Sometimes the best sessions are the ones that almost don’t happen.
Hotel gym. Late evening. No shed. No routine. No “perfect setup.”
Just a quiet opportunity to sit down on the erg and see if the body would settle into rhythm.
The target wasn’t speed.
The target was control.
21,097m.
90 minutes.
Heart-rate capped.
Low-rate work.
No drama.
The first half settled in nicely around 2:07–2:08 pace at r20 with the heart rate gradually building instead of spiking. Exactly the kind of session that matters long term — not flashy, not social-media pace chasing, just quality metres stacked patiently.
Then came the rough patch.
Around the hour mark the HR trace dipped hard from strap issues, and there was a small fade in rhythm through the fifth split. In older training blocks that kind of interruption could derail the whole session mentally. Tonight it was just acknowledged and absorbed. Handle down. Refocus. Build again.
That’s the difference.
The final quarter tightened back up into controlled 2:06–2:07 work while keeping the stroke rate disciplined. No sprint finish. No emptying the tank. Just steady pressure all the way to the line.
21,097m completed in 1:29:59.4.
Not a race piece.
Not a PB attempt.
Just another layer added to the aerobic base.
The kind of work that doesn’t look dramatic while you’re doing it — but quietly changes what you’re capable of later.
---
## Session Stats
- Half Marathon: 21,097m
- Time: 1:29:59.4
- Avg Pace: 2:08.0/500m
- Avg HR: 132 bpm
- Max HR: 189 bpm (strap spike/error)
- Avg Rate: 20 spm
- Avg Power: 168w
- Drag Factor: 126
- Training Effect: 3.5 Aerobic
- Location: The Address Hotel Dublin
---
## EDS Awareness Month — Zebra Fact #9
People with EDS often have to become experts in pacing, energy management, and recovery long before most others ever think about it.
Progress isn’t always about pushing harder.
Sometimes it’s about learning how to keep moving forward without crossing the line that sets you back.
No comments:
Post a Comment