Training Notes · Women & Ultras · Nutrition
What to Eat in Taper.
A female guide to fuelling before an ultra.
support, not restriction
Her Trails CoachingEvidence-informedWritten for women9 min read
Taper is where the work is meant to land. Training load drops, but physiologically this is one of the most active phases of your entire build, and that requires energy.
01 · The Frame
What taper actually asks of your body.
Your body is repairing, restoring, and recalibrating. Glycogen stores rebuild. Muscle tissue completes its repair cycle. Hormones, sleep, mood and immune function all rely on adequate fuel during this window.
Most women don't consciously restrict in taper. They simply stop fuelling with the same consistency they trained with. Meals become less structured. Snacks get skipped. Carbohydrates drop without intention. In taper, small deficits matter.
What to focus on in taper
Carbohydrates
Restore glycogen. The single biggest lever in this phase. Keep intake steady to slightly increased.
Protein
Repair tissue. Aim for ~20 to 30 g spread across each meal and snack, including breakfast and post-session.
Fats
Hormonal support. Don't strip them out. Olive oil, avocado, nuts, oily fish: everyday inclusions, not afterthoughts.
Hydration
Stay steady. Sip across the day with electrolytes once heat or sweat is in the picture.
02 · Female physiology
Why fuelling taper matters more for women.
Female physiology is more sensitive to low energy availability. Even small drops in intake can affect hormones, sleep, mood and recovery. That can show up as flat legs, poor sleep, irritability, or a sense that something is off.
Often, what feels like “flat fitness” in taper is actually under-fuelling. It looks like skipping snacks because you're less hungry. Choosing lighter meals without thinking. Questioning your training because you feel flat. None of this means you're not ready.
Signs you may be under-fuelling
Energy
Heavy legs, fatigue that doesn't lift, a sense of being weighted down on easy runs.
Sleep
Falling asleep fine but waking at 2 to 4 am, or sleeping through and still waking unrested.
Mood
Low mood, irritability, anxious spirals about the race that don't match your training history.
Cravings
Sugar cravings, constant thoughts about food, hunger that doesn't resolve after meals.
Recovery
DOMS that linger, small niggles that won't settle, a body that feels slow to bounce back.
This is not failure. It is feedback.
03 · Troubleshooting
What to eat when taper feels off.
This is not about fixing everything instantly. It is about giving your system what it needs to stabilise. Match the symptom to the simplest practical response.
If you feel … then add …
Flat / low energy
Add an extra carbohydrate source to your meals — rice, oats, potato, fruit, bread. This supports glycogen replenishment without overhauling your whole plate.
Poor sleep
Add a small carb-based snack 1 to 2 hours before bed. Something simple and familiar — toast and honey, a banana, a small bowl of cereal. Supports overnight recovery and nervous system regulation.
Irritable / flat mood
Check overall intake first. This is often low energy availability, not mindset. Regular meals plus a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack stabilise blood glucose and mood.
Cravings / food-focused
Your body is asking for more fuel, not less control. Respond with balanced meals: carbs + protein + fats + vegetables. Do not restrict further.
Heavy / slow legs
Do not reduce carbohydrates. This is often a sign stores are still rebuilding. Stay consistent and allow the process to complete.
04 · The carbohydrate question
Carbohydrates: the quiet priority.
Across your training block, glycogen is repeatedly used and only partially restored. Taper is the phase where that changes. When intake stays consistent, glycogen stores can fully rebuild. This is one of the reasons athletes often feel heavier in taper, muscles holding more glycogen also hold more water. That weight is fuel, not bloat.
Use the table below as a practical guide, then layer in carb-loading in the final 24 to 48 hours before race day.
Daily carbohydrate guide in taper
Early taper
5 to 7 g per kg body weight per day. Maintain training-week consistency.
Mid taper
6 to 8 g per kg body weight per day. Volume drops, so intake feels relatively higher — that is correct.
24 to 48 h out
8 to 10 g per kg body weight per day. Lean on familiar, low-residue carbohydrate sources.
Race morning
1 to 4 g per kg body weight, 2 to 4 hours pre-start. Practised foods only.
Worked example · 60 kg athlete
Mid taper
~360 to 480 g carbohydrate per day.
Day before
~480 to 600 g carbohydrate spread across 5 to 6 eating occasions.
Race morning
~60 to 240 g, 2 to 4 hours pre-start, depending on tolerance and time available.
05 · A real taper day
What this looks like on a plate.
A template, not a prescription. The structure matters more than the exact foods. Consistency, not perfection, is what supports recovery.
A day in taper
Breakfast
Oats with banana, yoghurt and nut butter. Or eggs on sourdough with avocado and fruit on the side.
Mid-morning
Fruit plus yoghurt, or a slice of banana bread.
Lunch
Grain bowl — rice or quinoa with protein, roasted vegetables and olive oil.
Mid-afternoon
Smoothie with banana, oats and protein. Or toast with honey.
Dinner
Familiar carb base + protein + vegetables. Pasta, potato, rice — whatever your gut knows.
Evening
A small familiar snack — toast and honey, cereal, a piece of fruit. Helps overnight recovery.
06 · The final 48 hours
Race-week checklist.
Practical guardrails
Familiar food
Race week is not the time for new restaurants, new cuisines, or new supplements.
Lower fibre
Reduce raw veg, bran cereals and high-fibre breads in the 24 to 48 hours pre-race. Easier on the gut.
Hydration
Sip across the day. Add electrolytes if it is hot, humid, or you are travelling. Pale straw urine is the marker.
Caffeine
Keep your normal intake. Race-day caffeine should match what your body already knows.
Cycle awareness
Late luteal phase can lift carb needs by ~5 to 10%. If you are pre-menstrual on race week, lean into carbs, not away.
You do not need a perfect plan. You need enough consistency to support what your body is already doing.
07 · The frame, again
What matters most.
Taper is not about control. It is about support. It is not about doing less in every sense. It is about allowing your body to complete what you have already asked it to do.
You are not trying to feel lighter. You are trying to be ready. Fuel is not separate from performance — in taper, it is one of the clearest ways you allow it to emerge.
eat to be ready —
Want a personal plan?
Tamara Madden
Specialist in fuelling for endurance sport.
For individualised taper and race nutrition built around your physiology, cycle and event, we recommend working with Tamara at Madon Nutrition.
Visit Madon Nutrition →
Written by
Her Trails Coaching
Evidence-informed coaching for women training across the seasons of their lives.
