Two days after the long run I was not supposed to do, the plan returned to interval work. The original session called for six 1,000 metre repetitions, but the conditions and the accumulated load made that target too ambitious.
It was 30°C and humid. The sensible version of the workout was four repetitions, with the emphasis on control rather than completing the number written in the first draft.
The data
| Metric | Result |
|---|---|
| Distance | Approximately 8.5 km |
| Time | 52:08 |
| Average pace | 6:08/km |
| Average heart rate | 140 bpm |
| Maximum heart rate | 168 bpm |
| Average power | 249 W |
| Maximum power | 399 W |
| Elevation gain | 43 m |
| Temperature | 30°C, humid |
| Perceived effort | 7/10 |
The fastest recorded section was approximately 5:14/km. The complete split list is not available in the training record, so there is no value in inventing a neat progression that may not have happened.
What is clear is that the four faster blocks were completed and the overall session stayed below an all-out effort.
What the coach saw
ChatGPT treated the shorter session as the correct adjustment, not as a failed attempt at six repetitions. Heat raises the cardiovascular cost of the same pace, and the 19 kilometre run on Sunday was still close enough to matter.
The maximum heart rate of 168 bpm showed that the workout still reached the intended intensity. Adding two more repetitions simply to satisfy the original plan would have increased fatigue without proving anything useful.
The important decision was to preserve the purpose of the session: several controlled faster efforts, recoveries that allowed the heart rate to fall and enough restraint to train again later in the week.
What changed next
Thursday remained an easy run with no strides. The goal was to see whether the legs recovered normally after the heat session.
The Saturday tempo run was no longer automatic. It would depend on how the easy run felt, not just whether its average heart rate looked good.
This was a small but important correction to the coaching process. A plan should define the training stimulus. It should not turn the original repetition count into a test of obedience.
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