Week 8: May 4 - May 10
Meso 2, DELOAD. Volume drops to ~27 km. Zone recalibration this week.
Monday - Easy Run
- Distance: 5 km
- Pace: Z1-Z2. Slow.
Tuesday - Sharpening
- Warm-up: 10 min easy jog + 4 x strides
Workout:
| Interval | Reps | Pace | Recovery |
|---|---|---|---|
| 600m | 4 | Z5 (current) | 2:30 full recovery |
- Total quality: 2.4 km. Low volume, high quality.
- Purpose: Keep the nervous system sharp. Compare how this feels to W5 Tuesday.
- Cool-down: 10 min easy jog
Total ~7 km.
Wednesday - Strength (Light, Single Session)
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single-Leg Leg Press | 2 | 6 each | 90s | Same weight as W7. |
| Pull-ups (BW) | 2 | Max reps | 90s | |
| Hip Thrust | 2 | 8 | 75s | |
| Dead Bug (breathing) | 2 | 8 each | 45s | |
| SL Calf Raise | 2 | 10 each | 60s | |
| DB Lateral Raise | 1 | 15 | 45s | |
| DB Curl | 1 | 12 | 45s |
25 min.
Thursday - Zone Recalibration: 2K Time Trial
- Warm-up: 15 min easy jog + 4 x strides
- Run 2 km as fast as you can sustain evenly. Controlled hard, not a sprint start.
- Record: Total time, average pace, max HR, breathing quality.
- Cool-down: 10 min easy jog
Compare to how the zones have felt over W5-7. If tempo at Z3 felt easy and HR was 10+ beats below ceiling, zones come down. Update all paces for Meso 3.
Friday - Rest
Saturday - Easy Long Run
- Distance: 8 km
- Pace: Z2. Easy.
- Cool-down: Foam roll
Sunday - Easy Swim
- Duration: 25-30 min easy freestyle
Week 8 Totals
| Volume | |
|---|---|
| Running | ~27 km |
| Strength | 1 session (light) |
| Swim | 1 session |
End of Meso 2
| Question | Assessment |
|---|---|
| How much did the 2K TT improve? | This is the headline number. |
| Did VO2max pace drop noticeably over W5-7? | If yes, the progressive overload worked. |
| Can I sustain 18 min at Z3 comfortably? | If yes, threshold fitness is building. |
| Any nagging pains? | Address before Meso 3 volume. |
Meso 3 starts next week. Race-pace 400s introduced. Threshold blocks get longer. Volume pushes toward 48 km peak.