In the final stretch now. Twelve weeks of work done— the biggest, most consistent marathon block I’ve ever done — and Week 12 marks the transition from training to sharpening, from effort to execution. This week was about staying calm, staying loose, and carrying all the fitness without adding any unnecessary stress.
Monday – Rest Day
A straight rest day. Legs still carried a bit of heaviness from Sunday’s long run, but it faded quickly. Good sign the load is absorbing, and the taper is doing its job.
Tuesday – Easy Hour That Became Easy-Plus
Planned: 60 minutes easy.
Actual: catch up with an old friend → drift into easy-plus.
13 km – 1:11 – 5:27/km – HR 148
Aerobic, comfortable, at his request, we threw in a few 4:40-something kilometres. Not ideal taper form, but harmless.
Wednesday – High-Intensity Sharpening (30/60s)
The final “real” workout of the block.
2 × 15 × (30 seconds on / 60 seconds off).
- First set: 3:20–3:40/km
- Second set: faster, closing with 3:14 and 3:15/km
- Total: 13.6 km – 1:07 – avg HR 156 (peaking mid–170s)
Legs felt sharp, turnover was good, and this session ticked the neuromuscular box perfectly.
Thursday – Proper Taper Mode
Finally felt like the taper begins
8.32 km – 45 minutes – HR 142
Still a bit of tib and calf tightness lingering from Wednesday’s speed, but nothing that affected stride. All smooth.
Saturday – Another Easy 45
Keeping the body moving, nothing fancy.
8.43 km – 45 minutes – HR 148
Nice to snooze a bit and run in the daylight
Saturday Night – The Christmas Tree Incident
While setting up the Christmas tree, I dropped one of the metal rod segments directly onto the outer bone of my foot — the one beside the little toe that has exactly zero padding.
Immediate pain.
Went to bed with my foot aching, thinking: Surely not… DNS – Injured by the Christmas tree?
Thankfully:
- Woke up with only 2/10 awareness
- No swelling
- No change in gait
- Didn’t affect the MP run at all
Just a bruise. Still aware of it on Monday, but nothing structural.
Sunday – Marathon Pace Tune-Up (Final MP of the Block)
Keep the legs used to marathon-pace a week out:
11.4 km – 55 minutes total
MP segment: 30min, 4:35/km – HR 160 (max 165)
Not effortless, but controlled. More importantly, marathon pace felt slightly boring, which is exactly what you want heading into race day. MP shouldn’t feel impressive — it should feel repeatable.
12-Week Block Summary
From 16 September to now, the entire marathon build totals:
- 846 km in 12 weeks
- 140 km of marathon-pace running
- Block-average MP: just under 4:38/km
- Recent MP: 4:35/km at ~160 HR
- Early MP: 4:39–4:41 in mid–160s
- Late MP: faster pace, lower heart rate → major efficiency gains
This has been the strongest, most consistent marathon preparation I’ve ever put together. Durability, pacing control, and heat adaptation are all at their peak.
Race Plan
Average 4:35/km → Finish around ~3:13, with margin under 3:15.
1. First 32 km (Discipline Phase)
Pace: 4:36/km
Heart Rate: <165 bpm
Effort: Boring, controlled, sustainable**
Restraint early and then concentration through the middle section, don’t let the pace slip off
Key points:
- If early splits are 4:38–4:40, that’s perfect.
- Keep HR under 165 at all costs.
- Don’t surge, don’t “correct” small fluctuations, don’t get pulled by adrenaline.
- MP show feel a bit too easy, holding back
2. Lao Tobacco Hill
- Don’t fight the gradient.
- Let splits drift.
- Keep the HR stable.
- The cost of forcing pace here is enormous later.
- Make it up on the back side comign down again
3. Phonpapao Street → Finish
This is where the race starts,
Get up this hill, then it’s time to hit the gas. Effort increases, and pace if there is anything more to give.
- Go for 4:30/km or quicker
4. Merging With the Shorter-Distance Runners
(Stay Focused, Hold Your Line)**
36 km, the route joins the HM route,
- Hold your line. No weaving.
- Stick to your pace. Don’t speed up to “clear traffic.” Don’t fall in with the slower runners
- Stay relaxed. Don’t let other runners dictate your rhythm.
This section rewards discipline, not aggression.
5. Goal Time
Everything points to the same target:
- 4:35/km average = ~3:13:xx
- Leaves buffer for over distance to 3:15
- Matches late-block marathon-pace sessions almost exactly
The goal is effort management and a strong finish. The work is done, the fitness is there, execute properly, and the time will take care of itself. But honestly, I’ll be disappointed with slower than 3:15
Weather Note
Forecast for race morning: 18–19°C with high humidity.
Not ideal, but not a disaster.
More of the block was done in worse weather; the plan is sufficiently conservative to account for the weather.