It’s that time of year again when thousands of runners who have been putting in great efforts during the previous 3-4 months are entering taper time. Each weekend there are countless marathons taking place across the world ranging from huge ones like New York City to smaller local races with less than 1,000 runners. Regardless of the race size, the distance remains the same. 26.2 miles deserves a proper taper.

What is it? Tapering is the training phase right before a long distance event, such as a marathon, when a runner starts to cut back on his or her mileage. This reduced training phase gives runners a chance to rest, recover, and mentally prepare for their race.

For some people, taper is a welcome break from high mileage weeks. For others, the extra rest brings anxiety, phantom pains, negative thoughts, and over eating.  In order to help everyone with their upcoming taper, I reached out to a few of my favorite running coaches. These ladies have completed more than 150 marathons between them and are coaching and inspiring many other runners daily.

1. Respect the taper! I believe the biggest thing to remember is to respect them. We are given a taper for a reason. Our bodies need a little time to rebuild from the relentless pounding we have been inflicting for the past 12-16 weeks. – Mary Baum, Food and Fun on the Run

2. A proper taper is actually not nearly as complicated as many runners make it out to be! A proper marathon taper should last two weeks and cut back one third of the mileage – so if you run 21 miles on day 1, you would then run 14 miles on day 8, and then race on day 15. – Laura Skladzinski, 50by25

3. You cannot get enough sleep. Resting is the single most important thing you can do during taper. Even if it’s putting your feet up after work instead of going to Happy Hour, that rest will add up by race day morning. – Abby Bales, Run Stronger Every Day

4. This is not the time for catch up. Regardless of the reason, if you missed a few runs during your training or even were sick for your last 20 mile long run, this is not the period to squeeze in extra runs. Follow your training plan and do not try to make up for lost time. Your legs need this time to recover before the marathon. – Mary Baum, Food and Fun on the Run

5. Resist the urge to try something new – stay away from new to you foods and new workouts, including those you will encounter at the marathon expo. – Gia Alvarez Run Gia Run

6. Do not run any of your runs faster than marathon pace during taper. Every run should feel ridiculously easy. Believe it or not, muscles grow and get stronger with proper rest. -Abby Bales, Run Stronger Every Day

7. Planning your nutrition carefully is at least half the battle, and it pays to do it properly.

8. If you’re traveling to the marathon, especially long distance flights, ensure you use a hydration supplement, like NUUN, in your water. You will need the electrolyte balance and  plain water may actually further dehydrate you. – Abby Bales, Run Stronger Every Day

9. Stretch/foam roll – Spend 10 minutes a day stretching your legs and upper body.  I like to do this before bed, it helps me wind down and sleep better. -Gia Alvarez Run Gia Run

10. Carry your race essentials on the plane. Be sure to pack your race essentials (shoes, socks, clothing) … things that cannot be replaced in your carry on.  In the event of lost luggage you don’t want to be stuck with brand new clothing or shoes. -Gia Alvarez Run Gia Run

11. Stay healthy with your eating.  Add in one extra serving of protein on days 3-5 leading up to the race, add one extra serving of simple carbohydrate on days 1-3 before your race.  -Gia Alvarez Run Gia Run

12.  Try to minimize extra stress in your life where you can. Training for a marathon for 12+ weeks puts a lot of stress on your body and your mind. While you are allowing your body to repair itself physically, don’t forget about mentally. While you may be tempted to fill up the time you were spending training with other activities, be sure to allow yourself some time to rest mentally, too so your mind is as strong as your body on race day. After all, so much of the marathon is mental! – Theodora Blanchfield Losing Weight in the City (newly minted running coach)

13. My number one tip for taper is TRUST the plan. You put in the work. All those long runs. All those sweaty miles. All those pieces of toast before a morning workout. The training is done, now your job is to rest your legs. Don’t question it. Trust yourself. You got this! – Monica Olivas Run Eat Repeat

Hopefully these tips will help you have a successful taper and cross the starting line of your marathon in a positive mindset!