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.

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

🧠 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.