absolute;top:-8px;right:-8px;opacity:0.07;font-size:120px;line-height:1;font-weight:900;color:#00FFFF;pointer-events:none;\">&#9889;<\/div>\n<h2 style=\"line-height:1.5;margin:0 0 16px 0;font-size:1.4em;color:#1a2a2e;display:flex;align-items:center;gap:10px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.inspiredbysports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/pfeil.png\" alt=\"\" style=\"width:28px;height:28px;opacity:0.8;\"> Quick Sprint<\/h2>\n<ul style=\"margin:0;padding:0 0 0 20px;list-style:none;\">\n<li style=\"position:relative;padding:6px 0 6px 8px;line-height:1.6;color:#333;border-bottom:1px solid rgba(0,212,212,0.12);\"><span style=\"position:absolute;left:-16px;color:#00D4D4;font-weight:700;\">&#x25B8;<\/span> Three percent faster marathon time is the average effect of an optimal taper (Mujika meta-analysis 2010). At a three-hour time, that&#8217;s five and a half minutes.<\/li>\n<li style=\"position:relative;padding:6px 0 6px 8px;line-height:1.6;color:#333;border-bottom:1px solid rgba(0,212,212,0.12);\"><span style=\"position:absolute;left:-16px;color:#00D4D4;font-weight:700;\">&#x25B8;<\/span> Reduce volume by 40 to 60 percent, keep intensity. If you also drop intensity, you lose VO2max and start tired.<\/li>\n<li style=\"position:relative;padding:6px 0 6px 8px;line-height:1.6;color:#333;border-bottom:1px solid rgba(0,212,212,0.12);\"><span style=\"position:absolute;left:-16px;color:#00D4D4;font-weight:700;\">&#x25B8;<\/span> Glycogen stores rise by up to 40 percent with taper plus carb-loading. More reserve for the final eight kilometres.<\/li>\n<li style=\"position:relative;padding:6px 0 6px 8px;line-height:1.6;color:#333;border-bottom:1px solid rgba(0,212,212,0.12);\"><span style=\"position:absolute;left:-16px;color:#00D4D4;font-weight:700;\">&#x25B8;<\/span> A rest day directly before the race is fine. Two days of zero movement is bad &#8211; it promotes stiffness and poor sleep.<\/li>\n<li style=\"position:relative;padding:6px 0 6px 8px;line-height:1.6;color:#333;\"><span style=\"position:absolute;left:-16px;color:#00D4D4;font-weight:700;\">&#x25B8;<\/span> Those who get sick during taper should rather skip race day than push through. Compromised recovery drags on for weeks.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2 style=\"line-height:1.5;\">The science: What really happens in the body during tapering<\/h2>\n<p>Tapering is not laziness with an alibi. It is a physiological phase in which your body sheds fatigue but preserves the adaptations from hard training. Inigo Mujika, exercise physiologist at the University of the Basque Country and one of the most important taper researchers worldwide, summarised more than 180 studies in his widely cited <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/12932870\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">2003 meta-analysis<\/a>: the biggest gain comes from a volume reduction of 41 to 60 percent while maintaining training frequency and intensity.<\/p>\n<p>So anyone who ran 80 kilometres per week during the marathon block reduces to 40 to 50. Anyone who had ten sessions in two weeks stays at eight to nine. What should NOT be done: cutting tempo sessions. Precisely the short intervals at marathon pace are what keep VO2max and lactate threshold high. If you drop them, you run race day tired with fresh legs &#8211; a strange feeling familiar to many Boston rookies.<\/p>\n<div style=\"display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(auto-fit,minmax(220px,1fr));gap:16px;margin:32px 0;\">\n<div style=\"background:rgba(0,255,255,0.06);border-left:3px solid #00FFFF;padding:20px;border-radius:8px;\">\n<div style=\"font-size:2em;font-weight:900;color:#008B8B;line-height:1;\">+3 %<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size:0.85em;color:#333;margin-top:8px;line-height:1.4;\">Faster marathon time with an optimal taper (average)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"background:rgba(0,255,255,0.06);border-left:3px solid #00FFFF;padding:20px;border-radius:8px;\">\n<div style=\"font-size:2em;font-weight:900;color:#008B8B;line-height:1;\">41-60 %<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size:0.85em;color:#333;margin-top:8px;line-height:1.4;\">Volume reduction with the best effect (Mujika 2003)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"background:rgba(0,255,255,0.06);border-left:3px solid #00FFFF;padding:20px;border-radius:8px;\">\n<div style=\"font-size:2em;font-weight:900;color:#008B8B;line-height:1;\">+40 %<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size:0.85em;color:#333;margin-top:8px;line-height:1.4;\">More glycogen in the muscles via taper + carb-loading<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Hormonally, something remarkable happens during this phase. The ratio of anabolic to catabolic hormones shifts, testosterone-to-cortisol values rise. At the same time, the musculature regenerates micro-injuries, immune system markers normalise, heart rate variability rises again. Studies on rowers (Neary 2003) showed a performance increase of up to six percent during a three-week taper phase &#8211; with significantly less training.<\/p>\n<p>The most common mental trap: the feeling during taper week is often miserable. Legs are heavy, head foggy, dreams get wild. This is not a sign of poor form, but of the rebuild. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.inspiredbysports.com\/marathon-anfaenger-trainingsplan-16-wochen-2026\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Regeneration processes in the body<\/a> run at full tilt, which doesn&#8217;t always feel good.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"line-height:1.5;\">The final 96 hours: what comes when<\/h2>\n<p>The last workout that really still delivers something is on Thursday. From Friday on, it&#8217;s no longer about fitness but about energy stores and body feel. Here are the four days before Boston, broken down along what professionals like Eliud Kipchoge or Germany&#8217;s marathon coaches consistently recommend.<\/p>\n<div style=\"margin:32px 0;padding-left:24px;border-left:3px solid #00FFFF;\">\n<div style=\"margin-bottom:24px;\">\n<div style=\"font-size:0.85em;color:#008B8B;font-weight:700;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:1.5px;\">Thursday &#8211; 72 hours before<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size:1.1em;font-weight:700;color:#1a2a2e;margin:4px 0 8px;\">Last shake-out with tempo<\/div>\n<div style=\"color:#333;line-height:1.6;\">30 to 40 minutes of easy running with three to four strides over 80 metres. Not longer, not faster. Just to keep the legs awake and to let the musculature know what&#8217;s coming on Monday.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-bottom:24px;\">\n<div style=\"font-size:0.85em;color:#008B8B;font-weight:700;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:1.5px;\">Friday &#8211; 48 hours before<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size:1.1em;font-weight:700;color:#1a2a2e;margin:4px 0 8px;\">Carb-loading starts<\/div>\n<div style=\"color:#333;line-height:1.6;\">Eight to ten grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight. No experimental food, nothing new. Someone weighing 70 kilos lands at around 600 grams of carbs per day. Pasta, rice, potatoes, oats, white bread. And yes: weight will go up by one to two kilos. That is water stored with every gram of glycogen. You need it.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-bottom:24px;\">\n<div style=\"font-size:0.85em;color:#008B8B;font-weight:700;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:1.5px;\">Saturday &#8211; 24 hours before<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size:1.1em;font-weight:700;color:#1a2a2e;margin:4px 0 8px;\">15 to 20 minutes jogging plus short race expo<\/div>\n<div style=\"color:#333;line-height:1.6;\">In Boston the race expo is a massacre moment. Standing for hours, walking around, hauling a goodie bag. Do it in 60 minutes and get out. Back to the hotel, legs up, fluids, carbs. In the evening a short run with a few strides so the circulation doesn&#8217;t shut down on Sunday.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div style=\"font-size:0.85em;color:#008B8B;font-weight:700;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:1.5px;\">Sunday &#8211; race day minus one<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size:1.1em;font-weight:700;color:#1a2a2e;margin:4px 0 8px;\">Breakfast like race day, then rest<\/div>\n<div style=\"color:#333;line-height:1.6;\">Try the four-hours-before-race breakfast, test gut reaction. Then: 20 minutes very easy walking or jogging. No second time out. Bib pickup was already on Saturday. Lunch: noodles, rice, chicken. Early to bed in the evening.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Boston has a particular feature: the shuttle bus to Hopkinton leaves Boston Common between 06:00 and 08:00 in the morning. Runners then wait up to three hours in the Athletes&#8217; Village in cool temperatures. Anyone who eats wrong or drinks too little during these three hours has lost the race before it starts. Rehearsing routines is therefore part of the taper, not only of race day.<\/p>\n<p>Two differences versus other major marathons are decisive: First, Boston starts downhill, the first six kilometres drop around 140 metres. Anyone here with fresh taper legs who doesn&#8217;t control pace by kilometre four destroys their quads and pays from kilometre 32 on at Heartbreak Hill. Second, race temperature is historically volatile: from seven degrees and rain (2018) to 31 degrees and sun (2012). Taper nutrition adjusts accordingly &#8211; in heat fewer fibres, more electrolytes, fewer heavy carbs on Sunday. Anyone who does a taper without a weather plan improvises on the shuttle bus.<\/p>\n<p>The third point concerns the journey itself. Many European runners fly in on Wednesday or Thursday, lose two nights of deep sleep to the time shift, and still start with a classic textbook taper. That doesn&#8217;t add up. Anyone coming from Germany should either arrive earlier (six to seven days before) and build arrival fatigue into the taper, or deliberately accept that the sleep deficit is part of the equation. Melatonin dosing and light exposure then become part of the plan &#8211; not a sideline topic.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"line-height:1.5;\">Active vs. passive recovery: the Sunday-before-race debate<\/h2>\n<p>Probably the most common question in Boston WhatsApp groups at this hour: should I run at all on Sunday or rather rest completely? The data are not conclusive, but here are the arguments on both sides &#8211; talked through with two coaches who work with athletes in Boston.<\/p>\n<div style=\"display:grid;grid-template-columns:1fr 1fr;gap:20px;margin:28px 0;\">\n<div style=\"background:rgba(0,255,255,0.06);padding:24px;border-radius:10px;border-left:3px solid #008B8B;\">\n<div style=\"font-size:0.85em;color:#008B8B;font-weight:700;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:1.5px;margin-bottom:12px;\">Pro active recovery<\/div>\n<ul style=\"margin:0;padding:0 0 0 18px;list-style:none;\">\n<li style=\"position:relative;padding:4px 0;line-height:1.6;color:#333;\"><span style=\"position:absolute;left:-14px;color:#00D4D4;font-weight:700;\">&#x25B8;<\/span> 15 to 20 minutes of jogging keeps the circulation awake and helps against nervous stiffness.<\/li>\n<li style=\"position:relative;padding:4px 0;line-height:1.6;color:#333;\"><span style=\"position:absolute;left:-14px;color:#00D4D4;font-weight:700;\">&#x25B8;<\/span> Three to four strides activate fast muscle fibres that would otherwise be asleep at the start.<\/li>\n<li style=\"position:relative;padding:4px 0;line-height:1.6;color:#333;\"><span style=\"position:absolute;left:-14px;color:#00D4D4;font-weight:700;\">&#x25B8;<\/span> Better sleep the night before the race &#8211; anyone with zero movement during the day lies awake at night.<\/li>\n<li style=\"position:relative;padding:4px 0;line-height:1.6;color:#333;\"><span style=\"position:absolute;left:-14px;color:#00D4D4;font-weight:700;\">&#x25B8;<\/span> Head programme: check the pace feel once more, don&#8217;t go into the start in uncertainty.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"background:rgba(255,240,240,0.7);padding:24px;border-radius:10px;border-left:3px solid #c94444;\">\n<div style=\"font-size:0.85em;color:#b33333;font-weight:700;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:1.5px;margin-bottom:12px;\">Pro complete rest<\/div>\n<ul style=\"margin:0;padding:0 0 0 18px;list-style:none;\">\n<li style=\"position:relative;padding:4px 0;line-height:1.6;color:#333;\"><span style=\"position:absolute;left:-14px;color:#c94444;font-weight:700;\">&#x25B8;<\/span> Every extra step is potential micro-damage that shows up on race day.<\/li>\n<li style=\"position:relative;padding:4px 0;line-height:1.6;color:#333;\"><span style=\"position:absolute;left:-14px;color:#c94444;font-weight:700;\">&#x25B8;<\/span> Joints and tendons benefit from 48 hours of full regeneration.<\/li>\n<li style=\"position:relative;padding:4px 0;line-height:1.6;color:#333;\"><span style=\"position:absolute;left:-14px;color:#c94444;font-weight:700;\">&#x25B8;<\/span> Anyone visiting the race expo anyway clocks 6,000 to 10,000 steps &#8211; that suffices as activation.<\/li>\n<li style=\"position:relative;padding:4px 0;line-height:1.6;color:#333;\"><span style=\"position:absolute;left:-14px;color:#c94444;font-weight:700;\">&#x25B8;<\/span> Head focus: work on the target time, don&#8217;t spiral into pace anxiety.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The consensus that emerged in both conversations: 15 to 20 minutes very easy jogging in the morning, at most three short strides, then strictly legs up. For anyone suffering race nerves who starts sweating at the mere thought of pace charts, the little run is almost more important than the physiological component. The body then remembers that running is normal &#8211; not an event. This is Boston-specific, because the preceding days are anyway laced with organisational stress (boarding pass, bib check, shuttle). <a href=\"https:\/\/www.inspiredbysports.com\/boston-marathon-2026-vorbericht-lokedi-korir-marcel-hug\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Other marathon routines<\/a> from Berlin or Munich can&#8217;t be transferred one-to-one.<\/p>\n<p>What the taper discussion often forgets: the mental component is as big as the physiological. A taper that makes the legs fresh but puts the head into panic only gets you halfway. The final 96 hours are also 96 hours of self-talk &#8211; about why you did the long runs, what the goal is, how it will feel. Anyone who doesn&#8217;t plan that often loses at kilometre 32, when the body still could and the head steps out.<\/p>\n<div style=\"margin-top:20px;padding:28px 25px 8px;background:linear-gradient(135deg, rgba(0,212,212,0.08) 0%, rgba(149,200,219,0.12) 100%);border-radius:12px;border-left:4px solid #00FFFF;\">\n<h2 style=\"line-height:1.3;margin:0 0 8px 0;font-size:1.4em;color:#1a2a2e;display:flex;align-items:center;gap:10px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.inspiredbysports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/pfeil.png\" alt=\"\" style=\"width:28px;height:28px;opacity:0.8;\"> Cool-down<\/h2>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 16px;font-size:0.88em;color:#666;\">Click a question to expand the answer.<\/p>\n<details style=\"margin:0 !important;padding:0 !important;border-bottom:1px solid rgba(0,212,212,0.15);background:transparent !important;\">\n<summary style=\"display:flex !important;align-items:center !important;justify-content:flex-start !important;gap:12px !important;padding:16px 4px !important;cursor:pointer;list-style:none !important;font-size:1.05em;font-weight:600;color:#1a2a2e;line-height:1.4;text-align:left !important;margin:0 !important;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.inspiredbysports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/pfeil.png\" alt=\"\" style=\"width:18px;height:18px;min-width:18px;opacity:0.6;transform:rotate(-90deg);transition:transform 0.3s ease;\" class=\"ibs-faq-arrow\"> How many kilometres should I still run in the final week?<\/summary>\n<div style=\"padding:0 0 18px 30px;color:#333;line-height:1.7;font-size:0.96em;text-align:left;\">About 40 to 50 percent of your peak week volume. Anyone who recently ran 80 kilometres per week lands at around 35 kilometres during race week &#8211; marathon included. Important: split across two to three sessions, don&#8217;t concentrate on one long run. Long runs shortly before the race deliver nothing except fatigue.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details style=\"margin:0 !important;padding:0 !important;border-bottom:1px solid rgba(0,212,212,0.15);background:transparent !important;\">\n<summary style=\"display:flex !important;align-items:center !important;justify-content:flex-start !important;gap:12px !important;padding:16px 4px !important;cursor:pointer;list-style:none !important;font-size:1.05em;font-weight:600;color:#1a2a2e;line-height:1.4;text-align:left !important;margin:0 !important;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.inspiredbysports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/pfeil.png\" alt=\"\" style=\"width:18px;height:18px;min-width:18px;opacity:0.6;transform:rotate(-90deg);transition:transform 0.3s ease;\" class=\"ibs-faq-arrow\"> My body feels awful during taper. Is that normal?<\/summary>\n<div style=\"padding:0 0 18px 30px;color:#333;line-height:1.7;font-size:0.96em;text-align:left;\">Absolutely. Heavy legs, foggy head, sudden cold symptoms without a real cold, weird dreams &#8211; all typical taper effects. Your body is rebuilding, which often feels like standstill during the process. The overwhelming majority of studies show: actual race-day performance is better than the feel of the week before suggests.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details style=\"margin:0 !important;padding:0 !important;border-bottom:1px solid rgba(0,212,212,0.15);background:transparent !important;\">\n<summary style=\"display:flex !important;align-items:center !important;justify-content:flex-start !important;gap:12px !important;padding:16px 4px !important;cursor:pointer;list-style:none !important;font-size:1.05em;font-weight:600;color:#1a2a2e;line-height:1.4;text-align:left !important;margin:0 !important;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.inspiredbysports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/pfeil.png\" alt=\"\" style=\"width:18px;height:18px;min-width:18px;opacity:0.6;transform:rotate(-90deg);transition:transform 0.3s ease;\" class=\"ibs-faq-arrow\"> Carb-loading: really three days of ten grams per kilo?<\/summary>\n<div style=\"padding:0 0 18px 30px;color:#333;line-height:1.7;font-size:0.96em;text-align:left;\">Modern studies (Burke 2018) show: one to two days with eight to ten grams per kilo suffice for maximum glycogen storage. Three days deliver nothing extra, but more GI issues. More important than the gram count is the execution: low-fibre, well-tolerated, spread across the day. Not one big pasta dinner on Saturday evening, but continuous over two days.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details style=\"margin:0 !important;padding:0 !important;border-bottom:1px solid rgba(0,212,212,0.15);background:transparent !important;\">\n<summary style=\"display:flex !important;align-items:center !important;justify-content:flex-start !important;gap:12px !important;padding:16px 4px !important;cursor:pointer;list-style:none !important;font-size:1.05em;font-weight:600;color:#1a2a2e;line-height:1.4;text-align:left !important;margin:0 !important;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.inspiredbysports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/pfeil.png\" alt=\"\" style=\"width:18px;height:18px;min-width:18px;opacity:0.6;transform:rotate(-90deg);transition:transform 0.3s ease;\" class=\"ibs-faq-arrow\"> Strength training during taper week &#8211; yes or no?<\/summary>\n<div style=\"padding:0 0 18px 30px;color:#333;line-height:1.7;font-size:0.96em;text-align:left;\">Heavy strength training: no. That creates micro-injuries you&#8217;ll carry into the marathon. Activation and mobilisation: yes, but short. One session on Monday or Tuesday before the race at low intensity (50 percent of usual weights, few reps) is okay. From Wednesday: mobilisation only, fascia rolling, light stretching.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details style=\"margin:0 !important;padding:0 !important;border-bottom:none !important;background:transparent !important;\">\n<summary style=\"display:flex !important;align-items:center !important;justify-content:flex-start !important;gap:12px !important;padding:16px 4px !important;cursor:pointer;list-style:none !important;font-size:1.05em;font-weight:600;color:#1a2a2e;line-height:1.4;text-align:left !important;margin:0 !important;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.inspiredbysports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/pfeil.png\" alt=\"\" style=\"width:18px;height:18px;min-width:18px;opacity:0.6;transform:rotate(-90deg);transition:transform 0.3s ease;\" class=\"ibs-faq-arrow\"> What if I&#8217;m nervous and sleep badly?<\/summary>\n<div style=\"padding:0 0 18px 30px;color:#333;line-height:1.7;font-size:0.96em;text-align:left;\">The Saturday night is more important than the Sunday night. The body compensates for a bad night directly before the race without performance loss. Important: don&#8217;t try new sleep aids, skip the alcohol bar, room dark and cool, phone out of the bedroom. If thoughts are racing: get up, read something for ten minutes, back to bed. That&#8217;s better than lying awake for hours.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<\/div>\n<p><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How many kilometres should I still run in the final week?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Around 40 to 50 percent of your peak week volume, split across two to three sessions.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"My body feels awful during taper. Is that normal?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Yes. Heavy legs, foggy head and taper blues are normal. 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The body compensates for one bad night directly before the race.\"}}]}<\/script><\/p>\n<style>\ndetails summary::-webkit-details-marker,details summary::marker{display:none !important;content:\"\" !important;}\ndetails[open] .ibs-faq-arrow{transform:rotate(0deg) !important;opacity:1 !important;}\ndetails summary:hover{color:#00D4D4 !important;}\ndetails[open]>summary{color:#00D4D4 !important;}\n.wpb_wrapper details::after,.wpb_wrapper details::before,.wpb_wrapper summary::after,.wpb_wrapper summary::before{display:none !important;content:none !important;background:none !important;width:0 !important;height:0 !important;}\n<\/style>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n[vc_row row_type=&#8221;row&#8221; use_row_as_full_screen_section=&#8221;no&#8221; type=&#8221;full_width&#8221; text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; background_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; css_animation=&#8221;&#8221;][vc_column][vc_column_text]\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;font-size:0.85em;color:#666;margin-top:32px;\"><em>IBS Publishing is a publishing brand of evernine media.<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><em>Source cover image: Pexels \/ Roman Biernacki<\/em><\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n<p><!-- ibs_difficulty: advanced --><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On April 20, the 130th Boston Marathon kicks off. 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