Week 3: The Unexpected 15km Victory
Following the breathing breakthroughs and rain-running discoveries of Week 2, Week 3 (June 23-29) was supposed to be the “significant distance push” week. The plan called for my first 13km long run, but life had other plans - and they were even bigger.
Week 3 Target: 24km total (5km + 6km + 13km)
Week 3 Reality: 31km total (6km + 7km + 3km + 15km)
Verdict: Smashed the target and conquered my longest distance yet - race-ready!
The Week That Proved Everything
Tuesday Morning - The 6km Foundation Builder Finally managed a morning run! 6km to start the week - the breathing technique holding strong and setting a solid foundation for what was to come.
Wednesday Evening - The 7km Confidence Surge 7km evening run that felt controlled and smooth. This was building perfectly toward the planned 13km challenge. Everything clicking into place.
Friday - The 3km Reality Check This was supposed to be an easy run, but I made the classic mistake - started way too fast and completely gassed myself in the first kilometer. Sometimes the legs write checks the lungs can’t cash. Important reminder that pacing matters, especially as distances get longer.
Saturday - The Game Changer: 15km at Pune Race Course Soham called with a proposition: “Let’s go for 15km.” My immediate thought: “Can I even complete 15km?” But sometimes the best runs come from saying yes when you’re not sure.
Location: Pune Race Course - what an absolute revelation! Amazing views and perfect weather.
The Strategy That Worked: Started slow and built the pace gradually. This was the opposite of Friday’s disaster, and it made all the difference.
The Numbers:
- Distance: 15.08km
- Time: 1:50:07
- Average Pace: ~7:18 min/km
The Experience:
- Start: Steady and controlled - learned from Friday’s mistake
- Middle (7-12km): Hit some fatigue and took strategic walk breaks - no shame in the pacing game
- Finish: Found another gear and finished strong with proper mental resilience
This wasn’t just a 15km run - this was proof that the base is there, the endurance is building, and race day is absolutely achievable.
Week 3 Game-Changing Discoveries
Pacing Is Everything: Friday’s 3km disaster taught me that starting fast is running suicide. Saturday’s 15km success proved that starting controlled and building pace is the winning formula.
Location Matters: The Pune Race Course wasn’t just beautiful - it provided the perfect environment for a long run. Sometimes a change of scenery makes all the difference.
Walk Breaks Are Strategic, Not Failure: Those mid-run walk breaks during the 15km weren’t giving up - they were smart pacing that allowed for a strong finish.
Sleep Situation: Actually sleeping well now, but waking up on time? That’s still the real challenge. The alarm and I are not on speaking terms.
Mental Breakthrough: Going from “Can I even do 15km?” to completing 15.08km with a strong finish - that’s the mental shift that makes race day possible.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
- Total distance: 31km (29% over target)
- Longest single run: 15.08km (exceeded planned 13km by 16%!)
- Sleep quality: Good, but waking up on time still a struggle
- Planned vs actual: Chaos that somehow worked out better than the plan
Mental Game at the Crucial Point
After that 15km at Pune Race Course, the half marathon shifted from “intimidating goal” to “totally achievable challenge.” The endurance base is there. The pacing strategy is developing. The mental resilience showed up when it mattered.
Race-Ready Confirmation: That 💡 moment after the 15km - “You’re race-ready. Just one more long run + a taper and you’re good for the half marathon!” - wasn’t just encouragement, it was truth.
Looking Ahead: Week 4 - The Final Test
Week 4 calls for the peak 17km long run. After conquering 15km, this feels challenging but absolutely doable.
What needs to change for Week 4: Actually waking up when the alarm goes off. Better pacing consistency from the start.
What’s working perfectly: The gradual pace build strategy, strategic walk breaks, and having Soham as a running partner for the big challenges.
The 17km Strategy: Start controlled, build gradually, embrace the walk breaks when needed, finish strong. The Pune Race Course formula but taken up a notch.
Real Talk: This Is Actually Happening
Three weeks ago, 15km seemed impossible. Saturday proved it’s not just possible - it’s conquered. The 5-week plan that seemed insanely aggressive is actually working.
Body Status: Holding up well, no injury concerns, recovery good between runs.
Confidence Level: Race day is no longer a question mark - it’s a certainty.
Follow the final push on Strava
Week 3 answered the big question: “Can I handle the longer distances?” The answer came at 15.08km with a time of 1:50:07 and a massive grin.
One week left. One 17km challenge. Then taper and race day. The half marathon dream is about to become reality. 🏃♂️
Tbh, I have written this back in June/July but never got the time to post it, And complete the series.