What about Interval Training during Tapering?

Greetings, cycling aficionados! Whether you’re a committed cyclist aiming for significant races or someone who enjoys leisurely rides, this piece holds valuable insights for you. Let’s delve into the nuanced world of tapering and how it can play a pivotal role in your cycling performance.

As a road cyclist, you put in a lot of hours on the bike. But as you approach your next big race, you need to start tapering. This means cutting back on your mileage and intensity to allow your body to recover from all the training you’ve been doing. But that doesn’t mean you have to take it easy completely—interval training can be valuable during tapering.

For those who might not be familiar, tapering is the practice of reducing your training intensity and mileage as you approach an impending race. This might sound counterintuitive initially. Why reduce the intensity just before the big day? Seasoned cyclists, however, understand the rejuvenating magic of tapering.

Recently, I wrote about how you can reduce training volume up to 4 weeks before a cycling race with high priority (e.g., your season goal). And you can see why you can use this tapering to improve performance. Tapering with markedly reduced training volume may sound counterintuitive to people preparing for their first race. However, more experienced riders know tapering is essential for optimal preparation for peak performance.

Nevertheless, there is one question I hear again and again:

What about interval training during tapering?

When you reduce the total training as outlined here, your body will recover and benefit from the activity in the past. So less training makes you better (short term).

While tapering can lead to improved short-term performance due to optimal recovery, there’s a fine line to walk. Reduce your training too extensively or for too long, and there’s a risk of performance degradation.

However, if it was that easy, we could just make a certain reduction in training volume and expect performance to increase.

As you have probably already guessed, there is also a risk of losing performance when you reduce training volume. Therefore, reducing training volume is a balancing act, so you get a little better after 2 to 4 weeks of tapering: Enough to get stronger and feel better, but not so much or for such a long time that you lose performance.

One parameter that can significantly reduce the risk of losing performance during tapering is the controlled use of high-intensity interval training. It’s an effective training method to retain aerobic power and ‘race-feeling’ when you markedly reduce total training volume.

Remember what race you are preparing for

From a physiological point of view, cycling races are more complex than a marathon. Therefore, if you were preparing for a marathon, I suggest you reduce the training time outlined for cycling races and perform intervals at an intensity close to the expected marathon race pace.

You’ll need a solid aerobic engine to perform well in a cycling race. It’s the most crucial skill. Aerobic metabolism probably takes care of more than 95% of your workload during a cycling race. However, anaerobic performance (for example, sprints, closing gaps, accelerations, etc.) is also crucial for your overall chances of a good result.

So your interval training during tapering should reflect these challenges. And yes, cycling races are not just cycling races. There are windy, hilly, short-time trials, criteriums, etc. So keep your target in mind.

You’ll need to include intervals that keep your aerobic performance high (both VO2 max and threshold power), boost your anaerobic endurance, and ensure you can make a solid sprint to the finish line. Also, remember that using races as part of your tapering can be a very effective and intelligent way to include specific intervals. After all, races are pretty race-specific.

This is where interval training becomes crucial during your tapering phase. Incorporating high-intensity interval sessions can help you maintain your aerobic capabilities and the essential ‘race-feel’, even when overall training volume decreases.

Understanding race dynamics

Races differ in character – some may be wind-buffeted sprints, while others are hilly challenges or extended marathons. Yet, there are two consistent elements across races: the need for sustained aerobic performance and the ability to unleash short, anaerobic bursts.

To optimize your tapering, ensure your interval sessions are tailored to reflect potential race scenarios. An insightful strategy is to use actual races as part of your tapering – they offer a realistic interval training environment.

Aerobic power has a longer ‘ half-life’ than anaerobic endurance. So two weeks at reduced training volume has minimal effect on your threshold power.

On the other hand, anaerobic endurance will evaporate rather quickly if you don’t stimulate your anaerobic metabolites. So after two weeks without specific anaerobic training, cycling races, or race-like activity, you should expect lower performance in long sprints (20 seconds and up). However, thorough anaerobic endurance training can rapidly boost your skills in these powerful moments in a race. It’s easy to come, easy to go.

Interval training during tapering is an often overlooked but unique tool for road cyclists. It helps maintain fitness, fight off boredom, and improve mental toughness—all things that will come in handy on race day. So don’t be afraid to mix things up and add some intervals to your taper!

Regardless of where you stand on your cycling journey, integrating tapering with an informed approach can significantly uplift your performance. It’s not exclusive to the elites; with structured training and strategic interval training, every cyclist can harness its benefits.

If you’re interested in a comprehensive 16-week program that offers more insights into these tapering strategies, do consider exploring my e-book: Time Effective Cycling Training.