Speed Workout in Parry Sound – July 25, 2025

Build Phase 1 / Week 3 / Run3 – The Road to TOWaterfront 42K

Setting the Scene

With my new pace and heart rate zones dialed in, I was feeling ready to rip. My wife and I were on a mini vacation in Parry Sound, but the training plan doesn’t pause for pretty scenery – especially not in Build Phase.

A comic-style wide-format illustration of a middle-aged male runner in a black tank top, shorts, and cap, jogging confidently down a wooden bridge adorned with colorful mural panels on both sides. The bright sky and green trees frame the background, emphasizing motion, vitality, and scenic tranquility.

I found a well-used path that ran along the waterfront that looked like a gift from the running gods. One bottle of Maurten Mix 160 down the hatch an hour before, a few sips of Nuun for insurance, and I was off.

My pre-run ritual included:

Fuel: Maurten Mix 160 (60 mins before), Gel 160 (just before a dynamic warm-up)
Hydration: Sips of Nuun before and during
Audio: Drum Buddy @165 bpm for warm-up; 180–182 bpm during intervals; back to 162 for cool down

The only hiccup? A sneaky incline in the early reps. “Shut up, legs!” came out sooner than expected – but it worked like a charm.

I finished soaked and smiling.

📊 Workout Details

Metric	Value
Duration	34:20
Distance	5.29 km
Avg Pace	6:30/km
rTSS	54
hrTSS	40
IF (Pace)	0.93
IF (HR)	0.80
Avg HR	154 bpm
Max HR	170 bpm
Pa:HR	8.21%
Elevation Gain	127 m
Avg Cadence	167 spm
Calories Burned	410 kcal
RPE	4 – Somewhat Hard
Weather	20°C, 94% humidity, NNW wind 6.3 km/h

🧠 Coach’s Corner

This was a well-executed speed session in a dynamic outdoor setting. A few key notes:

IF (Pace) 0.93 vs IF (HR) 0.80 suggests strong aerobic capacity with room to push harder without exceeding your internal load.
Pa:HR 8.21% is healthy for this type of work, confirming cardiac drift was present but manageable.
A max cadence of 184 spm shows sharp leg turnover-ideal for short intervals.
The climb during early efforts elevated effort without spiking heart rate prematurely. That’s good control under load.

You’re adapting well to the structure of high-low interval blends. Strong work.

🔗 Related Reads

📥 Trusting Your Body vs Smart Devices
🧠 My Mantras and My Marathon

💬 Final Thoughts

Running in a new town always adds a bit of magic-and this workout delivered. Even with the incline surprise, I held form, trusted my effort, and closed strong.

Build Phase 1 keeps rolling.