When Plans Change (and That’s Okay)

This week didn’t exactly go to plan. I had a beautiful schedule written out, 21 km long run on Saturday, legs feeling fresh, maybe even a sunrise hero photo for proof. Then life laughed and said, “Yeah, not this week...”

So instead of the perfect plan, I got a perfectly good mix: four early-morning weight sessions, a few shorter runs, one cracking 10 km, and a steady 15 km to close it out. Not textbook marathon prep, but it still counts.

Early in the week I hit the treadmill for a short hill session at 6 am. Three kilometres of uphill grind before coffee is character-building, or so I keep telling myself. Midweek I ran an easy 5 km around Keilor Park at about 4:35 pace, the kind of run that doesn’t impress anyone on Strava but quietly keeps the engine humming.

Then came the fun part. Cotton and I smashed out a 10 km at 4:02 pace. Everything clicked. Good rhythm, good company, good reminder that running fast can still feel fun. We finished sweaty, slightly broken, and already planning breakfast. Aiming for a sub 40 min 10km in the next few weeks.

By the weekend the planned 21 km was out, so I swapped it for 15 km instead. Average 4:52 pace, 107 metres of climbing, and a heart rate around 150 bpm. The first few kilometres were sluggish, but by the end I was cruising. Sometimes the backup run ends up being the quiet win of the week.

The gym sessions deserve a shout-out too. Four mornings, 6 am starts, lots of leg work and a few moments of questioning my life choices. Strength and mobility are the goal, staying injury-free long enough to see all this running pay off. I’m also starting to think more about weight. I’m sitting around 90 kg now and aiming to race Tokyo somewhere between 84 and 86 kg. Light enough to move well, heavy enough to still open jars without help.

So, not the perfect week on paper, but a good one in practice. The training plan bent a little, and nothing broke. That’s a win. Marathon prep isn’t about flawless weeks; it’s about stacking enough good ones that the goal starts to feel close.

Tip of the Week:
Training rarely goes exactly to plan. Don’t chase perfection, chase progress. Missed a session? Swap it, shorten it, shift it. The body doesn’t care about a perfect spreadsheet, it cares that you keep showing up.

Next Week:
Another crack at a long run, a few speed sessions, and maybe fewer early alarms… though probably not. The Tokyo countdown continues.