START THE WEEK OFF RIGHT: Tapering and 4sta Hike | Well being and Health

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Winner Edna Kiplagat smiles as she holds the trophy after the 47th annual Quad-City Times Bix 7, Saturday July 24th 2021.



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Male winner Leonard Korir crosses the finish line on July 24th during the 47th annual Quad-City Times Bix 7.

Jeramy Duffee

Running highlight of the month: Bix 7 was held in Davenport last month and, as always, attracted a large crowd with many elite runners from all over the country. Leonard Korir took victory on the notoriously hilly 7-mile course in 32:48. In the women’s category, Edna Kiplagat took victory in 37.17 minutes. To put these fast times in perspective, they averaged 4:41 and 5:19 per mile. Impressive!

This time of year brings a dose of exercise that we all love to hate – the infamous rejuvenation. Try not to get too moody. A few things to think about if your race is in the half marathon range or longer.

1. If you’ve been following an exercise plan, I would recommend following the taper as it is designed. Not all plans are created equal, so ideally the plan you are using takes into account the total volume.

2. Don’t do anything crazy or new for 10-14 days. This is (in most cases) the perfect time to rejuvenate. In this area, working out isn’t going to add fitness to you and the last thing you want to do is overdo it and not have enough time to rest. If your focus is on sticking to a consistent reduced-dose schedule over the past 2 weeks, you should be ready to go.

3. Get some rest. This is one thing that is easily overlooked in the past few weeks. Try to stick to your normal schedule and not stay up late, etc. With less exercise volume and, hopefully, a little more time for extra sleep, you can get the best rest of your mind and body possible.