Long Run Breakdown – August 3, 2025

Build Phase 2 / Week 1 / Run 5 – Road to TOWaterfront 42K

I felt every single year of my 66 years. But I digress.

Pre-run, T-minus 1hr 30min-ish, I ate 2 slices of white bread and 2 tablespoons of jam and sipped Nuun. I considered taking 2 tablespoons of Brain Octane MCT, but ultimately decided against it. I carried 3 SiS gels, planning to consume one every 4 km. No gut distress-good sign. Still, Maurten remains my preferred brand despite the hit to the wallet.

During the run, I drank 500ml of Nuun and took SaltStick Fastchews about every 30 minutes. I stuck to my planned fueling timeline, so any pace degradation felt mechanical-likely leg strength.

The air quality warning might’ve played a role, but the temps were mild. I started too hot, flirting with the fast end of my Zone 2 range, and-true to form-I paid for it. The final 30 minutes dragged, though the last SiS gel may have unbottled some late energy.

Despite falling short of the prescribed average pace, I’m not concerned. I believe the adaptations will come. I also walked up inclines and during ingests to manage my heart rate.

Metrics Snapshot

Metric	Value
Duration	1:50:05
Distance	15.1 km
Avg Pace	7:18/km
Normalized Graded Pace (NGP)	6:52/km
Elevation Gain	425 m
Elevation Loss	440 m
Avg HR	141 bpm
Max HR	154 bpm
Pa:HR	9.87%
EF	1.03
Cadence Avg	161 spm
rTSS	142
hrTSS	99
VAM	232 m/h
VAM W/kg	1.16

What Your Numbers Say

rTSS vs hrTSS: A classic split-high rTSS (142) vs hrTSS (99) points to mechanical load taking the lead late in the run, consistent with your perception of leg fatigue.

Pa:HR at 9.87% shows moderate cardiac drift, which is fair given the length, elevation, and mid-run effort spikes.

EF of 1.03 holds up for an aerobic effort on hilly terrain. You’re becoming efficient, even when it hurts.

VAM & VAM W/kg show steady climbing capacity-great signs for aerobic strength on rolling terrain.

Takeaways

• Fueling strategy held strong with no gut distress.
  
• Early pacing felt smooth but likely too ambitious.
  
• Late-run fatigue suggests leg strength still developing for this distance.
  
• Walk breaks on hills were a smart trade-off to keep HR in Z2.
  

---

Still standing. Still stacking.

Yesterday’s mildly mild Z2 effort is worth a look too

Recap, Recover, Relax & Ready.