REF-818 · Spilsbury et al., 2014 · European Journal of Sport Science, Vol. · Paper · PubMed

Tapering strategies in elite British endurance runners

Blimited evidenceMeasured on elite athletesWritten before October 2026, being re-checked

Elite British middle-distance (800 m and 1500 m), long-distance (3000 m steeplechase to 10,000 m) and marathon runners reported their training for 7 days in a regular phase and throughout their pre-competition taper. Median taper length was 6 days (middle and long distance) and 14 days (marathon).

Continuous running volume fell to 70%, 71% and 53% of regular levels, and interval volume to 53%, 67% and 64%. During the taper, peak interval intensity stayed above race speed in long-distance and marathon runners (112% and 114%) but not in middle-distance runners (100%).

Runners with higher regular continuous volume and frequency cut more; regular intensity predicted taper intensity. The authors built algorithms to predict taper content from regular training.

Participants

Elite British middle-distance (800 m and 1500 m), long-distance (3000 m steeplechase to 10,000 m) and marathon runners. The number of runners and the sex split are not given in the abstract.

Protocol

Survey of training details for 7 days in a regular training (RT) phase and throughout a pre-competition taper.
Values reported as median (interquartile range).
Associations between regular training and taper content; prediction algorithms generated.

Key Results

Taper duration: 6 (3) days middle distance, 6 (1) days long distance, 14 (8) days marathon.
Continuous running volume reduced to 70 (16)%, 71 (24)% and 53 (12)% of regular levels (middle distance, long distance, marathon; P < 0.05).
Interval running volume reduced: middle distance 53 (45)%, long distance 67 (23)%, marathon 64 (34)% (P < 0.05).
Peak interval intensity during the taper above race speed in long-distance (112 (27)%) and marathon runners (114 (3)%), P < 0.05; not different in middle-distance runners (100 (2)%).
Higher weekly continuous volume and frequency in regular training went with greater reductions in the taper (R = -0.70 and R = -0.63, both P < 0.05).
Regular running intensity was positively associated with taper intensity (continuous R = 0.97; interval R = 0.81; both P < 0.05).
Authors' conclusion: regular training before the taper predicts the taper strategy elite endurance runners use.

Practical Application

"How do elite runners taper?" — in a survey of elite British runners, middle- and long-distance specialists tapered for about 6 days and marathoners for about 14, cutting continuous volume to 70-71% (track) and 53% (marathon) of normal and interval volume to 53-67%, while keeping peak interval speed at or above race speed; those who normally ran more cut more.
A track runner's taper is short (about a week): trim volume, keep intensity at race speed or faster.
A marathoner's taper is longer and cuts more volume (to about half).
Scale the cut to the load: in these runners, higher regular volume and frequency came with larger reductions.
Inference, not tested here: this is what elite runners do, not a tested optimum; the pooled taper evidence is REF-107 and the base's taper rules are SYNTH-34.

Limitations

Self-reported survey; the number of runners is not given in the abstract.
Describes practice without a performance outcome, so it cannot say which taper worked.
Regular training was sampled over only 7 days.
Written from the abstract and record metadata only (full text not read).
How this entry was checked and changed
Why this level

descriptive survey of an elite group; sample size not given in the abstract

Content correction 2026-09-27
2026-10-01: cross-reference repointed from a merged framework to the one that replaced it (SYNTH-01→31, 05→34, 09→70, 12/15→32, 19→26).