Peak on Race Day: Proven Cape Town Taper & Pacing Tips

Two weeks to go until Cape Town Marathon! 🎉 In Episode 13 of the Run Cape Town podcast, Jamie is joined by coach Ntutu Letseka to dive deep into taper week(s)—what to cut, what to keep, how to avoid the taper blues, and how to lock in your race-day pacing strategy (including when to trust your watch vs the course markers). We also cover strength training adjustments, sleep and nutrition, getting to the start line healthy, and why a smart taper can be worth 2–5% performance gain on the day.What you’ll learn- Why tapering works (and how much time it can save you)- Exactly how to structure a two-week taper (linear vs exponential drop)- What changes (and what doesn’t): frequency, intensity, and long runs- Strength training in taper: what to drop and when- Sleep, nutrition, illness-avoidance, and alcohol in the final 14 days- The taper blues: why you might feel sluggish… and why that’s normal- GPS vs official markers: how to use pacing charts correctly- Pacing strategy for Cape Town Marathon (incl. elevation-aware splits)