Weekly Workout Challenge

Peak Weeks & Taper Cheat sheet

 

1 Mile (or less)

• Peak weeks: Late January (1/22–1/29); Late June (6/24–7/1)

• Taper in: Short sharpening one week out (e.g., short fast reps/strides).

• After peak: 1 easy recovery week after Jan; light week then recovery/off-season week after June.

 

5K

• Peak weeks: Late June (6/24–7/1); Late Oct–Early Nov (10/28–11/4)

• Taper in: ~1–2 weeks of reduced volume; keep some pop (short 400s or strides).

• After peak: 1 full recovery week with no workout.

 

8K–10K

• Peak weeks: Late June (6/24–7/1); Late Oct–Early Nov (10/28–11/4)

• Taper in: Similar to 5K—trim volume, keep easy strides/short reps.

• After peak: 1 recovery week with no workout.

 

Half Marathon

• Peak weeks: Late April (4/22–4/29); Late September (9/23–9/30)

• Taper in: Race-specific threshold/MP work 2–3 weeks out, then short tune-up (strides) race week.

• After peak: 1 recovery week with no hard workout.

 

Marathon

• Peak weeks: Late April (4/22–4/29); Late September (9/23–9/30)

• Taper in (classic 2–3 weeks):

  – ~3 weeks out: long run with MP finish (last 30–60 min @ goal MP)

  – ~1–2 weeks out: marathon-pace blocks (e.g., 2×3 miles @ MP)

  – Race week: very short relaxed strides; volume minimal

• After peak: 1 full recovery week with no workout.

 

Ultra (50K–100K focus)

• Peak weeks: Late January (1/22–1/29, 50K); Early June (6/3–6/10, 50M);

  Late August (8/19–8/26, 100K); Late Oct–Early Nov (10/28–11/4, 50K)

• Taper in: Keep specificity, trim load; race week is very light with relaxed strides/short reps.

• After peak: 1 recovery week after 50K/50M/late-Oct 50K; 2 consecutive recovery weeks after the 100K.

 

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How to shift your peak (flexibility for different race dates)

• Move the peak window: If your A-race is earlier/later, slide the plan forward/back so your race lands in a listed “peak” week.

• Protect the taper: Keep the final 10–14 days lighter. If time is tight, drop earlier build workouts—don’t cut the taper.

• Keep recovery sacred: After your peak, keep the prescribed post-race recovery (1 week for most; 2 weeks for 100K) before adding intensity.

• Maintain structure: Preserve the order when shifting: threshold/MP → short tune-up/strides → race → recovery.

• Adjust volume to you: If 2–3-hour long runs are easy, keep them; if not, extend base or add easy weeks before resuming intensity.

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Bottom line: The dates above are templates—feel free to slide the schedule so your “taper → peak → recovery” sequence aligns with your actual race. Keep the taper intact and prioritize recovery after big efforts to stay healthy and peak when it matters.