Try this tune-up workout before your next race

It’s hard to know what to do in the taper week leading up to your race. Run too much, and you risk showing up to the start line tired; run too little and you risk feeling sluggish on race day. Figuring out this balance takes some trial and error, but if you’re not sure what to do, consider adding this quick, feel-good tune-up workout into your training plan the week before your race. 

It may sound crazy to do a workout so close to your goal race, but this quick session is designed to get your legs moving without wiping you out. It should be done no less than three days before your race (even further out if you’ve got a long race on the calendar), and is an opportunity to remind yourself what race pace feels like. In other words, don’t be a workout hero–run your goal race pace and no faster, and resist the temptation to do extra intervals. (Save that energy for the start line!)

The workout

Warmup: 10-15 minutes’ easy jog, followed by form drills

Workout: 

1 km at race pace, followed by two minutes’ rest

2-4 x 400m with 1:30 rest (run these at a pace that feels comfortable and strong–don’t get caught up in the numbers)

800m at race pace

Cooldown: 10 minutes’ easy jog, followed by light stretching