How to Nail Your Race Week: Keeping Your Legs Fresh and Ready

Many runners show up on race day feeling rested but oddly flat. You know the feeling - heavy legs, a stride that’s off, and a warm-up that feels tougher than it should. It’s frustrating, especially when you’ve done the work, rested properly, and fueled well. So what’s going on? The answer may not lie in your fitness or nutrition but in how your body’s nervous system was prepped in the days leading up to the race.

Why Tapering Isn’t Just About Doing Less

When people think about tapering for a race, they often think of cutting back on mileage. Many newer runners that I talk to heavily lean into a taper before the race - many take several days off leading into that big event!

Less running, less stress, right?

Well, yes and no.

Reducing fatigue and topping off glycogen stores for those longer distance races are crucial, but if you completely ditch faster or structured runs, or take too many days off from running, your nervous system can downshift - leaving you feeling like a slug in the mud.

Aerobic fitness is pretty durable - it sticks around even with a few days off. But neuromuscular readiness? That fades fast. This is why you might feel bad the day after taking a rest day or why those first few days of running after a short recovery period feel like you lost 6 months of fitness! This readiness is what gives you that springy, coordinated, and responsive feeling in your legs. Lose it, and your muscles feel dull and slow, no matter how fit you are. I'm sure you've experienced this before!

Strides help maintain neuromuscular readiness during taper

What Is Muscle Tension and Why Does It Matter?

Muscle tension isn’t just about how tight or loose your muscles feel. It’s about neuromuscular readiness - how quickly your muscles fire, how efficiently they produce force, and how well your posture and mechanics hold up with minimal effort. When muscle tension is high, running feels light and elastic. When it’s low, everything feels sluggish and delayed.

During race week, the goal is to keep this muscle tension intact. That means including short, controlled bursts of faster running like strides, brief intervals at 3K to 10K pace, or light threshold efforts. These workouts don’t add fatigue but keep your nervous system sharp. On the flip side, long runs, extended threshold sessions, and high volume are the enemy here - they drain your tone and should be avoided in excess.

How to Structure Your Race Week Workouts

So, what does a smart race week look like? It’s about reducing overall training load while preserving rhythm and structure. You don’t want to gain fitness or prove anything at this point. Instead, you want to maintain neuromuscular signaling so your body remembers how to move efficiently.

Here’s a simple approach I’ve found effective:

• Keep workouts but shorten them: Instead of a straight tempo or long threshold session, keep it to a lighter effort. One of my favorite Half Marathon / Marathon pre-race workouts is 3 x 1 miles at Threshold Effort/Pace 4-5 days before race day.

• Include strides or short intervals: 4-6 x 20-30 seconds at 3K-10K pace with full recovery.

• Avoid long or hard sessions: No long runs or extended threshold work.

• Focus on quality, not quantity: Each session should feel sharp but not tiring.

  
  

This way, you arrive at the start line relaxed but alert, rested but responsive. You’re ready to access the fitness you’ve built, not spending the first miles trying to wake it up.

Light workouts keep the nervous system engaged without causing fatigue

Practical Tips to Keep Your Legs Feeling Fresh

Let me share some practical takeaways that have helped me and many runners I coach:

• Don’t skip strides: Even if you feel rested, those short bursts keep your legs “awake.”

• Listen to your body: If a workout feels too hard, dial it back. The goal is readiness, not exhaustion.

• Stay consistent with your routine: Keep your warm-up and cool-down habits intact to maintain rhythm.

• Hydrate and fuel smartly: While not the main focus here, don’t neglect nutrition and hydration.

• Rest well: Sleep is your best friend during taper week.

  
  

Remember, the nervous system is like a muscle itself - it needs a little stimulus to stay sharp but not so much that it gets tired.

Getting Ready to Race: The Mental and Physical Balance

Race week isn’t just about physical prep. It’s also about mental readiness. When your body feels springy and responsive, your confidence naturally rises. You’re not second-guessing your legs or worrying about sluggishness. Instead, you’re calm, focused, and ready to perform.

I always remind myself that the work is done. This week is about remembering how to run well, not earning fitness. That mindset shift makes a huge difference in how I approach my workouts and how I feel on race day.

By keeping your nervous system engaged with short, sharp efforts and cutting out the heavy volume, you’ll show up to your race feeling fresh, coordinated, and ready to run your best. It’s a subtle but powerful difference that can turn a good race into a great one.