Cape Town Marathon - Weekly Buildup

Week 11 (May 4 - May 10)

The taper officially began with a 10 km tempo run on Monday which I ran slightly faster than my target marathon pace. To balance things out, I threw in two easy runs (10 km and 5 km) during the week, just enough to keep the legs ticking. Strength training stayed on the schedule with two sessions on Monday and Wednesday one less day compared to the previous week. The weekend long run was a 12-mile loop at GKVK, split neatly into two 6-mile loops. Shorter than usual, but perfect for easing into taper mode while still feeling like I earned my post-run snack. Since Thursday I’ve been nursing a sore throat. Nothing dramatic, but it’s been like having an uninvited guest at the taper party. Hydration, Betadine gargle, and grumbling have been my go-to remedies. I’m hoping it settles by midweek, we'll see. All in all, week one of taper was a mix of discipline, lower mileage, and a dash of comedy courtesy of my throat.

  • Distance: 27.54 miles
  • Workout Duration: 5:03:22 (33:17 of strength training)
  • Weight: 70.6 kg
  • 11 weeks mileage: 417.84 miles

Week 10 (Apr 27 - May 3)

Monday kicked things off with a 80-minute tempo run, clocking in about 15 seconds per mile faster than my target marathon pace — a solid start to the week. Tuesday through Thursday were all easy 65-minute runs to keep the legs fresh. This week I pulled back to three days of strength training to save my legs ahead of Saturday's slightly-fast 20-miler — and I'm glad I did. Saturday's long run was an early start at GKVK. The route was two loops of 8.4 miles each, followed by a short out-and-back to the car to round out the full 20. For fueling, I took Huma Gels at miles 5, 10, and 15, along with a salt tablet at miles 10 and 15. Hydration was a mix of Nuun and Gatorade throughout. All in all, a good week of training building up for Cape Town.

  • Distance: 49.43 miles
  • Workout Duration: 8:29:31 (49:23 of strength training)
  • Weight: 70.6 kg
  • 10 weeks mileage: 390.30 miles

Week 9 (Apr 21 - Apr 26)

A really solid week of training all round. It started strongly with a 75-minute tempo run at slightly faster than marathon goal pace — one of those sessions where everything clicks and you finish feeling genuinely confident about where your fitness is heading. From there, three easy 65-minute runs through the week kept the aerobic base ticking over without piling on fatigue, simple, honest miles that do more than people give them credit for. Got four days of strength training at the start of the week, which worked out well — stacking it early meant the legs had time to recover before the weekend's long run. Friday was a rest day, and Sunday will be too. 17 miles solo around GKVK today. I broke it up with a banana at 8.4 miles, a Huma gel at 12.5 miles, and swung back to the car for hydration at 14.9 miles. The final stretch was a 1.5-mile out-and-back loop back to the car to close out the distance — a satisfying way to finish a long solo effort.
  • Distance: 44.72 miles
  • Workout Duration: 8:20:20 (1:03:26 of strength training)
  • Weight: 70.2 kg
  • 9 weeks mileage: 340.87 miles
Week 8 (Apr 13 - Apr 20)

A solid, quietly big week with a good mix of volume and quality. The highlight was a 70-minute tempo run right at target marathon pace—controlled and right on plan. The rest of the week was consistent, with three easy 65-minute runs keeping things aerobic. I also added an extra strength session this week, bringing the total to four. Legs were definitely feeling the accumulated load by the end. The long run was a solo 19-miler, with 8.44 miles easy before gradually picking up the pace for the remainder. A nice progression by feel and a good mental effort running it alone. Fueling was minimal— three dates, a Huma gel, and Nuun for hydration. Enough to get through, but something to improve going forward. Overall, a strong, consistent week. Now it’s about recovering well and building on it. Overall, a strong, consistent week. Now it’s about recovering well and building on it.

  • Distance: 45.92 miles
  • Workout Duration: 8:41:39 (1:06:38 of strength training)
  • Weight: 69.3 kg
  • 8 weeks mileage: 296.15 miles

Week 7 (Apr 6 - April 12)

Overall, a steady and productive week with good consistency and growing confidence in the longer efforts. I completed four runs, including a 65-minute tempo run slightly faster than marathon pace, along with three 65-minute easy runs to keep the volume consistent. I also added three days of strength training, focusing on building stability and supporting my increased mileage. The highlight was Saturday’s 21-mile long run around GKVK, done solo with short breaks at 8.4 and 16.8 miles. I fueled with two Huma gels and Nuun, which kept my energy levels stable throughout. The weather, however, had other plans — the sun really showed up uninvited and turned the run into a slow-cooked endurance sufferfest.

  • Distance: 47.85 miles
  • Workout Duration: 8:52:13 (48:34 of strength training)
  • Weight: 70.1 kg (needle doesn't want to move in the direction I want it to)
  • 7 weeks mileage: 250.23 miles

Week 6 (Mar 30 - Apr 5)

Similar to last week, I got in four weekday runs along with three strength sessions. Monday’s run was a 60-minute tempo effort that exceeded expectations, while the rest of the weekday runs were easy. I’m really glad to have completed the 23-miler—it felt endless running solo. I looped back to the car three times (at 8.38, 14.90, and 19.50 miles) for support. I used Nuun for hydration and took two Huma gels during the run. Finished the week just shy of 50 miles (80 km), another decent week of training.

  • Distance: 48.79 miles
  • Workout Duration: 9:26:00 (52:22 of strength training)
  • Weight: 70.1 kg
  • 6 weeks mileage: 202.38 miles

Week 5 (Mar 23 - Mar 29)

This week featured four 10 km runs, starting strong on Monday with a tempo-style effort where I managed to hold a decent pace and finish in under 54 minutes. The remaining runs were more relaxed, focused on easy pacing and keeping the legs moving. I also stayed consistent with strength training during the first three days of the week, which added a good balance to the routine. The highlight was a solo 21-mile long run at GKVK. I paused briefly for hydration and nutrition at the 8.3-mile and 16.8-mile marks, with the final stretch being an out-and-back loop of just over 4 miles. All in all, it was a steady and satisfying week of training.

  • Distance: 45.90 miles
  • Workout Duration: 8:24:39 (50:10 of strength training)
  • Weight: 70 kg
  • 5 weeks mileage: 153.59 miles

Week 4 (Mar 16 - Mar 22)

This week I completed three 10 km runs, aiming to hold a pace of around 9 min/mi for one of them. That effort went well—I was able to maintain a slightly faster pace than planned, which felt encouraging. I also dusted off the strength training routine with two easy sessions—nothing heroic, just gently reminding my body that we do, in fact, lift things occasionally after a 12-week hiatus. The highlight was a 19-mile long run at GKVK. The first 8.5 miles flew by with Santanu for company (always easier when there’s someone to distract you), and the rest were a solo grind—just me, my thoughts, and a lot of road and trail. Wrapped things up with a solid Saturday run, then fully leaned into recovery mode for the rest of the weekend.

  • Distance: 37.68 miles
  • Workout Duration: 7:00:57 (32:48 of strength training)
  • Weight: 69.5 kg
  • 4 weeks mileage: 107.36 miles

Week 3 (Mar 9 - Mar 15)

It feels good to close out two steady weeks of training. The week included three relaxed 10 km runs and a careful 17-mile run during the weekend at my favorite running spot, GKVK Campus. I kept the effort controlled by splitting the long run into segments - 8.5 miles, followed by 7 miles, and a short final stretch to complete the distance. For nutrition, I relied on Nunn Hydration and a handful of dates to stay fueled.

  • Distance: 35.68 miles
  • Workout Duration: 5:55:35
  • Weight: 71 kg
Week 2 (Mar 2 - Mar 8)

Training began in right earnest this week. I kept it simple with three very easy 10 km runs during the week — mostly just time on the feet. Closed the week with a 15-miler on Sunday close to home. Did a couple of loops of Sobha City → Bhartiya City → Hajj Bhavan and back. Work was particularly hectic and stressful through the week, I’m glad to have gotten the runs in and closed it out. 

  • Distance: 34.33 miles
  • Workout Duration: 5:47:50
  • Weight: 69.6 kg 

Week 1 (Feb 23 - Mar 1)

A complete washout week — no running or strength training. This was the week my mom was in the hospital, so most of my time and energy went into juggling hospital visits along with office work. There was a lot of running around in a different sense. Training understandably took a back seat this week. Hoping to get back into some rhythm in the coming week.

Week 0

The 12 weeks leading up to this training block have been below par in terms of both volume and intensity. I ran Malnad Ultra at the end of November (race report here). The plan was to gradually ramp up mileage through December after the race, but that didn’t quite happen. I ended up closing December with a meager ~80 miles, and January was even worse at about 65 miles. In hindsight, both months can largely be written off from a training perspective. Part of this was due to personal challenges — my mother’s health since mid-December required a lot of my time and attention. That said, it would be unfair to attribute the lack of training entirely to that. I haven’t been in the best mental state either, and that has made it harder to maintain the discipline required to take care of the basics: running consistently, exercising, hydrating well, eating clean, and getting enough sleep. There’s clearly some work to be done on that front.

Since 1-Dec-25 (past 12 weeks)

  • Distance: 243.61 miles, avg ~20 miles/week
  • Strength workout: 1:29:01, 3 workouts in total!
  • Weight: ~70 kg

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