To be honest, I have been MIA on blogging for the past few weeks. I was exhausted and worn out almost every day BUT I finally made it to my taper! That’s right, I only have 18 days until the Big Sur International Marathon (WOOHOO!).

I don’t think I have ever been so happy to make it to taper week… but then again, it is only the first week so there will probably be a future post on taper-crazies coming in the next few days (ha!).

Even though tapering generally means running less and resting more, it takes a lot of work – like any other part of a marathon training plan. Assuming you already have a pretty good idea of how to taper, here are a couple of my personal tips.

• Don’t worry about gaining weight.

Practice what you preach, right? I hate to admit it but I’m the first to panic whenever I gain a pound or two when I step on the scale. My first instinct is to always cut back on my calorie intake. It is crucial that you do your best to ignore your instinct and those initial feelings otherwise you risk losing the benefits of tapering.

• Pay attention to what you’re eating.

As a second part to my first tip, it is also important to continue eating a healthy diet. You might want to splurge but don’t, your body will thank you in the coming weeks when you run your race.

• Reduce weekly mileage, maintain intensity.

Tapering is all about balance. You don’t want to go too easy but you also don’t want to push yourself too hard. By maintaining intensity while cutting mileage, you can work to balance your workouts.

What are some of your favorite taper tips?