The Peaking Problem


Steve Magness Wednesday, September 22, 2010, 12:00 am







Why do coaches and scientists disagree?




The Physiology of Peaking


Instead, the main factor is believed to be changes in the muscles’ ability to produce force, or, in simpler terms, the muscle gets stronger. What is interesting is that these changes only occur in certain muscle fibers. A peak can positively affect FT fibers, but it either has no impact or a negative one on ST fibers. The research demonstrates that when a peak improves performance, it’s because the FT fiber strength improved and the ST remained the same. On the other side, if a peak doesn’t work and performance does not improve, it’s because the ST fibers decreased in strength. 

While this may be technical, it gives us evidence to show why individuals may respond differently to various peaking methods. Instead of classifying runners based on fiber types, we can take the more practical approach and classify runners based on their strengths, just as McMillan does when he separates his runners into “endurance monsters” and “speed demons.”

How to Individualize a Peak

The first step to figuring out your best peak is to find out what kind of runner you are.  After all, if you are a runner like Alberto Salazar and have around 99 percent ST fibers, does it do you any good to use a peaking strategy to increase the strength of your FT fibers? You don’t have many to begin with, so what good does it do to increase their strength? You don’t need to have a sophisticated laboratory test to determine your fiber type. In fact, knowing your exact fiber type is of little value.

Instead, figure out for the race distance you are running if you tend to perform better on the speed side or endurance side. This is quite easy to figure out. First, evaluate your best race times at the shorter and longer distances to figure out where your strengths lie. It is often helpful to put in your best time in a race calculator like the one on, then see if your shorter races or longer races are closer to the predicted times of these calculators. Secondly, answer the question of what workouts you thrive from: Is it short, fast 200-meter repeats or the long, drawn-out tempo runs? If you thrive off faster work, you’re more speed oriented, while if you like longer workouts, you’re more endurance oriented. 

Armed with this knowledge, it’s time to find your optimal peaking strategy. Most non-elite runners tend to follow the dramatic taper method recommended by scientists. However, after comparing the two approaches, it should be clear that the approach used by elite coaches has a lot of merit. To adapt it to your own running, follow several simple guidelines. As our coaches suggested, stick with a small reduction in training volume, around 10 percent each week for two weeks, or around 25 percent total from your average training volume. In general, the speed-oriented runners can handle a slightly higher drop in volume due to the fact that their FT fibers will get a bump in strength. For my speedy runners, I push the volume drop to around a 15 percent drop per week. Endurance-oriented runners should stick with an approximate 10 percent volume drop per week.

For your harder workouts, don’t make any drastic changes and focus on what has gotten you to this point. Instead of adding newfangled speed workouts like research may suggest, McMillan and Puppione both recommend focusing on race pace once a week, with the other weekly workout being one that focuses on your performance strength to give you confidence. For example, for a speed-oriented runner, a faster-paced interval session would suffice. A typical workout for a 5K runner might be some 200s or 400s at 3K down to mile pace. For endurance-oriented runners, a slower session like a 10K pace or threshold-paced run would suit the bill. Make the main focus of your peak on these two workout types — race pace and your confidence booster — and you’ll be much better off. Lastly, keep your running routine intact as much as possible. That means don’t alter the frequency of running by a significant amount.

Armed with this more moderate taper, you are more likely to hit your peak more often than trying a dramatic peak as recommended by research. It might seem boring and bland compared to the more dramatic taper, which introduces new stresses and changes with the hopes of a magic performance boost. But in this case, bland and boring keeps your body from going into shock and should give you confidence. For us obsessive-compulsive runners, all a dramatic taper seems to do is fill us with doubts and perhaps make us feel like we have lost fitness. It might not be exactly physiologically true, but it’s not what we want going through our heads before that big race. After all, the most important thing is to do what will give you confidence when you approach the start line.

Steve Magness is a runner, coach, and soon-to-be exercise physiologist who is completing his master’s degree at George Mason University this fall. His mile PR is 4:01, and he coaches a group of successful high school and post-collegiate runners. He writes about running, science and coaching at

Tags: Columns