With London Landmarks Half Marathon race day approaching, the final weeks of training are all about arriving at the start line feeling rested, confident, and ready.
At this stage, the hard work is already done. Now it’s about tapering smartly, prioritising recovery, hydrating and fuelling yourself – and keeping your mind focused.
It can feel strange to reduce your mileage after weeks of building up, but tapering is essential.
Gradually cutting back your running in the final 10–14 days allows your muscles to recover, your glycogen stores to replenish, and your body to absorb the training you’ve done.
This helps you arrive at race day feeling fresh and ready. During taper you want to be keeping your runs shorter and lighter, while still maintaining a little movement to keep your legs feeling fresh.
Now is not them time to be making up lost kms. This won’t benefit your training at all – in fact it may negatively affect it.
Taper time is about removing fatigue so your fitness shows up on race day. During this time, you want damaged muscle fibres to repair, your glycogen stores to refill and your nervous system to recover.
This is why training volume should drop significantly. If you get the ‘taper itch’, just do some light mobility and stretching.
Quality sleep in the week leading up to the race will do more for your performance than squeezing in extra training sessions. Rest is best at this stage.
Aim for consistent bedtimes and give your body time to fully recover. 8-9 hours of quality sleep, a warm bath before bed, and magnesium balm applied to your muscles will all support recovery and a good night’s sleep.
Keep up your light mobility sessions and gentle stretching – and stay hydrated. This helps prevent niggles from creeping in.
Race nerves are completely normal. Instead of worrying about pace or finish times, focus on the process: your breathing, your rhythm, and most importantly enjoying the atmosphere.
All the hard work has been done in training; it’s now time for your victory lap. Visualise the course, the start line, and the feeling of crossing the finish and being handed your medal – this can really help boost confidence.
This isn’t the time to introduce anything new. Stick to your shoes, routines, in-training fuel, pre/post fuel and the recovery methods that you’ve worked on.
If you feel a small niggle, then please do prioritise rest and gentle movement rather than pushing through and risking injury. Missing a run now won’t matter, as the hard work as already been done. Muscles have memory and that’s what will show up on race day.
Carb loading doesn’t mean eating huge amounts of food. It simply means increasing the proportion of carbohydrates in your meals in the 2-3 days before the race to top up energy (glycogen) stores.
Bulk each of your meals out with simple options like white rice, white pasta, white potatoes, oats, and bread alongside your usual balanced meals. Remember that you can also drink your carbs if you’re feeling full – cheap fruit juices, fruit smoothies and milk.
Aim to eat 2–3 hours before the race, focusing on easily digestible carbohydrates with a little protein. For example:
Hydrate well – include electrolytes to support lost micronutrients during the race – and avoid trying anything unfamiliar on race morning.
If you’re pre- or post-natal, the final phase of training is about listening closely to your body.
Pre-natal: Maintain usual comfortable and conversational effort, stay well hydrated (important for you and the baby) and prioritise rest.
The goal is participation and enjoyment, rather than performance.
Post-natal: Ensure your pelvic floor and core feel supported as you approach race day. If needed, use a run-walk strategy to manage effort and reduce pressure.
Run walk is known as ‘jeffing’ and is a very effective technique in completing a race of any distance.
The final weeks before a half marathon aren’t about pushing harder. They’re about feeling strong, rested, recovered and confident in the training you’ve already completed.
Trust all the work you’ve done, fuel your body well, and enjoy the incredible experience of race day!
Drop me an email if you have any questions about your training as I am here to help you get to that start line and have the best day, because it sure will be!
And if you’d like a more bespoke training plan, please get in touch and we can talk about creating one to suit you and your lifestyle.
📧 Email me: sarah@sarahcampus.com
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