The 2:49 Marathon Project Week 15 Update

November 25, 2024

The 2:49 Marathon Project Week 15 Update

The 2:49 Marathon Project Week 15 update had me reach the beginning of what was supposed to be a 10-day taper. There was some work to be done, but it is always nice to reach the taper in one piece and feeling strong. This is exactly how I felt on Wednesday, but you will see, Tuesday wasn't quite the same story. Still, I was extremely happy with how the week went and my overall fitness coming into race week.

The 2:49 Marathon Project Week 15 Update: The Daily Updates

Week 15 was another solid week of training. As you will see, even though it was far from perfect, the week was productive. I managed to get the training effects I was aiming for and now it's a matter of staying injury free and healthy.

Monday:

Monday was a rest day. After the Sunday long run, I spend most of the day at my computer making and editing the week 15 training sessions video. These days are ideal rest days as I don't tax my body whatsoever.

Running Details:

HRV: 81.9

Nutrition Statistics:
Calories: 1741
Protein: 128g
Carbohydrates: 187g
Fat: 47g
Water: 3 Litres

Strength & Conditioning: N/A

Sleep: 7 hours 59 minutes

Tuesday:

Tuesday was supposed to be the first of two back-to-back 20+ milers. This one a 22 miler (35 km). The training effect I was looking for was the mental toughness that I know I will face come the last 6 miles of the Valencia Marathon. On this run, however, I felt the symptoms of dehydration at roughly mile 17 (27 km). My legs felt like lead and I lost my pace completely. I struggled to push through, but I managed. This was not the best way to get the effect I was looking for, but it was what I was after. So, in a strange and particularly awful way, I got to taper one day early.

Running Details:
Distance: 21.85 miles (35.18 km)
Avg Pace Overall: 8:14/mile (5:07km)
Running Shoes: Nike Alphafly 2
Time & Temperature: 10:58 - 16 C (61 F)
HRV: 96.6

Nutrition Statistics:
Calories: 2273
Protein: 128g
Carbohydrates: 273g
Fat: 72g
Water: 3.25 Litres

Strength & Conditioning: 20 minute bodyweight routine

Sleep: 6 hours 09 minutes

Wednesday:

Wednesday of Week 15 ended up as a 3 mile (5 km) easy effort recovery run. It felt great and I had no ill effects from Tuesday's tough session.

Running Details:

Distance: 3.16 miles (5.1 km)
Avg Pace Overall: 8:51/mile (5:30/km)
Running Shoes: New Balance Dynasoft Nitrel
Time & Temperature: 9:21 - 18 C (64 F)
HRV: 79.0

Nutrition Statistics:

Calories: 2610
Protein: 116g
Carbohydrates: 257g
Fat: 124g
Water: 2.85 Litres

Strength & Conditioning: - 20 minutes body weight routine

Sleep: 8 hours 1 minutes

Thursday:

This was another Thursday rest day.

Running Details:
HRV: 136.3

Nutrition Statistics:
Calories: 2774
Protein: 129g
Carbohydrates: 345g
Fat: 94g
Water: 3 Litres

Strength & Conditioning: 20 minute bodyweight routine & 20 minutes yoga

Sleep: 3 hours 49 minutes

Friday:

Friday in Week 15 was a 10k steady effort which I ran at a good steady to hard pace. The wind was really howling on the day, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It almost feels like a recharging of the batteries when in the taper.

Running Details:
Distance: 6.44 miles (10.37 km)
Avg Pace Overall: 6:44/mile (4:11/km)
Running Shoes: Nike Zoom Tempo Next %
Time & Temperature: 8:28 - 18 C (64 F)
HRV: 40.6

Nutrition Statistics:
Calories: 2199
Protein: 85g
Carbohydrates: 212g
Fat: 75g
Water: 3.75 Litres

Strength & Conditioning: 20 minute body weight routine

Sleep: 9 hours 27 minutes

Saturday:

Saturday was an easy 3 miler (5 km). Felt fine and nothing unusual or strange to report.

Running Details:
Distance: 3.12 miles (5.03 km)
Avg Pace Overall: 8:23/mile (5:03/km)
Running Shoes: Saucony Endorphin Shift 2
Time & Temperature: 9:46 - 16 C (61 F)
HRV: 102.8

Nutrition Statistics:
Calories: 2291
Protein: 109g
Carbohydrates: 319g
Fat: 64g
Water: 3.5 Litres

Strength & Conditioning: 20 minutes body weight routine

Sleep: 5 hours 41 minutes

Sunday:

The 2:49 Marathon Project week 15 Sunday Long(ish) run at 13 miles felt like a nice wee walk in the park. Short and over in just over an hour and a half. Who doesn't love the taper?

Running Details:
Distance: 13.12 miles (21.12 km)
Avg Pace Overall: 7:23/mile (4:35/km)
Running Shoes: Nike Vaporfly 3
Time & Temperature: 11:03 - 19 C (66 F)
HRV: 97.3

Nutrition Statistics:
Calories: 1548
Protein: 94g
Carbohydrates: 200g
Fat: 42g
Water: 3 Litres

Strength & Conditioning: 20 minutes yoga

Sleep: 5 hours 35 minute

Body Weight

My weekly weigh-in had the scales tipping at 153.2 lbs (69.5 kg). I am going to look at this in a positive light. I look at myself and I can't see where I would get another 10lbs off my body. So I'm thinking that perhaps it is my body composition that is carrying more muscle than I did in April when I ran Manchester at 144 lbs. I wasn't always very disciplined, but I'm definitely feeling and looking lean, and I will take that to Valencia and see what happens.

Strength & Conditioning

I did my 20 minute routine 5 out of 5 weekdays this week. I managed to get 2 x 20 minute yoga sessions done.

The 2:49 Marathon Project Week 15 Update Lessons Learned

Stay hydrated and take electrolytes! When it comes to race day, I always take some water at every single water stop. Even when it's not too hot. Even if I'm not sweating. I suffered on Tuesday's run and I'm almost sure it was from dehydration. It is a painful experience and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

The 2:49 Marathon Project Week 16 Running Sessions

This week's sessions are described in this post and on YouTube. This is the final week of training, ending on Sunday in Valencia.

Monday: Rest day
Tuesday: 3 miles with middle mile hard (5k with middle 1.5k hard)
Wednesday: Rest day
Thursday: 3 miles (5k) easy
Friday: No running
Saturday: 2 miles very easy
Sunday: Valencia Marathon

The 2:49 Marathon Project Week 15 Update Summary

For the 2:49 Marathon Project Week 15, it had exactly what I needed out of the week. I received the mentally tough workout on Tuesday that I was after and got some intensity. In addition, the taper has started and that is always a great feeling. I'm very much looking forward to race day on December 1st.

Where Can You Follow the 2:49 Marathon Project?

Daily updates will be shared on my Instagram account and Tiktok account. Weekly updates will be in longer form on YouTube , my Facebook page, and here on the A Heart for Running blog.

If you are on any of these platforms, I would very much appreciate a follow. It would be a huge boost to my chances of reaching my goal.

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Weekly Metrics:

This is the Week 15 Updates

Friday Weigh-in Pounds: 153.2 lb (-1 lb)
Friday Weigh-in Kg: 69.5 kg (-.5 kg)
Average Resting HR: 41 bpm (-)
Average 7-Day HRV: 90.6 (- 6)
Average Nightly Sleep: 6:40 hours (-23 minutes)
Average Daily Protein: 113g/day (+4g)
Average Daily Water: 3200 ml/day (+ 200ml)
Total Weekly KM's: 76.8 (-26.1 km)
Total Weekly Miles: 47.7 miles (-16.2 miles)

Click here to see last week's metrics