Zatopek This weekRevision 1 · 2026-09-15Intervals through Sep 13 · synced Sep 15, 1:16 PMdraft-07build 08145eb2

NYC Half 2027

Sep 14 – Mar 21 · 27 weeks · goal United Airlines NYC Half Mar 21 (confirmed)

220→420minutes
20–25%hard band
120long cap
4races
discussion draft · not approved for workout syncreturning from interruptionexecution not cleared · week 1
season flags · ACTUALS_MISSING
  • ACTUALS_MISSING No completed weeks logged. This validates a discussion draft, not readiness to execute; the preflight gates the next week from the log. Travel, illness and post-race response require replanning from absorbed work.
1 note from Mike
  • illness Mike reports feeling better: no fever, mild leftover congestion or fatigue. Has not run yet today; plans an easy run. Wants easy Tuesday and Wednesday, a smaller SubT dose Thursday and a standard Friday. Gives up the Jersey Shore A-race finish: Jersey Shore Half on October 4 becomes a C race (steady, roughly 9:15/mi give or take 30 seconds) inside the NYC Half season, which restarts this week.
This weekWeek 1Sep 14 – Sep 20Return + Jersey Shore C

Clear the cold, keep running

weekend pair · easy saturday + easy longsent to watch · nothing logged yet
run minutes215+46 vs 169 recordedceiling 215
hard minutes105% · band 20–25% · 43–54 minbelow band
long run60ceiling 60all easy
vs the four weeks before—load 223 · prior mean —no history
  1. Mon · Sep 14off
    Off
    no workout
  2. Tue · Sep 15easy
    30 min
    Easy 30m
    Easy 30m
    PM · Runner Stretch PT
    on watch
  3. Wed · Sep 16easy
    35 min
    Easy 35m
    Easy 35m
    on watch
  4. Thu · Sep 17lower SubT · 10 hard
    30 min
    SubT 1x10m @ 8:15
    WarmupWarm up 10mMain set10m 8:15-8:31/mi PaceCooldownCool down 10m
    PM · Pilates for Runners · 1:1
    on watch
  5. Fri · Sep 18easy
    30 min
    Easy 30m
    Easy 30m
    on watch
  6. Sat · Sep 19easy
    30 min
    Easy 30m
    Easy 30m
    PM · Runner Stretch PT
    on watch
  7. Sun · Sep 20easy long
    60 min
    Long 60m
    Easy 60m
    on watch
Tue PM · Gym off while symptoms cleargym off
No gym——

Runner Stretch PT · 60 min

Thu PM · Gym off while symptoms cleargym off
No gym——

Pilates for Runners · 1:1

Sat PM · Gym off while symptoms cleargym off
No gym——

Runner Stretch PT · 60 min

The season

expected, aheadhard minutes20–25% allowancerace weekspecific work
this weekW1Sep 14 – Sep 20215 min planned10 hard · 5% · allowance 43–5460 min long · all easyno four-week historysent to watch
Minutes, and the hard work inside them
4300100200300
Sep 14Oct 12Nov 9Dec 7Jan 4Feb 1Mar 1
Each week against the four before iteasy 1 · SubT 1.8 · races SubT × distance × terrain
1.401.151.000.900.55
Sep 14Oct 12Nov 9Dec 7Jan 4Feb 1Mar 1
The long run30–125 min · cap 120
1256030
HALF12K5K3×102×2035 cont2×8HALF
Sep 14Oct 12Nov 9Dec 7Jan 4Feb 1Mar 1

The weeks

WeekMin/hardTuesdayThursdaySaturdaySundayLifts · what forAgent notes
W1Sep 14Return + Jersey Shore Csent to watch215/10Easy 30mSubT 1x10m @ 8:15Easy 30mLong 60mGym offClear the cold, keep runningRETURN_PLAN
reasoning
Develops
Frequency back to six runs and a 60-minute Sunday, the first step toward a two-hour Jersey Shore.
Changes
Tuesday anchor becomes easy; Thursday is a single 10-minute lower SubT rep instead of a full dose.
Maintains
Thursday threshold touch and the usual PT and Pilates appointments.
Makes room
No gym while symptoms clear. Stop any run that feels disproportionately hard; missed minutes are not repaid.
Weekend
Easy 30 Saturday / easy 60 Sunday: rebuild duration before adding anything fast.
Not
Saturday strides with a 50-minute Sunday. Two weeks out from a two-hour run, the long run is the scarcer preparation; strides can wait a week while the cold clears.
Return
Illness September 14: no fever by September 15, mild leftover congestion and fatigue. Easy Tuesday and Wednesday, one small lower SubT Thursday, standard Friday, 60 easy Sunday. Running Minutes ≤ 215 min · Long Run Minutes ≤ 60 min. Source: Mike, September 15, 2026, health report and requested week
RETURN_PLAN
return: Illness September 14: no fever by September 15, mild leftover congestion and fatigue. Easy Tuesday and Wednesday, one small lower SubT Thursday, standard Friday, 60 easy Sunday. Source: Mike, September 15, 2026, health report and requested week. Explicit ceilings replace ordinary ramp comparisons for this week; this is not execution clearance.
W2Sep 21Return + Jersey Shore Cdraft270/33load 1.32SubT 2x6m @ 7:59SubT 2x10m @ 8:15Strides 4x20s 30mLong 80mUpper-body re-entryThe long run carries the weekLOAD_ABOVE
reasoning
Develops
An 80-minute easy long run: the last big step before Jersey Shore, so two hours of steady running is not a shock.
Changes
Both anchors return at small doses (2 × 6 upper, 2 × 10 lower) and Saturday gets four relaxed strides.
Maintains
Threshold identity and short relaxed speed without adding a second demanding weekend day.
Makes room
Upper-body gym only; legs stay out of the gym until after Jersey. Practise race-morning fluids and a gel on Sunday.
Weekend
Four strides / 80 easy: duration is the Jersey preparation that matters.
Not
Brief hills Saturday / 70 easy Sunday. Hills add force work the race does not need, and ten fewer Sunday minutes leave a bigger gap to two hours.
LOAD_ABOVE
Too hard for what came before: 1.32 × the prior 4-week mean (296.7 vs 223.9 weighted min relative to SubT ×1.8). Band 0.9–1.15.
W3Sep 28Return + Jersey Shore CdraftC race · flat264/144load 1.30SubT 2x6m @ 7:59SubT 1x10m @ 8:15Strides 3x20s 19mJersey Shore Half Marathon · C · Steady · 8:45–9:45/mi, about 9:15No legs before JerseyJersey Shore as a steady long runC_RACELOAD_ABOVE
reasoning
Develops
Two hours at steady effort with a bib: the season’s first long continuous run, not a race.
Changes
Friday off, Thursday a single lower SubT rep, three strides Saturday. No taper beyond that.
Maintains
Tuesday 2 × 6 upper SubT and normal easy days early in the week.
Makes room
Start at 9:45/mi and settle toward 9:15 only if it feels steady; the slower end is fine given two weeks of preparation. Fuel as practised. No gym for legs; Saturday PT gentle.
Weekend
Three strides Saturday / Jersey Shore Half at 8:45–9:45/mi, steady.
Not
Race it all-out as originally planned. Disrupted training and illness; an all-out half would cost a recovery week at the start of the NYC build. A steady effort is useful work instead.
C_RACE
C race at Steady · 8:45–9:45/mi, about 9:15: a long steady workout with a bib, counted as steady work. No taper and no race-style recovery; its duration still exceeds ordinary long-run limits, so prepare the long run and review the response. Reconcile actual duration afterward.
LOAD_ABOVE
Too hard for what came before: 1.30 × the prior 4-week mean (324.8 vs 249.3 weighted min relative to SubT ×1.8). Band 0.9–1.15.
W4Oct 5Power + speed reservedraft264/33load 1.11SubT 2x6m @ 7:59SubT 2x10m @ 8:15Hills 4x10s 31mLong 63mFamiliarizeAbsorb Jersey, start force workSTRENGTH_CONCURRENT_RAMPQUALITY_BAND
reasoning
Develops
Four brief hill sprints and the first leg lifts since the illness, at RPE 6.
Changes
Minutes hold at 264 after the Jersey week; Tuesday stays 2 × 6 the week after a two-hour run.
Maintains
Both anchors and a 63-minute easy Sunday.
Makes room
If Jersey left soreness past Wednesday, skip the hills and keep the lifts at one set.
Weekend
Four brief hills / 63 easy.
Not
Flat strides / 63 easy. Strides are the fallback if the legs are still heavy from Jersey; hills supply force the strides do not.
STRENGTH_CONCURRENT_RAMP
Leg prescription progresses/restores (Tuesday Trap-bar deadlift: introduced/restored; Tuesday Standing calf raise: introduced/restored; Thursday Dumbbell split squat: introduced/restored; Thursday Seated calf raise: introduced/restored) while running grows or the weekend changes. A changed weekend may be easier, not harder: review the whole-week tradeoff and actual response.
QUALITY_BAND
12.4% quality / 87.6% non-quality. Working band 20.0%–25.0%; do not fill a quota blindly.
W5Oct 12Power + speed reservedraft264/39load 1.04SubT 3x6m @ 7:59SubT 2x10m @ 8:15Hills 4x10s 36mLong 64mEstablish the doseEstablish the doseSTRENGTH_CONCURRENT_RAMPQUALITY_BAND
reasoning
Develops
Establish a repeatable lifting dose during the running return.
Changes
Gym adds two hinge sets at the same RPE; four hill sprints repeat.
Maintains
Reduced Thursday anchor and familiar short-force recipe.
Makes room
No third loaded-leg session. Running plus gym restoration needs actual-response review.
Weekend
Four brief hills / 55 easy, with two added Tuesday hinge sets.
Not
Six hills plus the gym set increase. Running volume and gym sets already rise; repeat the brief force dose rather than increase it too.
STRENGTH_CONCURRENT_RAMP
Leg prescription progresses/restores (Tuesday Trap-bar deadlift: more sets) while running grows or the weekend changes. A changed weekend may be easier, not harder: review the whole-week tradeoff and actual response.
QUALITY_BAND
14.6% quality / 85.4% non-quality. Working band 20.0%–25.0%; do not fill a quota blindly.
W6Oct 19Power + speed reservedraft264/58load 1.03SubT 4x6m @ 7:59SubT 3x10m @ 8:15Relaxed 6x30s 40mLong 59mRunning developsReclaim baseline, add fluid speed
reasoning
Develops
Longer relaxed flat running alongside restored anchor rhythm.
Changes
Six 30-second fluid reps replace hill sprints; not all-out and not a VO2max claim.
Maintains
Gym sets and RPE targets hold; Wednesday strides retain a brief coordination touch.
Makes room
Sunday stays easy. No need to fill the quality target with extra repetitions.
Weekend
Six relaxed 30-second reps / 60 easy: broaden flat mechanics.
Not
Eight short hill sprints / 60 easy. Another hill increment would keep selecting force while the gym already supplies it.
W7Oct 26Power + speed reservedraft264/58load 1.02SubT 4x6m @ 7:59SubT 3x10m @ 8:15Relaxed 6x30s 40mLong 59mStrength developsGive strength the progression
reasoning
Develops
Develop force: Tuesday hinge and calf move RPE 6 → 7.
Changes
Same sets/reps, higher lifting effort if the prior dose was absorbed.
Maintains
Repeat the whole 280-minute running week: anchors, relaxed Saturday and 60-minute easy Sunday.
Makes room
No new hill stimulus, more running or denser intervals. Stable minutes are not a down week.
Weekend
Repeat six relaxed 30-second reps / 60 easy; Tuesday strength develops.
Not
Moderate hills / 65 easy with gym held. Both are usable cycles. Choose higher lifting RPE now with the running week unchanged; no obligation to work through every hill option.
W8Nov 2Power + speed reservedraft284/65load 1.11SubT 5x6m @ 7:59SubT 3x10m @ 8:15Relaxed 8x30s 40mLong 65mRunning developsAccumulate relaxed fast runningMULTIPLE_LEVERS
reasoning
Develops
Repeat the familiar flat-speed format with more total repetitions.
Changes
Add 20 minutes; six relaxed reps become eight, with unchanged effort and recovery.
Maintains
Wednesday strides and the established gym set/RPE dose.
Makes room
Sunday adds nine easy minutes, within the draft long-run envelope; the hilly B race next week already supplies substantial terrain demand.
Weekend
Eight relaxed 30-second reps / 69 easy: accumulate familiar flat running.
Not
Six 45-second hills / 69 easy. The upcoming all-out hilly 12K supplies substantial terrain load; no need to make hill progression the season.
MULTIPLE_LEVERS
Both running minutes and quality-work minutes rise. Review the stated accommodation, not only individual caps.
W9Nov 9Power + speed reservedraft300/65load 1.13SubT 5x6m @ 7:59SubT 3x10m @ 8:15Relaxed 8x30s 40mLong 72mRunning developsHold the dose, grow the week
reasoning
Develops
Repeat last week’s anchors and relaxed reps while easy running and the long run grow.
Changes
300 minutes; Sunday 72.
Maintains
Tuesday 5 × 6, Thursday 3 × 10, eight relaxed 30-second reps, lifting unchanged at RPE 7.
Makes room
One lever moves: running volume. Gym and fast work repeat.
Weekend
Eight relaxed 30-second reps / 72 easy.
Not
Start fast aerobic reps this week. Volume is already rising; a new Saturday stimulus would move two levers at once.
W10Nov 16Power + speed reservedraft300/69load 1.09SubT 5x6m @ 7:59SubT 3x10m @ 8:15Fast 8x1m @ 7:19Long 69mRunning developsFirst fast aerobic Saturday
reasoning
Develops
First flat fast aerobic reps at current 5K effort, two weeks before Navesink.
Changes
Saturday moves from relaxed 30-second reps to 1-minute reps; minutes hold at 300.
Maintains
Anchors, lifting and a 69-minute easy Sunday.
Makes room
Minutes hold so the new Saturday is the only change. Controlled repetitions, not a test.
Weekend
Fast aerobic 1-minute reps / 69 easy.
Not
Another week of relaxed 30-second reps. Navesink and the power block need a fast aerobic exposure first; repeating the relaxed reps would leave that gap to the race.
W11Nov 23Power + speed reservedraftB race · hilly310/93load 1.30SubT 2x6m @ 7:59SubT 1x10m @ 8:15Strides 4x20s 35mJSRC Navesink Challenge 12K · B raceNavesink integrationNavesink owns the weekendRACE_ESTIMATEMULTIPLE_LEVERSLOAD_ABOVE
reasoning
Develops
All-out hilly 12K exposure, not a performance peak.
Changes
Tuesday 2 × 6 and a single 10-minute Thursday rep: the SubT dose shrinks for a hilly all-out 12K while easy minutes hold, so the week is neither a taper nor stacked.
Maintains
Two anchors, Thu reduced to 2 × 10.
Makes room
Cheap Saturday; zero Saturday gym. Race work estimate requires reconciliation.
Weekend
Small strides / Navesink: the race owns weekend quality.
Not
Normal Saturday X / Navesink. B priority does not make an all-out race inexpensive. No performance taper, but no extra Saturday workout.
RACE_ESTIMATE
All-out race replaces weekend quality. Shares and duration use a placeholder; ordinary ratio targets do not force a performance taper. Reconcile actual load afterward.
MULTIPLE_LEVERS
Both running minutes and quality-work minutes rise. Review the stated accommodation, not only individual caps.
LOAD_ABOVE
Too hard for what came before: 1.30 × the prior 4-week mean (440.1 vs 339.4 weighted min relative to SubT ×1.8). Band 0.9–1.15.
W12Nov 30Fast aerobic supportdraft320/8load 0.89Easy 42mEasy 54mFast 8x1m @ 7:19Long 79mPost-12K returnAbsorb the 12KSTRENGTH_CONCURRENT_RAMPQUALITY_BANDLOAD_BELOW
reasoning
Develops
Easy running through Friday after the hilly Navesink 12K, then six strides Saturday and 79 easy Sunday.
Changes
Tuesday and Thursday anchors become easy runs at the same minutes: one easy day per 3 km raced plus one for the hills.
Maintains
Weekly minutes and the long run, so the race week is absorbed without becoming a recovery week.
Makes room
If quads are still sore by Saturday, skip the strides. Thursday legs only if soreness has resolved.
Weekend
Fast aerobic 1-minute reps Saturday / 79 easy, after five easy days.
Not
Strides only on Saturday. After five easy days the hilly 12K has had its recovery; a small fast aerobic dose keeps the week from going soft without bringing SubT back early.
STRENGTH_CONCURRENT_RAMP
Leg prescription progresses/restores (Thursday Dumbbell split squat: introduced/restored; Thursday Seated calf raise: introduced/restored) while running grows or the weekend changes. A changed weekend may be easier, not harder: review the whole-week tradeoff and actual response.
QUALITY_BAND
2.5% quality / 97.5% non-quality. Working band 20.0%–25.0%; do not fill a quota blindly.
LOAD_BELOW
Softer than what came before: 0.89 × the prior 4-week mean (329.3 vs 371.8 weighted min relative to SubT ×1.8). Band 0.9–1.15. Justify the drop or restore the work.
W13Dec 7Fast aerobic supportdraft335/69load 1.06SubT 5x6m @ 7:59SubT 3x10m @ 8:15Fast 8x1m @ 7:19Long 80mRestore, do not peakBuild fast aerobic supportSTRENGTH_CONCURRENT_RAMPMULTIPLE_LEVERS
reasoning
Develops
Introduce controlled 5K-effort work after race recovery.
Changes
335 minutes, adding 15; eight 1-minute reps / 90 sec easy, faster than relaxed running but repeatable.
Maintains
Wednesday strides maintain a separate short-speed exposure.
Makes room
Restore eight familiar lower-body gym sets at the prior RPE targets. Sunday adds just one minute to 80 easy.
Weekend
Eight 1-minute 5K-effort reps / 80 easy: short repeatable fast work.
Not
Five 2-minute uphill reps / 80 easy. Flat running complements recent terrain exposure and gives a clearer speed reference; long hills stay in the library.
STRENGTH_CONCURRENT_RAMP
Leg prescription progresses/restores (Tuesday Trap-bar deadlift: introduced/restored; Tuesday Standing calf raise: introduced/restored; Thursday Seated calf raise: more sets; Thursday Seated calf raise: more reps per set) while running grows or the weekend changes. A changed weekend may be easier, not harder: review the whole-week tradeoff and actual response.
MULTIPLE_LEVERS
Both running minutes and quality-work minutes rise. Review the stated accommodation, not only individual caps.
W14Dec 14Fast aerobic supportdraft335/73load 1.05SubT 5x6m @ 7:59SubT 3x10m @ 8:15Fast 6x2m @ 7:19Long 80mFast running developsExtend the fast repetitions
reasoning
Develops
Sustain current 5K effort for longer uninterrupted repetitions.
Changes
Eight 1-minute reps become six 2-minute reps; recovery expands to two minutes rather than squeezing it.
Maintains
Wednesday strides and stable anchors.
Makes room
Weekly and Sunday duration hold; gym sets and RPE targets also hold while fast work rises.
Weekend
Six 2-minute 5K-effort reps / 80 easy: longer reps with more recovery.
Not
Twelve 1-minute reps with shorter rest / 80 easy. Choose sustained execution, not simultaneous density and speed escalation. Gym sets/RPE and run duration hold.
W15Dec 21Fast aerobic supportdraftB race · flat340/79load 1.08SubT 3x6m @ 7:59SubT 3x10m @ 8:15Strides 4x20s 45mAsbury Park Polar Bear 5K · B racePolar Bear integrationPolar Bear owns the weekendRACE_ESTIMATEMULTIPLE_LEVERS
reasoning
Develops
All-out 5K; B priority, full race effort.
Changes
340 minutes including the provisional race container; race replaces fast Saturday.
Maintains
Normal anchors; no performance taper.
Makes room
Zero Saturday gym. Sunday 10 AM; 30 race minutes is only a bookkeeping estimate.
Weekend
Small strides / Polar Bear: full effort replaces X.
Not
Controlled race as a workout. Mike races at 100%; adjust the training around that fact rather than changing race effort.
RACE_ESTIMATE
All-out race replaces weekend quality. Shares and duration use a placeholder; ordinary ratio targets do not force a performance taper. Reconcile actual load afterward.
MULTIPLE_LEVERS
Both running minutes and quality-work minutes rise. Review the stated accommodation, not only individual caps.
W16Dec 28Endurance bridgedraft350/32load 0.97Easy 42mSubT 3x10m @ 8:15Strides 6x20s 45mLong 90mPost-5K returnAbsorb and extend enduranceSTRENGTH_CONCURRENT_RAMPQUALITY_BAND
reasoning
Develops
Easy endurance after the fast block.
Changes
Add ten minutes; no new metabolic session.
Maintains
Short speed; lower SubT.
Makes room
Monday and Tuesday easy after the flat 5K (one easy day per 3 km raced); Thursday lower SubT returns. Actual recovery overrides the target.
Weekend
Strides / 90 easy: endurance resumes after the 5K.
Not
Steady finish / 90 total. Restore easy endurance first; do not label the preceding race a recovery week.
STRENGTH_CONCURRENT_RAMP
Leg prescription progresses/restores (Thursday Dumbbell split squat: introduced/restored; Thursday Seated calf raise: introduced/restored) while running grows or the weekend changes. A changed weekend may be easier, not harder: review the whole-week tradeoff and actual response.
QUALITY_BAND
9.1% quality / 90.9% non-quality. Working band 20.0%–25.0%; do not fill a quota blindly.
W17Jan 4Endurance bridgedraft370/77load 1.10SubT 6x6m @ 7:59SubT 3x10m @ 8:15Fast 5x2m @ 7:19Long 90mRestore the platformBuild the general platformSTRENGTH_CONCURRENT_RAMPMULTIPLE_LEVERS
reasoning
Develops
Ordinary-day volume, with fast support retained.
Changes
Add 20 minutes; expand Tuesday to 6 × 6 after the race-recovery week.
Maintains
Wednesday strides and stable long run.
Makes room
Gym maintenance only; Sunday stays easy. Review restoration of quality against actual recovery.
Weekend
Familiar 5 × 2 / 90 easy while ordinary volume grows.
Not
Longer 10K-effort reps / 90 easy. Repeat the known fast dose while anchors and gym return; rep novelty adds no necessary benefit.
STRENGTH_CONCURRENT_RAMP
Leg prescription progresses/restores (Tuesday Trap-bar deadlift: introduced/restored; Tuesday Standing calf raise: introduced/restored; Thursday Seated calf raise: more sets; Thursday Seated calf raise: more reps per set) while running grows or the weekend changes. A changed weekend may be easier, not harder: review the whole-week tradeoff and actual response.
MULTIPLE_LEVERS
Both running minutes and quality-work minutes rise. Review the stated accommodation, not only individual caps.
W18Jan 11Endurance bridgedraft370/77load 1.07SubT 6x6m @ 7:59SubT 3x10m @ 8:15Fast 5x2m @ 7:19Long 90mStrength developsBuild force before specificity grows
reasoning
Develops
Tuesday hinge and calf develop at RPE 8 instead of 7.
Changes
Same lifting sets/reps; higher effort only if the previous dose was well tolerated.
Maintains
Repeat all 370 running minutes, including 5 × 2 Saturday and 90 easy Sunday.
Makes room
No simultaneous volume, long-run or interval progression. Thursday remains the small RPE 6 dose.
Weekend
Repeat 5 × 2 / 90 easy and the full running week; Tuesday RPE rises.
Not
3 × 5 at 10K effort / 95 easy with gym held. Strength gets a development window before specific endurance expands. The longer-rep option remains available, not mandatory or owed later.
W19Jan 18Endurance bridgedraft390/55load 1.04SubT 4x6m @ 7:59SubT 3x10m @ 8:15Strides 4x20s 50mLong 95mEndurance takes priorityLonger easy Sunday before HM blocksQUALITY_BAND
reasoning
Develops
A 95-minute easy long run, the last easy build before HM blocks begin in week 21.
Changes
Twenty more weekly minutes (390), mostly easy running; Sunday stays easy with no steady bridge.
Maintains
Four Saturday strides, not another hill session.
Makes room
Fewer leg sets make room for the added running; do not replace fewer sets with harder sets.
Weekend
Four strides / 95 easy: build duration before HM blocks.
Not
15 steady + 10 HM inside the 95 minutes. Steady running is kept for floats and Jersey only; HM blocks start in week 21 after easy long runs, the Bakken way of keeping easy easy.
QUALITY_BAND
14.2% quality / 85.8% non-quality. Working band 20.0%–25.0%; do not fill a quota blindly.
W20Jan 25Endurance bridgedraft410/87load 1.15SubT 6x6m @ 7:59SubT 4x10m @ 8:15Strides 3x20s+5x2m @ 7:19Long 100mRetain acquired forceBank the easy platformMULTIPLE_LEVERS
reasoning
Develops
General endurance with a compact two-part Saturday.
Changes
Three relaxed strides, 3 min easy, then familiar 5 × 2 at 5K effort. Not two full workouts.
Maintains
Short coordination first, sustained fast work second; Wednesday stays easy.
Makes room
Sunday returns to easy; familiar anchors restored, gym stays at six sets with unchanged RPE targets.
Weekend
Three strides, then 5 × 2 / 100 easy: two small complementary jobs.
Not
Only 5 × 2 / 100 easy with Wednesday strides. Both are credible. Group the short touch while fresh on Saturday; Wednesday becomes plain easy. Neither version is physiologically proven superior.
MULTIPLE_LEVERS
Both running minutes and quality-work minutes rise. Review the stated accommodation, not only individual caps.
W21Feb 1HM specificdraft410/86load 1.06SubT 4x6m @ 7:59SubT 3x10m @ 8:15Strides 6x20s 50mLong 100m, 3x10m @ 8:04HM integrationIntegrate HM work
reasoning
Develops
First substantial HM-specific session.
Changes
Hold 410 minutes: 3 × 10 HM with 3 min easy after 40 easy minutes.
Maintains
Threshold rhythm and short speed.
Makes room
Anchors reduced to 4 × 6 / 3 × 10; metabolic Saturday removed, gym zero.
Weekend
Six strides / 3 × 10 HM: build work with easy resets.
Not
Six strides / 2 × 15 HM. Start with shorter uninterrupted bouts; the alternative is a useful later continuity progression, not a different quality target.
W22Feb 8HM specificdraft420/87load 1.08SubT 6x6m @ 7:59SubT 4x10m @ 8:15Fast 5x2m @ 7:19Long 105mBreadth, not another gym buildMaintain the fast side
reasoning
Develops
General endurance plus fast-support maintenance.
Changes
Add ten minutes to reach 420; restore 6 × 6 / 4 × 10 anchors.
Maintains
Wednesday strides; retain the familiar 2-minute rep and recovery rather than add novelty.
Makes room
Sunday entirely easy: restoration replaces HM work, not an added layer.
Weekend
Familiar 5 × 2 / 105 easy: retain breadth between specific Sundays.
Not
Relaxed fast reps / 105 easy. Relaxed reps preserve fluid running but are not an equivalent sustained fast stimulus. No reason to change the familiar recovery.
W23Feb 15HM specificdraft420/90load 1.03SubT 3x6m @ 7:59SubT 3x10m @ 8:15Strides 6x20s 50mLong 105m, 2x20m @ 8:04Longer HM blocksExtend HM blocks
reasoning
Develops
Longer uninterrupted HM work.
Changes
Hold 420 minutes: 2 × 20 HM / 3 min easy replaces 3 × 10. Start after 45 easy minutes.
Maintains
Short speed and anchor frequency.
Makes room
Anchors reduced to 3 × 6 / 3 × 10; Saturday metabolic work and gym removed.
Weekend
Six strides / 2 × 20 HM: extend uninterrupted work with easy recovery.
Not
Six strides / 3 × 12 HM with 3-minute steady floats. Floats would add six steady work minutes and sustained pressure. Prefer longer HM bouts without changing recovery intensity too.
W24Feb 22HM specificdraft420/87load 1.02SubT 6x6m @ 7:59SubT 4x10m @ 8:15Fast 5x2m @ 7:19Long 105mRetain both endsRetain breadth
reasoning
Develops
Keep fast support alive through the specific phase.
Changes
Same 420 minutes; Sunday easy, anchors back to 6 × 6 / 4 × 10.
Maintains
Wednesday strides and general endurance.
Makes room
HM work removed; no obligation to set a weekly work record.
Weekend
Familiar 5 × 2 / 105 easy: hold useful exposures.
Not
Another HM Sunday with only strides Saturday. Avoid crowding out fast support; repeating a good general week preserves breadth before the final continuous rehearsal.
W25Mar 1HM specificdraft410/85load 0.97SubT 3x6m @ 7:59SubT 3x10m @ 8:15Strides 6x20s 50mLong 105m, 1x35m @ 8:04Continuous HM rehearsalContinuous HM rehearsal
reasoning
Develops
Continuous HM effort without interval resets.
Changes
410 minutes; 35 continuous HM minutes instead of 40 split, after 50 easy minutes.
Maintains
Threshold rhythm and short-speed touch.
Makes room
Anchors 3 × 6 / 3 × 10; Saturday cheap with zero gym. Less total work, more continuity.
Weekend
Six strides / 35 continuous HM: fewer work minutes, no resets.
Not
Repeat 2 × 20 HM / easy recovery. Continuity is the selected progression. If previous HM work was not controlled, repeating or reducing it wins instead.
W26Mar 8Taper + racedraft330/49load 0.76SubT 2x6m @ 7:59SubT 2x10m @ 8:15Strides 4x20s 45mLong 95m, 2x8m @ 8:04Taper the gymReduce, retain
reasoning
Develops
Freshness with familiar race rhythm.
Changes
330 minutes; only 2 × 8 HM Sunday, placed earlier to avoid extra late-run stress.
Maintains
Anchor feel and coordination.
Makes room
Reduced anchors; gym light Tue/Thu, zero Sat.
Weekend
Four strides / 2 × 8 HM: an earlier, smaller rhythm reminder.
Not
Another late continuous HM block. The last fortnight is not the time to buy more endurance at the expense of freshness.
W27Mar 15Taper + racedraftA race · rolling290/133load 1.00SubT 2x6m @ 7:59SubT 2x10m @ 8:15Strides 4x20s 25mUnited Airlines NYC Half · A raceRace weekNYC HalfRACE_ESTIMATE
reasoning
Develops
Race execution at 100% effort.
Changes
290 total includes provisional 120-minute race container.
Maintains
Small familiar anchors; no new fitness work.
Makes room
Zero gym all week. March 21 remains provisional.
Weekend
Small familiar strides / NYC Half.
Not
An extra sharpening workout. No remaining adaptation justifies unfamiliar loading before the A race.
RACE_ESTIMATE
All-out race replaces weekend quality. Shares and duration use a placeholder; ordinary ratio targets do not force a performance taper. Reconcile actual load afterward.