This was the first long run of the project and the most important session of the opening week.
The plan asked for 17 kilometres at a controlled heart rate. Pace was secondary. The route ran through wooded and hilly terrain, and I decided to walk the steeper climbs rather than force myself to run every metre.
The data
| Metric | Result |
|---|---|
| Distance | 17.0 km |
| Average pace | 6:36/km |
| Average heart rate | 133 bpm |
| Maximum heart rate | 156 bpm |
| Average power | 236 W |
| Elevation gain | 209 m |
| Temperature | 25°C |
| Fuel and fluid | Two dates from km 10, 500 ml water |
| How it felt | Good |
The average pace looks similar to an ordinary easy run, but the route included more than 200 metres of elevation and the session lasted close to two hours. Walking the steepest sections helped keep the effort under control.
Most importantly, I still felt good late in the run.
What the coach saw
ChatGPT focused on the average heart rate of 133 bpm. It remained low for a run of this length, and there was no dramatic rise near the end.
The power output also stayed stable. That suggested I was not fading badly, even though the terrain and temperature added difficulty.
The coach called this the most important session of the preparation so far. Its reasoning was straightforward. Speed over short distances was already visible, but this run provided the first real evidence that my aerobic base could support a stronger half marathon.
It also revised its early race estimate. A finish around 1:54 to 1:56 began to look plausible if the training continued well.
Fuel practice
I drank 500 ml and ate two dates from kilometre 10. That was enough to complete the session comfortably, although the coach suggested testing a little more carbohydrate during future long runs.
This was not just about preventing fatigue. Race day is a poor time to discover that a particular gel or feeding schedule does not agree with my stomach.
My takeaway
Walking the hills did not make this a failed run. It helped turn it into the session it was supposed to be.
That may be the most useful lesson from the first week. Training quality is not measured by how stubbornly I follow a pace. It is measured by whether I create the intended effort and recover well enough to train again.
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