tapering
n.— «Leading up to a big meet, swimmers use a process called tapering, decreasing the distance they swim in practice. The method allows their bodies to rest and recover, and generally leads to faster times.» —“10 Things You Didn’t Know About Competitive Swimming” by Brett Knight Columbia Missourian (Columbia, Missouri) Feb. 16, 2008. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
In 1916, a small-town newspaper in Pennsylvania printed a fanciful item about a local gathering with a guest list that included, among others, Miss Ella Vader, Mr. Ray Zor, and other punny names. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of...
Linda in Salisbury, North Carolina, wonders why boxing is called the sweet science, since there’s nothing obviously sweet about a bruising sport. This term took hold among British sportswriters in the early 19th century as promoters tried to frame...