My Road to Sydney - Week 4 Recap

By Coach Nic Baxter | NBx Running Coach

Week 4 of my Sydney Marathon training is done. A scheduled recovery week that arrived at exactly the right time. Between wildfire smoke drifting through New Jersey, more high temperatures and still rebuilding my schedule due to injury, this was a week where the training plan's built-in recovery phase turned out to be a genuine blessing rather than just a number on a spreadsheet.

THE PLAN

Every good marathon training block includes periodic recovery weeks. This is a planned reduction in volume and intensity that allows the body to absorb the previous (typically three) weeks of work before building again. Week 4 of my Sydney plan was exactly that. Lower mileage, a lighter long run, and permission to let the legs recover.

Given the conditions this week, the timing could not have been better.

Total mileage for the week: plan said approximately 32 miles. Actual mileage 35 miles.

MONDAY JULY 13 — TRAIL RUN & CLIENT SESSIONS

Monday brought a walk followed by trail run and client sessions in the afternoon. Average HR 122 and 121, both nicely controlled. Hamstring felt good on the softer surfaces. I had to slow down a little on the hills, but this felt good.

TUESDAY JULY 14 — EASY MILES AND STRENGTH

Tuesday brought an easy client run followed by a walk, plus a strength session. Average HR 122 on the run. This was comfortably easy. A steady, unremarkable day in the best possible way during a recovery week.

WEDNESDAY JULY 15 — TRACK SESSION & CLIENT SESSIONS

Wednesday was tougher than expected. A 800m repeats track workout, followed by client sessions. The track session logged an average HR 140, max HR 170 — noticeably higher than most sessions this training block.

Track session with friends makes the suffering more bearable!

This was a day where the effort required to hit even moderate paces was significantly higher than normal. A useful reminder that environmental conditions are a real training variable, not just an inconvenience.

THURSDAY JULY 16 — PT DAY AND ACTIVE RECOVERY

Thursday was PT day, plus a walk and a strength session. No running at all. Exactly what a recovery week should include. This was a day dedicated to strength, mobility and giving the legs a genuine break from impact.

FRIDAY JULY 17 — TREADMILL AND STRENGTH

Friday brought a walk, a 4.3 mile treadmill run and a strength session. Average HR 118, genuinely easy. With air quality still a concern outdoors, moving the session inside was the sensible call rather than pushing through smoky conditions.

SATURDAY JULY 18 — THE RECOVERY WEEK LONG RUN

Saturday's long run was noticeably shorter than Week 3, exactly as a recovery week should be structured. Average HR 146, max HR 167. RPE and effort were higher than I would have liked for an easy long run, largely due to the ongoing heat and air quality. Still, the distance reduction gave my legs a real chance to recover while maintaining aerobic consistency.

SUNDAY JULY 19 — ACTIVE REST DAY

Sunday was a full rest day consisted of walking and some yard work. No running at all. After a demanding week of heat and smoke, this was exactly what the body needed.

Sunday morning walk-the air is clear after the past few days of smoke.

WEEK 4 BY THE NUMBERS

Total running miles: reduced volume as planned for recovery week. Sessions completed: Trail runs, treadmill session, strength work and a shorter long run. Key challenge: Wildfire smoke and continued high heat throughout the week. Key session: Long run with mileage intentionally reduced from Week 3's.

Feeling at end of week: Recovered and ready to build again.

WHAT I LEARNED THIS WEEK

Recovery weeks matter even more in difficult conditions. Had this been a build week with higher mileage demands, training through smoke and heat simultaneously would have been significantly harder to manage safely. The timing of this scheduled recovery week meant I could prioritise safety without sacrificing the training block's overall progression.

Air quality is a training variable most runners don't think about. Heat gets plenty of attention, but smoke and poor air quality deserve just as much respect. Moving sessions indoors, reducing intensity and paying close attention to how breathing feels were all necessary adjustments this week.

Higher RPE in tough conditions is normal, not a fitness failure. Wednesday's session felt much harder than the pace and distance would normally suggest. That is not a sign of declining fitness. It is a sign that the body is working harder to manage heat and reduced air quality. Recognising this prevents unnecessary frustration or overcorrection.

WHAT'S COMING IN WEEK 5

Week 5 returns to building volume and intensity following this recovery week. With any luck the smoke will have cleared and temperatures will start easing, but if not, the same principles apply: adapt, stay safe, and trust that smart training beats reckless training every time.

5 weeks to Sydney. Recovered, and ready to build again.

If you are training for a fall marathon and want expert guidance to get you to the start line safely — I'd love to help.

Book your free 30-minute intro call at nbx-runningcoach.com

Sydney — Week 4 done. Week 5 — let's build.

Coach Nic Baxter is an RRCA Level 2 Run Coach and ACE-Certified Personal Trainer based in Morristown, NJ. She is currently training for the Sydney Marathon on 30th August 2026.