My journey to 50 in 50 states

A lot of different approaches to tapering, but the most common advice out there is to cut your mileage back to 80%, 60% and 40% each week of the taper, based on average mileage levels at the peak of training prior to the taper, but don't cut back on frequency or intensity. For me, in the past a 3-week taper has left me feeling slightly out of shape at the starting line, so as an experiment I am not tapering much this time around. It is a continuous trial and error to get it right, and everybody is a little different. I would wish you good luck but I don't think you will need it. With all those miles in your last training cycle you should get a nice PR in Des Moines.

Right, as Flat says many ways to taper. I like to run my last long run 3 weeks out and start my taper after that. I think 4 weeks out is too early. Keep up some faster paced stuff until 6-7 days out. I have had good luck with a 12 mile run as my last long run 8 days out with 6-8 miles at MGP to get the legs dialed in to the pace. But I don't think you can go wrong cutting down as Flat advised starting 3 weeks out.

From what i always read...10 days out should be your last hard workout.