Taper Week Volume Calculator
Plan your pre-race taper: cut weekly training volume week by week from your peak while keeping some intensity, so you arrive fresh.
How it works
Week n volume = peak × (1 − reduction%)^n (intensity is kept, volume is trimmed)
A taper sheds accumulated fatigue while preserving fitness, and the evidence favours cutting volume — not intensity — over about 1–3 weeks. Reducing weekly distance by roughly 20–30% each week (often landing near 40–60% of peak by race week) while keeping a few short, race-pace efforts lets you arrive rested but sharp. Dropping intensity entirely tends to leave runners feeling flat.
Worked example
Peak 50 km with a 25% weekly cut over 3 weeks: week 1 = 50 × 0.75 = 37.5, week 2 = 28.1, week 3 (race week) = 21.1 — about 42% of peak. Keep a couple of short race-pace sessions in each week.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a taper be?
It scales with the event: about one week for a 5K–10K, roughly two weeks for a half, and up to three weeks for a marathon. Longer, higher-volume training generally warrants a longer taper.
Should I stop hard workouts during the taper?
No — keep the intensity, just do less of it. A few short intervals or strides at race pace maintain sharpness; it is the total volume you cut, not the quality.
Why do I feel sluggish during a taper?
So-called "taper tantrums" are common as your body adapts to less work. Trust the plan — freshness usually shows up in the final days before the race.
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This calculator is for educational purposes. Double-check important results before acting on them.