SteadFast Performance and Rehab LLC

05/06/2026

🏋️My Half Marathon Lifting Taper

🤔Ever wonder what an actual race week taper should look like? Here is an example of how I structured my lifts for my half marathon a few weeks ago!

5️⃣ Days Pre Race: �Power Hex Bar Split Stance: 1x8, 3x6 at 205 lbs
Hop Scotch Pogo Jumps (moving forward): 3x8 at body weight
Single Leg Landmine RDL: 2x6 each side at 30 lbs
Split Exchange on 4-inch box: 3x10 – FAST
Leg Press Soleus Isometric Hold: 2x2x10s each side at 280 lbs

3️⃣ Days Pre Race:
Single Leg Barbell Back Squat: 1x5, 3x5 each side at 45 lbs, 105 lbs
Front Foot Elevated Pogo Hops: 3x15 each side at 25 lbs
Calf Isometric Push: 3x3x3s (Shown in the Video)
Single Leg Elevated Glute Bridge on Toes: 3x1x10s each side on bench
Squat Jumps: 2x5 at body weight

🏃‍♀️Reduce volume while keeping intensity high! Looking for ways to improve your taper? Send us a DM so we can help take your training to an elite level!

04/29/2026

🏋️Running Taper – Don’t forget about your lifts!

Running tapers shouldn’t just focus on changes to your running!

Taper lifts should also reduce volume while keeping intensity high. This could look like dropping from 4 sets of 8 reps ➡️ 3 sets of 5 reps at the same weight.

1️⃣By reducing volume, you reduce the total cumulative fatigue on the muscles and nervous system.
2️⃣By keeping intensity high, you maintain a sharpness of the nervous system to avoid feeling sluggish on race day.

‼️Don’t forget, give yourself ample rest between sets and reps, 90s to 2 minutes minimum, to keep intensity high!

🏃‍♀️Looking for guidance on how to adjust your lifts heading into race week? Send us a DM so we can help you feel FRESH and FAST on race day!

04/27/2026

How do you taper for a half marathon?🤨

A half marathon taper should start between 7-10 days from the race. During this time, running volume should drop by about 20-30% of typically weekly mileage while workout intensity should remain relatively constant. However, individualization is the most important part!

Here is exactly what race week taper looked like:

🏃‍♂️Weekly mileage from previous 5 weeks: 46 miles/week avg
�⭐️Race Week:
Monday: 5.5 miles with 6 short sprints towards start
Tuesday: Off Day
Wednesday: 3 miles easy�Thursday: 7 mile workout; 1 mile at HM race pace, 2x800m at HM race pace, 3x400m at 5k pace
Friday: 4 miles easy with strides at end
Saturday: Half Marathon Race!

📉Total Mileage: 36 miles (22% drop in volume)

🤔Figuring out where to cut volume, and what workouts to do is key for the right taper… And that is where a coach can help!

✨If you are looking for coaching that knows how to structure a taper, send us a DM!

04/23/2026

The key training tool for your next race PR?! 🔑

The Taper

What is a Taper? 📉
A taper is the last 1-3 weeks leading into a key race when running volume decreases to optimize performance. 📈

Benefits of a Taper? 💪
When individualized properly, your body can experience an increased exercise capacity due to the decreased physiologic stress from training.
This can lead to:
• Reduced accumulated training fatigue
• Reduced inflammation
• Improved aerobic capacity
• Improved Immune function
• Freshened nervous system

🏃 Combine all these factors and you get FRESH and FAST legs on race day!

In our next post we will provide a REAL world example of a half marathon taper.

❓What races do you want taper ideas for? Leave a comment below!


References:
Bosquet, L., Montpetit, J., Arvisais, D., & Mujika, I. (2007). Effects of tapering on performance: a meta-analysis. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 39(8), 1358–1365. https://doi.org/10.1249/mss.0b013e31806010e0
Wang, Z., Wang, Y. T., Gao, W., & Zhong, Y. (2023). Effects of tapering on performance in endurance athletes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PloS one, 18(5), e0282838. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0282838

02/20/2024

Check out the last race in the Frozen Foot Race Series if you’re in central PA! Only a few weeks left until the start!

If you are looking for quality coaching to help you reach your goals, look no further. At PA Running Company we are teaming up with Steadfast Performance and Rehab to give you a chance to run stronger and faster than you ever have. Sign up today and see your improved results at the March Frozen Foot. Check them out https://www.sf-performance.com/

02/17/2024

Sunday is going to be a great day to run. Join us for race 2 of the Frozen Foot Frozen Foot Race Series. https://runsignup.com/Race/PA/Elizabethtown/FrozenFootRacesFebruary

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