The Taper Trap: How to Peak on Race Day, Not Before It
Why ultra runners wreck their race in the final two weeks — and exactly what to do instead.
Free Live Webinar · Wednesday 17th June · 7:00pm AEST
You've done the work. So why does taper feel like everything is falling apart?
The long runs are done. The hard sessions are behind you. On paper, you're prepared.
And then taper starts, and suddenly your legs feel dead, your fitness feels like it's evaporating, and the urge to sneak in one more big session is almost impossible to resist.
You're tired but you can't sleep properly. You're anxious for no clear reason. You're second-guessing your nutrition, your gear, your goal time, your entire preparation.
This is the taper trap. And it catches almost every serious ultra runner at some point.
The problem isn't that you're doing taper wrong. It's that nobody has ever explained what's actually happening in your body during those final weeks — or why your brain becomes your biggest liability right when you need it most.
What we'll cover in this free session
Why taper feels terrible even when you've done everything right The physiology of what's actually happening in your body, and why the dead legs, the anxiety, and the loss of sharpness are normal, expected, and not a sign that you're undertrained.
The specific decisions that sabotage race day in the final two weeks The extra sessions. The panic runs. The last-minute changes to nutrition and gear. We'll go through the exact mistakes athletes make in taper, and why fatigue makes them feel completely rational at the time.
How to manage the mental side of taper before it manages you Taper anxiety is real and it makes athletes do stupid things. I'll give you a practical framework for managing it so that you arrive at the start line composed, confident, and ready, not frazzled from two weeks of second-guessing.
How to know if your taper is actually working What to look for, what to ignore, and how to tell the difference between normal taper sensations and a genuine problem worth addressing.
This webinar is for you if…
You have a race on the calendar in the next few months and want to get your taper right this time
You've arrived at a start line before feeling flat, anxious, or underprepared despite solid training
You've made panic decisions in the final two weeks of a build and suspect they cost you on race day
You're a serious ultra runner who wants the honest, detailed version, not generic advice about "trust your training"
This is not a beginner session. I'm not going to tell you to relax and eat more carbs. This is a proper, evidence-informed look at what goes wrong in taper and how to fix it, delivered by someone who has been through it more times than she can count.
Your Host
Isobel Tait
Ultra Runner, Coach, Founder of Peak Endurance Coaching
I've competed at the Barkley Marathons three times. I've represented Australia three times at the World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships. I've run a sub-3 hour marathon and won the Six Foot Track Marathon in 4:11. I've raced extensively around the world.
I'm also a coach. And the thing that separates the athletes I work with from the ones who keep repeating the same race day mistakes isn't fitness, it's preparation. Specifically, the parts of preparation that most coaches don't talk about.
Taper is one of those parts.
I built Peak Endurance Coaching on the principle that ultra runners deserve honest, direct, research and experience-based coaching not generic motivation and not theory that's never been tested on a real racecourse. This webinar is built on the same principle.
Save your spot. It's free.
Wednesday 17th June · 7:00pm AEST · Live via Zoom, there is no replay so make sure you attend!
No spam. No nonsense. Just the webinar details and one follow-up email with the replay link.
Quick Answers
Q: Is this really free?
Yes. No catch. Register, show up, and take what's useful.
Q: Is this relevant if my race isn't until later in the year?
Yes. Understanding taper before you're in it is significantly more useful than trying to figure it out in the final fortnight of a build.
Q: What platform is the webinar on?
Zoom. The link will be emailed to you after registration.
Q: Will there be a sales pitch?
I'll mention my coaching at the end, I'm not going to pretend otherwise. But the content is the point. You'll get real, usable information regardless of whether coaching is right for you right now.
Your race deserves a proper taper.
Wednesday 17th June · 7:00pm AEST · Free to attend
TESTIMONIALS
What others are saying about Peak Endurance Coaching
"I can’t recommend Peak Endurance Coaching highly enough."
"I’ve had three tailored programs from Isobel at Peak Endurance Coaching for a couple of big Ultra events and a trail Marathon. The program was suited specifically to each event with weekly check ins to make sure we were on track for the events. Without the coaching programs I wouldn’t have been able to complete these events as well as I did without the program."
- Tim Henry
"Isobel has helped me navigate perimenopause and running."
"Isobel's support and guidance have helped navigate a frustrating year of injury, but her plans and support has kept my training consistent and matched my needs. I have been able to build back up my fitness and kept my motivation and love of running alive. She is always quick to respond to messages and is very focused on her athlete's goals and I would recommend her and her team to anyone wanting coaching expertise."
- Hayley O'Meara
"I love not having to think about what training to do everyday."
"I’ve been working with Isobel from Peak Endurance Coaching for a few years now and she is amazing. She tailors a plan to meet your goals as well as your lifestyle, she's available for advice when you need and provides weekly feedback on how your training is going.
For me, having someone with Isobel’s experience is invaluable, I don’t have to think about what session I need to do or when, it’s all on my watch ready to go. I have achieved amazing things under Isobel’s coaching."
- Nicole Norris
