by Dave Scott, for Triathlete Magazine.

ALYIE'S NOTE - found this online, thought it had lots of useful stuff, maybe a piece for discussion and at the very least I wanted to throw it in the archives for reference the next time I manage to talk myself into tapering.

Countdown to an Ironman: Dave Scott's 21-day Tapering Plan

Did you feel sluggish in your most recent 140.6-distance race, or did you hit the taper right on the mark? If you fell flat—muscles felt heavy, breathing was a bit labored, and you didn't meet your expectations—then you most likely over-looked several components of a proper taper.

While tapering the three weeks prior to a race there must be a fine balance between these 10 components:

-Reducing volume
-Maintaining intensity while reducing the length or volume of the workload
-Allowing the body to rebuild quickly (one to two days) after higher intensity workloads
-Reducing the stress hormones that affect muscle performance; ultimately eliminating muscle soreness and heaviness
-Maximizing muscle and liver glycogen stores
-Allowing the body to repair and rebuild so the power output is maximal on race day
-Performing recovery workouts
-Maintaining "normal" number of training sessions per week
-Fueling properly
-Preparing mentally

There is a common thread to follow throughout the final 21 days. However, each week has a unique set of training parameters that will guide you through an optimal taper.

Going into the taper, there is a definitive shift in training that ultimately leads to peak performance. At the end of the taper, your body will be rested and ready to race. These 10 factors will eliminate the doubt as to whether your body is ready for the race.

Keep in mind that these components are a combination of small training adjustments that are a prerequisite to attain a higher level of adaptation. For example, reducing your intensity and fueling properly will potentially enhance the elevation of your muscle glycogen.

I have dissected these factors in the three-week Ironman-distance taper, and within each week the 10 elements are put into a simplified format.

What You Must Know About Each Key Factor

Reducing volume. These are the guidelines of how much to reduce your overall training volume in your taper.

Week 3: 10 to 20 percent less than the previous week
Week 2: Drop another 10 to 20 percent from week three
Week 1: Drop another 10 to 20 percent of your week prior to the taper

-Maintaining intensity. Throughout the taper, the length of the repeats or total time of high-intensity training is reduced dramatically. But the intensity itself remains high. Numerous studies on tapering have shown that maintaining the neuromuscular system at speeds near or above race pace will enhance race day performance.

-Rebuilding the body. Include low-intensity recovery workouts and allow adequate recovery on rest days before or after the hard sessions.
Reducing elevated levels of stress hormones. Elevated levels of stress hormones that cause muscle damage are a result of long or intense efforts. As mentioned in factors one and two above, these two types of workouts are reduced, thus alleviating muscle damage and ultimately enhancing the muscle integrity.

-Maximizing muscle power and liver glycogen stores. Combining high-intensity repeats with maintenance of your aerobic foundation during the final week of your taper will allow the body to maximize the strength capacity of the muscles and the storage of liver glycogen. Of course, this must be in combination with eating properly. (See No. 9.)

-Body repair. Studies have shown that the maximal and sustained power output of muscle is heightened with adequate rest and recovery. The taper is designed to fully rest the muscles, ultimately enabling the body to perform at the highest workload.

-Recovery workouts. Two types of workouts: CRUISE (25 to 35 heartbeats per minute below lactate threshold) or RECOVERY (35 to 45 beats per minute below LT) workouts will promote optimal recovery.

-Maintaining your normal number of training sessions per week. Your body is preprogrammed for a specific routine—whether you employ three or six workouts per discipline per week. It's important to keep the routine. However, as mentioned above, the length and intensity within each session is reduced.

-Fueling your body with nutrient-dense foods. Maintain your fueling routine before, during and after exercise and be careful to maintain your race weight. Do not overeat during the taper.

-Preparing mentally. Mentally review your strongest assets during your taper. Imagine yourself as a fluid, powerful machine. Recognize you will have numerous obstacles to overcome during the race, but you will overcome these road bumps on your way to a quality performance.

Tips for Using the 21-day Plan

Every individual taper is unique. Your age, preparation and organization of your previous tapers should all play into the final formulation. I have included a range for the key sets. This includes the variables of intensity, distance and recovery.

The range indicates the minimal and maximal levels. This covers the first-timer who may have three sessions per discipline per week to the seasoned veteran who trains six sessions per discipline per week. The intensity of the efforts should fall within this framework:

-Swim sets or repeats at slightly faster than Ironman (IM) race speed.
-Bike and run repeats at IM race pace.
-The Rest Interval (RI) is five to 20 seconds between repeats for the swim sets and 10 to 40 seconds between the bike and run intervals, unless specified differently in the program.
-Cruise efforts should be done at a smooth, "conversation" pace and recovery sets or days are very easy.
-The volume for each day should be reduced by the amount listed in key factor No. 1. Design your total volume reduction per weekly session based on these recommendations.
Warm-ups and cool-downs are not included below.

The Plan
*B=bike, R=run, S=swim

Three Weeks to Race Day

Tip: Use your breakfasts to practice your pre-race meal. On long sessions, practice your drinking and eating plan.

Days 18 to 21: Include either your final long brick and/or final long run and long bike. The following are some options. Run and bike workouts are in miles and swims are in meters.

Long Brick (12-13-12 ratio): Range= R 7 miles/B 35/R 4 to R 12/B 75/R 6
Long Run (12-13-12): Range= R 11 to 16-20 miles
Long Bike (12-13-12): Range= B 55 to 85 to 105 miles
Long Swim (12-13-12): Range= 10x200 or 2,000 straight to 12x300 or 3,400 to 4,000 meters

Days 21 to 15: Include three running sessions of 20 minutes each at a comfortable aerobic pace. One of these sessions is obviously included in your long day. On other days, for example, a second run of the day will be a 15-minute warm-up plus 20 minutes of aerobic running plus five minutes of cool-down.

RUN: One interval set or tempo at IM pace. For tempo, keep the range between 40 and 70 minutes. For intervals, perform between 8x5 minutes to 10x8 minutes, all at IM race pace.
BIKE: Include:
a) sessions of 3x30 minutes at aerobic effort (again, one of these sessions will be within your long day)
b) An interval or tempo session (This could be on the same day as the aerobic effort) Range= 60 minutes to two hours at IM race pace (steady, but can be a combination of hills and flats)
SWIM: Include two higher intensity sets (faster than IM pace). Range= 1,200m to 2,800m (for example: 12x100 to 14x200)
Note: If you normally swim three times per week, then week three would include your long day, plus two other days that would incorporate the faster pace sets mentioned above. The total length of the workout would be based on your reduction of work-week percentages.

For Swim-Bike-Run, all other "time" during the workouts is at cruise pace. Maintain your normal routine. If you usually do a hilly course on Wednesday's, this should not change—only the intensity or length.

Two Weeks Before

Tip: Add an hour of sleep per night.

Longer day (on day 14, 13 or 12), either a brick or long run and long bike. Here are some options:

Brick — Range= R 6 miles/B 25/R 2 to R 8/B 55 R 4
Long Run — Range= R 7-9 to 9-13
Long Bike — Range= B 35-45 to 45-65
Long Swim — Range= S 8x200 meters or 16x100 or 1,600 straight to 8x300 or 28x100 or 2,500 straight

Days 14 to 8: Include two run sessions of 20 minutes at aerobic pace, plus:

Run one interval or tempo set. Range= 30 to 60 minutes steady or 6x5 minutes to 10x6 minutes
Bike 2x30 minutes at an aerobic intensity level session in "race" bike position
Bike one interval session holding a bigger gear over the final 25 percent. Range= 50 minutes to 1 hour, 40 minutes
Swim two interval or higher-intensity sets. Range= 800 meters or 8x100 to 2,000 or 20x100
As you reduce your volume, continue to maintain the same proportion of your normal activity. In other words: kicking in your swim workouts, standing on the steeper hills on your bike rides, running downhill. Do not eliminate the variable training loads or tools during week two.

Additionally, be careful that you maintain your body weight. Except for the intensity sessions listed above, the rest of your training is either at a cruise or recovery effort. If you are fatigued from the longer sessions for more than one day, then drop down to a very easy effort.

One Week Before

Day 7
Run - Range= 40-50 minutes to 50-70 minutes (60 percent is IM pace)
Swim easy - Range= 1,000 to 2,000 meters
Bike - off

Day 6
Bike - Range= 25 to 45 miles (70 percent at IM pace)
Swim - Range= 1,000m to 2,500m (70 percent or higher pace)*
Run - off
*If you swim three to four sessions per week, take Day 6 swim session off

Day 5
Run - final tempo session at IM pace! Range= 20 to 40 minutes (does not include warm-up/cool-down) or 4x5 minutes to 6x6 minutes
Swim - Range= 600m to 1,200m at IM pace
Bike - off

Day 4
Bike - final tempo session. Range= 45 to 75 minutes or 8x6 minutes to 8x10 minutes (slightly slower than IM pace)
Swim - easy or off
Run - easy or off

Day 3
Off on all three discipline.
Shift eating pattern for dinner. Finish dinner by 6:30 p.m.
Do not overdo it with electrolyte drinks. If you have a high sweat rate, consume an additional 300 to 600 mg of sodium and 200 to 400 mg of potassium at night.

Day 2
Swim - include 6-12x50m at faster than race pace. Rest interval (RI) is 30 seconds
Bike - include 4x90 seconds at IM pace. RI= 45 seconds. Plus, 20 minutes ride at aerobic pace at the end of your workout for a total of 35 minutes
Run - IM pace for ten minutes for a total of 25 minutes

Day Before Race
Do all three very lightly: Swim - 10 to 20 minutes; Bike - 20 to 30 minutes; Run - 10 minutes

The Final Countdown
Stick to your plan during the taper. Be confident that your body will rejuvenate and respond to resting. If you are seemingly heavy or fatigued for three-to-four days during the final three weeks, then immediately take two days off and pick up your program where you left off.

Having faith will elicit the highest possible outcome on race day. You can do it! Good luck.