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* A linear pattern reduces the training load by a fixed percentage of the maximum training each day.
* A step taper reduces the training load suddenly, and then keeps it at that level for the length of the taper. This is the least effective pattern.
==Training Intensity==
[[File:Taper intensity running.jpg|none|thumb|500px|Reducing intensity for running tapers.]]
The studies show that reducing training intensity during the taper period reduces your performance rather than improving it.
==Mileage==
[[File:Taper volume running.jpg|none|thumb|500px|Reducing mileage for running tapers.]]
The studies show that for runners, reducing mileage by 20-40% is optimal, though the standard tapers involve reducing by far more. The actual reduction may be dependent on the overall training mileage, with higher mileage runners requiring more of a reduction, though this is not supported by the science.
==Taper Length==
[[File:Taper length running.jpg|none|thumb|500px|Taper length for running tapers.]]
The studies show that a length of taper of 2 weeks is ideal, and 3 weeks or longer actually produces a slightly negative change in performance compared with no taper. It has been suggested that the ideal length of taper depends on the number of hours per week spent in training, as shown in the table below, but the evidence to support this is anecdotal.
{| {{table}}
| align="center" style="background:#f0f0f0;"|'''Training hours/week'''
| align="center" style="background:#f0f0f0;"|'''Days for taper'''
|-
| 6 to 10||7
|-
| 11 to 15||14
|-
| Over 15||21+
|}
==Training Frequency==
[[File:Taper fequency running.jpg|none|thumb|500px|Reducing mileage for running tapers.]]
The evidence is that keeping the same frequency of training runs during the taper produces a better improvement than reducing the frequency.
=Final Long Run=
The long run is a key aspect of endurance training, and vital for marathon and longer races. There are two suppositions that typically influence the timing of your last long run. One is the suppositions that the benefit of a long run is not realized until about 3 weeks afterward, so any long runs performed within 3 weeks of the race will produce their benefit in subsequent races. However, there is little science to back up this idea. The other supposition is that a long run causes muscular damage that takes about three weeks to heal. Given the lack of scientific evidence, the following guidelines can be used.
* If you have any noticeable soreness after your long run, leave at least 21 days between your last long run and the race.
* If you have fatigue, but no soreness after your long run, leave about 14-21 days between your last long run and the race.
* If you your long run has no noticeable impact, then you could do your last long run about 7-14 days before the race. However, this may be an indication that your long runs are not hard enough to produce endurance adaptations.
=Weekly Taper Mileage=
Because we live in a world that is structured around a 7 day week, it is natural to look at weekly mileage as a measure of training stress. For the taper period, looking at weekly mileage is not terribly useful, as it tends to create a multistep taper rather than a true exponential taper. It is far better to look at daily run length and scale each day accordingly.
[[File:Taper weekly.png|none|thumb|500px|How weekly mileage can create a step taper.]]
Below is a table of percentages for a 14 day taper to 40% training load for linear and two exponential tapers. So on day 6, you’d reduce your mileage to 74% on a linear taper, to 68% on a slow exponential taper and to 64% on a fast exponential taper. If you’d run 10 miles in normal training, you’d do 7.4 miles on a linear taper, 6.8 miles on a slow exponential taper and 6.4 miles on a fast exponential taper.
{| {{table}}
| 14||40||40||40
|}
= Fellrnr's Personal Approach to Marathon Taper =
The following is my personal advice based on anecdotal and personal experience. This approach works well for a marathon where you are focusing significant resources into an optimal performance. Obviously, running the marathon distance (or greater) does not '''require''' a taper, but performance is optimized by doing one.