Running Tip #4. Running is high-impact and endurance training can be taxing both mentally and physically, so it's important to know when to let your body recover especially after hard workouts or races. In the last few weeks before a race, listening to your body and resting helps aid injury prevention and muscle regeneration. There is little incremental benefit a training session provides during a taper period. Finally, the more you train, the more sleep you need. Try sleeping early and waking up early more often, since that will be needed for race day!