Week 7 brought me back to London’s trails after a whirlwind wedding week in Turkey. With 57km under my belt across 4 runs, I’m stoked to ramp up the volume and tackle Richmond Park’s rolling hills. This week blended solid effort with a few surprises—here’s the gritty rundown, plus what’s next as I dial in my training for the Alps.
Training Breakdown: 57km
I aimed for 79km with a focus on Zone 2 (145-160 bpm) to build my aerobic base, targeting a 22km long run and some elevation gain. Swapping to Training Peaks TSB values gave me a clearer picture, and I landed at 57km - below target but a strong rebound from last week’s 44.75km. London’s and Turkey's trails delivered 392m of elevation, a step up from the current flat grind. Here’s how it shook out:
- Monday (May 26): Rest day. Took it easy with 8.37 hours of sleep, recovering from weekend wedding festivities - feeling fresh and ready.
- Tuesday (May 27): 10km easy run, 6:13 min/km, 151 bpm, 185m gain. Ran with groom in the morning - slower pace but great to share the trails.
- Wednesday (May 28): Rest day. Full day of travel back from Turkey, 6.3 hours of sleep.
- Thursday (May 29): 15km easy run, 5:35 min/km, 157 bpm, 11m gain. Very surprised by the pace - huge jump from two weeks ago.
- Friday (May 30): 12.06km fartlek, 6:01 min/km, 153 bpm, 11m gain. Warm-up (20min), 10 x 1min at 175 bpm with 2min recovery, cool-down (20min). RPE hit 4 - manageably tough but rewarding.
- Saturday (May 31): Unintended rest day. Little one had a bad night's sleep and was up all hours, packed day full of plans so no two hour gap.
- Sunday (June 1): 20.02km long run, 5:47 min/km, 154 bpm, 185m gain. Richmond Park delivered hills that stung but felt awesome - deer sightings and good vibes sealed it. Fueled with 400kcal.
Total elevation hit 392m, and while 57km fell short of 79km, the long run and fartlek added versatility. VO2 Max held steady at 47.5, and TSB at -18 keeps me in the “getting fit” sweet spot.
Challenges and Wins
Challenges: Travel and a packed schedule nipped at my heels, cutting volume short. The switch to Training Peaks TSB values flagged some Suunto quirks I’ll dig into - accuracy matters especially if it is the key force driving how hard I train every week. Hills in Richmond Park tested my legs more than expected.
Wins: Nailing 57km with 392m elevation feels like a win after Turkey’s chaos. Thursday’s 5:35 min/km pace was a shocker - proof my base is building. Sunday’s 20km run in Richmond Park was pure joy, and TSB trending right keeps me on track. This week’s consistency has me fired up.
A Focus on TSB and Tech
We'll see how switching to Training Peaks TSB changes training. Suunto’s readings feel off, so I’ll dive deeper to sort it out. TSB at -18 signals I’m pushing the right balance, and I’ll keep volume up to stay in that -10 to -30 zone. More time on feet is the goal, and getting an idea of my body's signals now.
Looking Ahead: Week 8 and Alpine Prep
Week 8 targets 80km, 5 runs, and a 22km long run. I’m travelling to Portugal for a company offsite so will do the runs that I can, hoping I will get the volume I want but no guarantees.
Join the Journey
Week 7 was a solid step forward - London’s trails, a strong long run, and a pace surprise have me buzzing. Follow my runs on Strava or gear updates on Instagram. Dive into my intro post for the full UTMB 2030 plan.
Happy trails,
Kyle
