Well here is the last three weeks of the Ironman Program. These three weeks are a progressive slow down in training volume until the race. The thinking is that in three weeks you really cannot affect your fitness...reduce it or increase it...for the most part. However, it is good to stay active and train very specific to race intensity, much like the peak phase but with a step by step reduction in volume. It is hoped that the reduction in volume removes the deep fatigue that most athletes would have as a result of the high volume training from previous weeks.
Mentally, this is a tough part of the program, you often feel like you are not doing enough, losing fitness, feeling pretty much like crap...especially in the second week right up until some point just before the race...if this is the case....that is how you are supposed to feel. This means taper is working.
Here are the weekly volume details for the Taper Phase.
Wk#1 = [S:4km, B:200km, R:48km, W:1hr] = 13.75 hrs
Wk#2 = [S:3km, B:155km, 36km, W:1hr] = 10.75 hrs
Wk#3 = [S:1km, B:30km, R:10km] = 2.5 hrs
So there you have it, the four phase of my Ironman Program with weekly training volume details (Preparation Phase, Base Phase, and Peak Phase are previous posts).
Note: the details are just guidance on training....I am note a slave to my programs....I have been known to change things on the fly, when I feel like it.
Mikey
