and tapered for 2 weeks, stuffing my face with pasta at every opportunity.On the day, the crowds just made me go like the clappers and although I can't walk normally at the moment, I definitely will do it next year. The Children With Leukemia reception party

); there was disappointment at not going sub-5, although a course best was achieved. And I learnt yet again that even with the best preparation(I even managed appropriate long runs, ate well the week before and tapered) the marathon is an evil unpredictable beastie which

confidence boost as you pass other triathletes, you'll have enough energy to kick a little harder towards the end to warm up your legs for the bike section.Week six should also be when you taper before the race. Stay relaxed and positive. Remember that you

; and even improving strength by training on hills. The sessions are always useful for developing speed in transition too. The closer you are to race day, the more often you should perform brick workouts until you start to taper for your race - when

, but are not recommended as your first purchase, because you need something you can also train in."An aero helmet can actually slow you down if you can't or don't ride in the right position," says Maitland. If you ride with your head down, the tapered part of an aero

stick to a plan, I know how fit I want to be before a race. My philosophy is that fitness should be going up towards race day rather than dipping because you’ve done too much. People worry about tapering and losing their fitness but the week before

your pace. Once Sue has tapered, her pace is sure to spring back again. She just needs to be patient and have faith in the training she has done. Despite a stagnation in pace, Sue has noticed she is much stronger in her running and finds she is able

it to the taper phase injury-free and feeling strong and buoyant about her running.  This is a wonderful place to be as the race draws closer.  She now just has the final touches to put on top - the icing of her training so she is rocking on April 26.  The taper

. But I felt a bit jaded on Easter Sunday, so took the day off and planned my last semi-long run for the Monday - but given that I was starting to taper, maybe I'd do just 10 miles. I pulled up after five miles and an hour with excruciating pain in both

to taper before a marathon. For instance, if your last long run is 22 miles, you’d run it three weeks before race day. If it’s 16 miles, you get a two-week rest before the race.Which day is best for the long run? Sunday is the traditional choice, because