Some of the taper crazies are just that you feel anxious when training is reduced, but just remember that it’s all part of a structured plan. You put in your key long runs ahead of the taper—which could be two weeks or 10 days leading up to your race. Just tell yourself: I’ve done the work; I’ve followed the training, and repeat that leading up to your race.
You can’t really get any fitter moving into your race week, but you can do damage by doing too much. Still, at the same time, my last workouts before racing Berlin were enough so that you still feel sharp. The legs do still need turnover, so maybe at the end of an easy run I’ll throw in some marathon pace. I’ll be running reduced volume, but even a little faster than marathon pace is a good confidence builder.
The trick is, especially during race week, you don’t want to feel destroyed for the rest of the day. Really, to thwart the taper crazies, you should relax and take some well-earned time off, and foster a positive mental outlook. Don’t think about the sessions you missed. That won’t help you. Instead, focus on your best workouts and remember your key sessions. You can do this. Just try and remember all that you did right. Listen, I have some sessions once a month where I feel like garbage. Where it really does not feel good. But it’s never one session that you rely on for race day. Think about the good times. And remember, you’re lucky to be racing. And racing is fun.
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