The part of the run where the data dipped and the insight deepened.
A moment of pause. A walk break. A few beats missed. And then: clarity.
Z4 didn’t go to plan-but that’s where the real learning lives.
On July 29, 2025, I set out for a structured progression run with precision in mind:
- 10 minutes in Z2a
- 10 in Z2b
- Then climbing the ladder through Z3a and Z3b
- Before finally attempting Z4a and Z4b
- Then warm down.
The pace targets were aggressive, but within reach. Fuel was prepped. Beats were queued. The mantra was ready:
“The beat is the thing, with which to run the thing.”
But let’s rewind to what actually happened.
🔗 A Real-Time Breakdown
📍 Revisit the original run here: Progression Run – July 29, 2025
📊 The Data Told a Story
🧠 The Segments That Shaped the Run
🟦 Z2a → Z3b:
The ramp-up was crisp. Cadence climbed with intent. Heart rate followed a predictable curve.
I was tuned, locked, present. Pace quickened through each zone, right on plan.
🔴 Z4a: The Stumble
The wheels didn’t fall off…
But they wobbled.
My legs felt it before the watch confirmed it. I paused-walked-reset.
The cadence dropped, my pace slowed, but my heart rate still rose. That’s fatigue not from lack of effort-but from muscular breakdown and missed sodium.
This was the learning moment. The stumble.
🟢 Z4b: The Rebound
Maurten Gel 160 started working its magic. I surged again, not quite back to Z3b crispness, but enough to feel my footing return.
The mantra? Still there-whispering instead of pounding.
“The beat is the thing…” Even if it’s a slower tempo.
🟫 Cool Down: The Quiet Blur
Cadence dropped. Pace softened.
But I didn’t feel defeated. I felt aware.
The warm down didn’t mark failure. It marked understanding.
🪞 The Bigger Picture
Z4a gave me more than all the perfect pacing in the world.
It revealed:
- Where I’m still building
- How crucial sodium intake timing is
- The cost of breaking rhythm mid-run
- The value of walk breaks that don’t derail the story
💬 Final Reflection
Progression isn’t about perfection. It’s about attention.
Some runs go to plan.
Others go to progress.
This one gave me both.