Bonus 2: Tapering and Pacing Strategies for the NYC Marathon (Part 2)

About this episode

Matt and Molly discuss tapering and pacing strategies to prepare for the NYC Marathon.

How to taper with confidence and pace your best NYC Marathon, mile after mile. You’ve done the training for the NYC Marathon. Now comes the hardest part—trusting yourself. The taper and pacing strategy often get too little attention, too late. We set time goals, have a rough pace in mind, and let it rip. But if we don’t approach the start line with intention, we risk losing the discipline that gets us to the finish we want. In this episode, Matt and Molly offer a framework for thinking about the taper—how long it should last, how much intensity to keep—and the pacing strategies that make or break your race, including the scariest of them all: the negative split. You’ll come away better equipped to manage the restlessness of race week, hold back early when the crowds surge, and finish the NYC Marathon feeling strong instead of spent. Episode Description In this episode of Legwork , Matt and Molly take on the final stretch before the NYC Marathon—the taper, pacing strategy, and mindset that shape how race day unfolds. It’s the stage that can spark as much anxiety as excitement: mileage drops, energy shifts, and the urge to “prove fitness” in those final days before the race can…

People in this episode

Hosts: Matt, Molly

Topics covered

• tapering
• pacing strategies
• NYC Marathon
• race day preparation
• running mindset

Keywords

• tapering
• pacing
• NYC Marathon
• race strategy
• negative split

Mentioned in this episode

Places: NYC Marathon

More episodes of Legwork

• 13 - The Science and Art of the Negative Split: Bank Energy, Not Time · May 7, 2026 · 1h 18m
• Bonus 3: What You Need To Know To Run The Boston Marathon—and Why It’s Harder Than It Looks · April 17, 2026 · 1h 39m
• 12 - Applying Heat Training Protocols During Winter Running · February 11, 2026 · 1h 5m
• 11 - Why Racing All the Time Is Holding Back Your Running · January 28, 2026 · 1h 29m
• 10 - The Atlantic's Nick Thompson On Writing His Book The Running Ground, Pushing His Personal Limits, and an Undying Curiosity · January 13, 2026 · 1h 23m
• 09 - Why Fueling Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All: Personal Hydration Strategies for Athletes with Andy Blow · December 9, 2025 · 1h 12m