This week begins perhaps the most difficult part of our Worlds training program: The Taper. Tapering involves the gradual reduction of mileage and increase of recovery time in the final days before racing begins, with the goal of reducing the accumulated fatigue of the past few weeks. However, to a group of women accustomed to high-volume, high-mileage, and time-consuming workout schedules, the taper week can leave us antsy and chomping at the bit.
- “You have the morning off tomorrow. You get to sleep in.”, Coach will tell us.
- “Ok”, we reasoned, “that means an hour run when we wake up, right?”
- “Nope, I want you to stay off your feet. Recover.”
-“ Ok, ‘recover’. So I guess that translates to thirty minutes or so of light erging, right?”
- “No, it means rest.”
- “Wait… we aren’t supposed to do anything?”
- “That’s right. A morning off.”
- *baffled silence*
To the rational side of my brain, tapering makes prefect sense. We’ve already done the hard work—there is no more strength to be gained, no more fitness to be achieved. It’s just a matter of sharpening our fast-twitch muscles and perfecting our final race plan. But to the athlete’s side of my brain, the idea of a “restful morning” is totally and utterly puzzling. After all, it’s in our nature to work hard; it’s how we got to where we are today! (Take a strong work ethic, mix in a few physiological gifts, add some height, and voila! you’ve got all the trappings for an elite rower!)
This is the moment when we just have to trust Coach, trust the training plan, and trust the work of last ten months. So this morning, instead of going on a run around Lake Bled, or a vigorous hike up to the Castle, or even a leisurely tourist stroll through town, I’m going to stay off my feet, sip my tea, and calm that inner voice telling me to go workout.
And because we trained—and tapered!—intelligently, the Americans will arrive at the starting line with fresh legs, a reenergized spirit, and no fitness lost.
Go Team USA!
Jamie
www.jamieredman.wordpress.com
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