Week 15: Jun 22 - Jun 28
Meso 4, Week 3. RACE SIMULATION WEEK. Reduced volume (~35 km). One big session. Then taper.
This is the dress rehearsal. One race simulation at target paces tells me exactly where I stand. Everything else this week is easy. The body should feel fresh for Thursday’s sim.
Monday - Easy Run
- Distance: 5 km
- Pace: Z1-Z2. Genuinely slow. Save it for Thursday.
Tuesday - Easy Run + Strides
- Distance: 6 km
- Pace: Z2
- Strides: 4 x 80m. Sharp, race-pace turnover.
No quality session. Saving everything for the simulation.
Wednesday - Strength (Light, Single Session)
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single-Leg Leg Press | 2 | 6 each | 90s | Light. Activation only. |
| Pull-ups (BW) | 2 | Max reps | 90s | |
| Hip Thrust | 2 | 8 | 75s | |
| Dead Bug (breathing) | 2 | 8 each | 45s | |
| SL Calf Raise | 2 | 8 each | 60s |
20 min. Just activation. Don’t fatigue the legs before Thursday.
Thursday - KEY: RACE SIMULATION
THE session. Closest thing to race day before race day.
- Pre-fuel: 30-50g fast carbs 60 min before. Treat this like race morning.
- Warm-up: 15 min easy jog + 4 x strides. Take the warm-up seriously.
Workout:
| Segment | Distance | Pace |
|---|---|---|
| R1 Simulation | 2.5 km | R1 target (3:15-3:25/km) |
| Recovery / Transition | 3 min | Easy jog (simulates swim + transition) |
| R2 Simulation | 2.5 km | R2 target (4:00-4:10/km) |
- Total quality: 5 km at race paces
- Purpose: Full dress rehearsal. 3 min recovery is shorter than the swim will be on race day. R2 should feel harder here than in the actual race.
- Breathing: R1: 2:1 is fine. Recovery: reset. R2: 2:2 cadence.
- Cool-down: 10 min easy jog + stretching
RECORD EVERYTHING. Every split. Average HR. Breathing quality. How R2 legs felt after R1.
Total ~10 km. If R1 comes in at 3:20-3:25/km and R2 at 4:05-4:10/km with controlled breathing, on trajectory. If not, there’s still 6+ weeks before the race to adjust.
Friday - Rest
Full rest. No running, no lifting. Let the body process the simulation.
Saturday - Long Run (Easy)
- Distance: 8 km
- Pace: Z2. All easy. Recovery from Thursday.
- Cool-down: 5 min walk + foam roll
Sunday - Easy Swim
- Duration: 25-30 min easy freestyle
Week 15 Totals
| Volume | |
|---|---|
| Running | ~35 km |
| Strength | 1 session (light) |
| Swim | 1 session |
Race Simulation Debrief
After Thursday, answer these honestly:
| Metric | Result | Target |
|---|---|---|
| R1 2.5K time | ___ | 8:07-8:32 (3:15-3:25/km) |
| R2 2.5K time | ___ | 10:00-10:25 (4:00-4:10/km) |
| R1 max HR | ___ | < 192 |
| R2 max HR | ___ | < 182 |
| Breathing R1 | ___ | 2:1, controlled |
| Breathing R2 | ___ | 2:2, locked in |
| Nausea | ___ | None |
| R2 legs feel | ___ | Heavy but functional |
The simulation is deliberately harder than race day because the recovery is shorter. The swim transition actually gives more recovery time than 3 min of jogging.