(Graphic from my page at dailymile.com . The mileage in the graphic includes both running and cycling miles.)

On my first taper week, I took advantage of the additional energy from reduced mileage to experiment with pace a little, and pushed it a little hard on a couple of runs, finding speed I'd never experienced before.  Taper is all about recovery for the race, so I approached the second taper week more cautiously.  I still ran a little over my anticipated race pace, but kept the pace at a comfortable level without pushing it.

This week, I concentrated on stride and rhythm, trying to maintain a smooth, efficient flow.  My approach to these runs was to start easy, run the middle miles nice and steady, and to finish a little quicker.  This week, I timed my splits to get a better feel for the flow of each run.

I continued to add some cycling miles for cross-training, but fewer miles than previous weeks. Weekly totals: 26 miles running, 13.2 miles cycling, 39.2 miles total, plus three weights workouts and two core workouts:

This leaves one last week of taper.  I plan a couple of very short, easy runs, no leg activity in my weights workouts, and very little cross-training.  I'll increase carb intake all week, especially from midweek on, and hydrate well all week. 

17 weeks down, 1 week to go!