Today’s long run wasn’t one of those effortless, high-momentum sessions. It was a grind, physically and mentally. Right from the early kilometers, I felt some unexpected gastrointestnal discomfort. It lingered throughout the run and distracted me from maintaining focus on my pacing. Instead of locking in on the effort, I found myself thinking more about how quickly I could get back home.
Still, I followed the structure: 10 minutes of warm-up, followed by 45 minutes at 6:30/km pace, then 30 minutes pushing at 5:30/km, before winding down with a 10-minute cooldown. The first part felt manageable, but I noticeably struggled during the uptempo section. The 5:30 pace just wasn’t there today: my legs didn’t respond, and my form felt off. I’m not sure if it was fatigue, fueling, or something else, but I’m making a note of it.
Earlier in the week, I completed two interval workouts that might have contributed to today’s fatigue. The first session featured three sets of 6-minute efforts at 4:30 to 4:50/km pace, with 3:30 of walking recovery between sets. The second was a speed-focused workout with eight repetitions of 90 seconds at 4:00 to 4:30/km pace, with 2-minute walk recoveries. Both were bracketed with 10-minute warm-ups and cooldowns, and both left the legs feeling sharp, but clearly taxed.
Despite the struggles today, I’m chalking this one up as a win. Not every long run will feel good and sometimes, the runs that feel the hardest are the ones that quietly build the most resilience. Endurance is the goal, and today, it was tested.
“Tempo sharpens the sword but LSD forges the steel.“
Post-run check-in: No lingering soreness, no red flags physically, just a reminder that training isn’t always smooth. It’s always about showing up, adjusting when needed, listening to your body and staying honest with where you are.
Lesson learned: Watch my pre-run nutrition and timing more closely. A small discomfort can snowball into a major distraction.
“That which does not kill us makes us stronger”
Friedrich Nietzsche
OGRap 