5k Taper – Will doing nothing or another sport help my taper?

Will doing nothing or another sport help my 5k taper?

A study by Joe Houmard in the early 1990s had 3 equivalent groups of runners who were then tapered in a controlled manner, the groups were as follows:

1. Trained as normal
2. Cut volume by c70% but added higher intensity work
3. Cut volume by c70% but added higher intensity work AND transferred ALL training to a stationary bike

EVERYONE in group 2 improved their 5k control times. On average by 30 seconds.

The other groups failed to get better.

Conclusion

1. Taper
2. Incorporate speed in taper
3. Taper using the sport you have trained for.