Road to Sydney: Marathon Training Diaries – Week 2
Muddy Miles, Meetings, and a Very Long Audio Book
Week two of my Sydney Marathon build and I’m officially in the rhythm of it all — juggling runs around meetings, accepting that winter means damp trainers, and leaning very heavily on podcasts, audiobooks and good company to get the miles done.
This week felt full. In a good way.
The Week at a Glance
Total mileage: 51.5km
Easy runs: 11.5km, 5km
Workout runs: 6km fast out & back, 10km steady
Long run: 19km
Strength & cross-training: Peloton strength + Blaze
Weather: Muddy, wet… with one glorious dry day
Monday – Easy Miles & Muddy Puddles
Monday was an 11.5km easy run, which translated to muddy paths, puddle dodging (with mixed success), and a very deliberate effort to keep things steady.
I felt a little stiff heading out, so this one was more about listening to my body than chasing anything fancy. Stretching and the massage gun were absolutely non-negotiable afterwards — muscles duly persuaded back into line.
Podcast of choice? Dish. Grimmy and Angela kept me company and honestly made the miles disappear. If you know, you know.
Tuesday – Strength for Runners (aka Doing the Things I Know I Need)
Tuesday was a 30-minute Strength for Runners session on the Peloton with Matt Wilpers, and wow — this one felt good.
Lots of single-leg work, balance and lower-body strength, all focused on building stability and strength where runners really need it. These sessions always remind me that strong hips and glutes are not optional extras — they’re the foundation.
It wasn’t flashy, but it was effective. The kind of work Future Me will thank me for.
Wednesday – Two Runs, Zero Spare Time
Wednesday was a classic fit-it-in-where-you-can kind of day.
I didn’t have time to run all 11km in one go, so I split it:
6km lunchtime fast out & back
5km easy after work with my colleagues at our work run club
I genuinely love these run club evenings — catching up with new friends, chatting away, and just enjoying running as something social rather than structured.
Bonus moment: this was the first run where we had a tiny bit of daylight when we set off. Tiny. But significant. Spring, I see you 👀
Thursday – Blaze (The Love-Hate Relationship)
Thursday was Blaze — a HIIT-style class with three stations: treadmill, strength and combat. We all wear heart rate monitors and aim to push into the red zone at each station.
Unsurprisingly:
Loved the treadmill
Loved the strength
Did not love the combat
Punch, jab, cross… blah blah. Honestly, I’d happily skip that bit and stay on the treadmill forever. But variety is good, apparently.
Friday – Lunch Run & Heavy Legs
Friday’s 10km lunch run squeezed in between meetings — and praise be, it was dry.
It was a lovely sunny day, but my legs felt a bit heavy. Not awful, just one of those honest training days where you feel the cumulative effect of the week.
I started listening to a new audiobook: A Court of Thorns and Roses, recommended by my sister. Fairies, wolves and magic… not usually my thing, but I’ve been promised it gets very good. I’m reserving judgement — updates to follow.
Saturday – Recovery Mode Activated
Saturday was a full recovery day. Light stretching, plenty of massage gun action on my quads, and absolutely no rushing around.
Sometimes doing less is the most productive thing you can do — especially with a long run looming.
Sunday – Long Run & Zzz Priorities
Sunday was the big one: 19km long run.
Fuel was simple — half a bagel with jam and a banana — and I set off mid-morning because, frankly, nobody needs to be up at the crack of dawn if they don’t have to. I’m very much in my protect my sleep era.
The weather was grey and drizzly, but the run went really well. Possibly too well. I ran it a bit quicker than planned, averaging 6:00/km, with an average heart rate of 140 bpm, which I was pretty happy with.
To keep my mind busy, I listened to the Men’s Australian Open final between Novak and Carlos for the entire run — perfect distraction and surprisingly motivating.
How It Felt
Physically: tired but strong
Mentally: positive and settled
Overall: quietly confident
This week reminded me that marathon training doesn’t have to be dramatic. It’s about stacking consistent, sometimes soggy, sometimes social, sometimes slightly chaotic days — and trusting that it all adds up.
What I Learned This Week
Splitting runs is better than skipping them
Strength work really does make everything feel better
Sleep is a performance tool, not a luxury
Looking Ahead
Next week is a deload week, yippee but it all helps with continuing to build, staying patient, and not getting carried away when runs feel good — a lesson I’m still learning.
Sydney still feels far away.
