Refers to the reduction of exercise before a competition or race.This is essential for best performance. For full marathons, a taper period of 3 weeks is recommended. During this period, levels of muscle glycogen, enzymes, antioxidants, and hormones, return to optimal ranges.

Always think about how far you’re planning to run and then do some basic maths. In terms of fuelling up for a long run, say in excess of 75 minutes, you need to looking to consume around 1g of carbohydrate for every 1kg (2lbs) of body weight, then multiply that by the number of hours you have before your run

Tip 2 CarbohydratesThis is the major source of fuel for endurance exercises. It is stored in the liver and muscles in the form of glycogen and used up as one runs. Whole grain pasta, steamed or boiled rice, potatoes, fruits, starchy vegetables, sweet potatoes, bagels and whole grain bread are good carb sources.

Staying well hydrated is vital to successful marathoning during training, and racing. Dehydration causes your blood volume to drop, which lowers your body’s ability to transfer heat and forces your heart to beat faster, negatively impacting performance.