Tapering for a triathlon can feel harder than the training itself. Many triathletes never feel fully ready, so they keep pushing as race day approaches, convinced that can squeeze in one more big workout that will really get them ready for the race. In reality, the opposite is true. The taper is not an optional step—it’s an essential part of training and race preparation. Done well, tapering ensures your body is rested and energized, and your mind is motivated, confident, and focused.
As both a mental coach and a triathlete, I don’t just teach these principles—I live them. In fact, as I prepare for the World Triathlon Championships in Australia this October, I’m following the same rules I share with the athletes I work with. In other words, I Practice What I Preach.
Over the years, I’ve developed what I call Five Rules of a Triathlon Taper. They’re simple but powerful reminders to help you (and me!) arrive on the start line with the best possible mix of fitness, freshness, and fire.
1. “You’ve done the work.”
By the time you reach the last one to three weeks before your race (depending on the distance; the longer the race, the longer the taper), the training is behind you. You’ve built the endurance, sharpened your speed, and any more training will do less than more. Now it’s about trusting what you’ve done. Doubt is common—your brain may tell you that you’ve undertrained—but resist the urge to cram in extra mileage. Confidence during taper comes from reminding yourself: the work is done. That’s what I keep telling myself as I begin my own taper for Worlds in a few weeks.
2. “The hay is in the barn.”
Once the hay is stored, the farm is ready for winter. Likewise, once your training block is done, your fitness is stored in your body. Exercise physiologists have shown that tapering allows your body to absorb the training—glycogen stores refill, muscles repair and strengthen, and your immune system rebounds. You’re not building anymore; you’re consolidating. As I head to Australia, I remind myself: the barn is full—don’t keep hauling hay.
3. “Sharpen the tip of the spear.”
Think of your training as forging a spear. The long hours of swim, bike, and run built its length and strength. The taper is about putting on the razor edge. That means short, race-specific efforts at intensity—strides, intervals, technique drills—enough to keep your legs snappy, your mind alert, and your feel for the water and pedals honed. For me, this is where I fine-tune my transitions and settle into the race pace I’ll bring to the World Championships.
4. “Anything you do now won’t make you faster, but it could make you slower.”
The science is clear: fitness adaptations from training take weeks to materialize. No workout in the final 10 days before your race will make you fitter. But it can dig a hole of fatigue that you won’t climb out of in time. Overtraining now often leads to heavy legs, lowered motivation, and even illness. As my taper approaches for Worlds, I’m making a conscious choice to hold back—even when every fiber of me wants to push harder.
5. “You want to feel like you want to do more…but you don’t do more.”
The best sign of a successful taper is restlessness—you feel like you could go longer or harder, but you stop yourself. That’s exactly the feeling I aim for: buzzing with energy, muscles twitching to go, eager for the gun to go off. As I taper for Australia, I remind myself that this feeling worked epically at USAT Multisport Nationals in June (where I swept my three events), so I am learning to embrace that restless energy as fuel for race day.
Final Thoughts
Tapering is a test of trust. Trust in your plan. Trust in your coach. Most importantly, trust in yourself and the months of hard work you’ve already done.
As I prepare for the World Triathlon Championships in Australia, I’m relying on these Five Rules to bring me to the line fresh, focused, and fired up. My message to you is simple: Follow my Five Rules too!
Remember these rules, repeat them like a mantra, and let the taper do its job. Come race morning, you’ll be standing on the line with the best possible chance to race your best.
