Sydney Marathon Diaries

Well, this week has been a rollercoaster of emotions from the highs of the first run in the Alphafly 3 and the ease of the marathon pace segments to a mid-week hip niggle that really scared me into taking a rest day and then being gone by the end of the week.

First up, the hip niggle. It came directly after what would be considered the easiest run of the week for me—a social run with workmates. The day after the run, my right hip was really angry at me and just in pain all day. By the end of the week, all I can put it down to is either more lateral movement than I am used to on the single-track trail or the combination of elevation on the run and 4 hours in the car traveling to and from work. Either way, it definitely scared me when I am feeling at my fittest.

Now for the Alphafly 3 review after a glowing review of the Superblast 2 last week. I had high hopes for this but was also scared that it wouldn’t feel as good after the runs in the Superblast 2. This will be reserved for long runs only and when the marathon pace sets are more than 50% of the workout and races. The warm-up just felt difficult and, to be honest, 5:50 min/km (9:24 min/mile) were not what I would call comfortable and, as a result, made me question the hype of the Alphafly.

This quickly changed the moment I switched gears for the marathon pace sets. Pace change was instantaneous and, once the goal pace was hit, the foam, plate, and Zoom pods just naturally propelled me forward. At times, I had to double-check the watch because my HR was much lower than usual and effort felt much easier than the marathon pace that was showing. Very excited to see how this goes over the full distance on Race Day. It perfectly fits in the rotation alongside the Adidas SL2 (Daily Beater), Nike Vaporfly 3 (5k/10k), Asics Superblast 2 (Long Run / Jack of all Trades), and Alphafly 3 (Marathon Paced Long Runs / HM / Marathon).

Lets jump into the training week!

Weekly Breakdown

Sunday: Long Run

• 3.2km @ 5:47 min/km (2 miles @ 9:18 min/mile)

• 9.65km @ 4:50 min/km (6 miles @ 7:47 min/mile)

• 1.6km @ 5:30 min/km (1 mile @ 8:51 min/mile)

• 6.45km @ 4:50 min/km (4 miles @ 7:47 min/mile)

• 1.6km @ 4:20 min/km (1 mile @ 6:59 min/mile)

• 3.2km @ 4:57 min/km (2 miles @ 7:58 min/mile)

• 3.2km @ 5:40 min/km (2 miles @ 9:07 min/mile)

• Total: 24.15km (15 miles)

• Avg HR: 167 BPM

First try with the Alphafly 3 as a test to see if these will be the race day shoe. As stated in the intro I was very nervous at the start as the easy pace felt difficult at a pace that normally feels easy. These fears disappeared instantly as soon as I kicked into marathon pace. The responsiveness was instant, and the shoes just carried you through the paces. Incredible shoe that made marathon paces feel not much faster than an easy jog. Basically confirmed that these will be the race shoe for the Sydney Marathon. Easily the best shoe I have felt on feet for marathon pace.

Monday: Treadmill Run

• 7.8km @ 5:43 min/km (4.85 miles @ 9:12 min/mile)

• Avg HR: 141 BPM

Tuesday: Work Run

• 5.6km @ 6:08 min/km (3.48 miles @ 9:52 min/mile)

• Elevation: 97m

• Avg HR: 156 BPM

A few workmates decided they wanted to join in on a run, so we decided to do it during lunch on Tuesday. The work location is super hilly, so avoiding the hills was impossible, and because it is built up around bushland, we decided to jump on the trails. With 100m (328 feet) of elevation over 5km (3.1 miles), it was good to try and get some elevation in the legs.

Wednesday: Rest Day

As always, Wednesday seems to be my most fatigued after traveling for 4 hours to and from work on Tuesdays. This time was worse than usual, though, with my hip being angry with me today, and I thought it best to just let it rest and see how it goes. Fingers crossed this won’t be a long-term problem, and as a result, I decided to ramp back the volume this week.

Thursday: Midweek Long Run

• 6.4km @ 5:45 min/km (4 miles @ 9:15 min/mile)

• 2.5km @ 4:23 min/km (1.55 miles @ 7:04 min/mile)

• 2 mins rest

• 2.5km @ 4:15 min/km (1.55 miles @ 6:50 min/mile)

• 2 mins rest

• 1km @ 4:18 min/km (0.62 miles @ 6:56 min/mile)

• 1 min rest

• 1.56km @ 5:30 min/km (1 mile @ 8:51 min/mile)

• Total: 14km (8.7 miles)

• Avg HR: 161 BPM

I was a bit cautious because my hip was feeling sore throughout the day. Decided to pull back the working sets from 2× 3.2km (2 miles) + 1.6km (1 mile) to 2× 2.5km (1.55 miles) + 1km (0.62 miles). The session surprisingly felt really easy even if the HR didn’t reflect it, and the moment the legs started moving, my hip felt perfect.

Friday: Treadmill Run

• 7.8km @ 5:43 min/km (4.85 miles @ 9:12 min/mile)

• Avg HR: 143 BPM

Saturday: Treadmill Run

• 7.8km @ 5:43 min/km (4.85 miles @ 9:12 min/mile)

• Avg HR: 143 BPM

Hit 1500km (932 miles) for the year so far after this run. At the start of the year, my goal was to hit 2000km (1242 miles) for the whole year, which is super encouraging that I have hit ¾ of that not far off the middle of the year with volume increasing.

Total Weekly Volume: 67.15km (41.73 miles)

Ended up being a mini deload week due to the hip niggle scare. In the end, this might have ended up being a blessing, giving both my body and mind a bit of a rest. That’s another wrap for the week, and the big dance is getting closer and closer each week!