Pulled up pretty well after the half-marathon on Saturday, Which is good because I’m in the peak of training over the next few weeks and there is lots of work to be done.
Tuesday – 4 × 8 × 30 sec on / 30 sec off
Same workout as last week. I ran the first few reps by feel, sitting around 4:00 /km, then gradually picked it up. By the back half I was well under four-minute pace, hitting 3:40s and feeling strong.
13.6 km · 1:08 hr — solid workout, especially so soon after racing.
Wednesday – 60 min Easy
Still had a bit of a head cold but felt okay to run. Went out for 10.85 km · HR 142 bpm. Fueled beforehand to avoid a deficit while sick. The cold wasn’t affecting the legs, lungs, or aerobic system. Later topped up with vitamin C and all the usual recovery measures.
Thursday – 90 min Long Run with 60 min Zone 3
Revisited this session on the same route as last year. The marathon-effort block came out to 12.8 km in 60 min (4:42 /km · HR 162), giving a pace-to-HR ratio of 2.8 % — right on target.
It was already 24 °C at 4:30 a.m., so hydration was key. My friend rode alongside again with ice-cold water and some company on the quiet Vientiane roads.
18.43 km · 1:32 hr total. Still a touch under the weather, but performance held steady.
Friday – Rest Day
Saturday – Vientiane City Run Club
Joined the morning 5 K and topped it up to 10.18 km in 63 min. Still feeling a slight head cold, so I made sure to fuel beforehand — didn’t want to run fasted or put myself into a deficit ahead of Sunday’s big session. Always good to run wth some company
Sunday – Marathon Simulation (32.55 km)
First real marathon-specific test of the block. Out early again, it back to being too hot it was 23 °C at 3:30 a.m., with my friend on the bike and a mini aid station set up at That Luang Lake — car parked mid-route with an icebox, cold drinks, and water for cooling off.
The plan was five × 5 km at marathon pace, looping back every 5 km for a quick refill and dousing with ice water. Felt strong and controlled through the run. Of course, it got harder, and i also pushed harder. picking up slightyl through the reps. Marathon Pace is start to come easier.
| Rep | Pace (/km) | HR (bpm) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4:36 | 160 |
| 2 | 4:35 | 164 |
| 3 | 4:36 | 164 |
| 4 | 4:33 | 165 |
| 5 | 4:28 | 167 |
Average pace for the marathon-effort blocks: 4:33–4:34 /km, right on target for a sub-3:15 marathon.
Last year, I did the same workout around the lake in Udon Thani on a cool 17 °C morning and just couldn’t get the legs to turn over any faster— heart rate stayed low, but strength to push harder was there. This time, even in much hotter conditions, I was stronger, smoother, and able to push through the reps, increasing speed and working right ot the top fo zone 3, even up into zone 4 even right near the end of the hard, long run. Clear sign that both aerobic base and strength have improved.
Legs were beat up by the end — hamstrings threatening to cramp on the cooldown — but I jogged it through to the finish.
32.55 km · 2:42 hr (moving) — a true 20-mile marathon-effort run in the bank.
Weekly Total
85.6 km, the biggest week of the block so far. Paces trending faster, heart rate under control, and recovery solid.
Reflections
Feeling fitter and more resilient than at the same point last year. The heat’s back, so it remains to be seen just how fast I can sustain at marathon effort in better conditions.