Welcome toTraining Diaries, a Lifehacker series about my journey to the 2023 TCS New York City Marathon.

I officially completed my peak mileage week leading up to New York City marathon.

And now, its taper time.

Or that youll go stir-crazy.

I get it, but Im forcing myself to learn to love the taper.

My guiding philosophy to get through the taper is that the hay is in the barn.

A proper taper allows time for damaged muscle fibers to fully repair and recover before the race.

To reduce overall fatigue: Cumulative fatigue builds over weeks of training.

The taper period gives the body and mind a chance to back off and absorb all the hard work.

This helps you feel fresher on race day.

To allow inflammation to subside: Hard training can cause micro-tears and inflammation.

The taper lets this dissipate so you dont have to run 26.2 miles on swollen, beat up legs.

Outside of your physical recovery, the taper can provide a psychological break after intense training.

Runners often feel renewed excitement as race day approaches.

Or they can go crazy with all this sudden free time on their hands.

On that note, lets dive into some tips for making the most of your taper period.

Tips to survive the taper

Stick to the plan.Your training plan is your bible.

Dont increase your mileage during the taper, even if you feel great.

Cut your weekly mileage by no more than 30-50% during the taper to allow your body to adjust.

Going from high mileage to low mileage too abruptly can leave you feeling sluggish on race day.

This is the mistake I made during my first marathon, and I paid the price.

Reduce intensity before volume.

In the early taper weeks, keep doing key workouts but cut back on overall mileage.

In the final 1-2 weeks, eliminate intense sessions but keep running easy for mental focus.

Take more rest days.

Listen to your body and take extra rest days as needed to stay healthy.

Now is not the time to push through pain or fatigue.

While running less, you’re free to still cross-train to maintain fitness and keep yourself sane.

Swimming, cycling and other aerobic activities will keep you fit without fatiguing your running muscles.

Dont change your diet during the taper.

Stick with the same healthy nutrition plan that got you through your peak training.

Use your taper time to mentally rehearse crossing the finish line strong.

I like tovirtually peruse the course, if your race has that option.

Have faith that all the months of hard work you put in will pay off on race day.

Avoid last minute panic.

At the same time, everything about marathon training forces you to gain perspective.

Personally, I think of the taper as a reward, not a restriction.

I earned this taper.

You earned this taper, too.

For more, Lifehacker senior health editorBeth Skwareckihas agreat piece with even more tipsfor staying sane during the taper.