My Road to Sydney - Week 5 Recap

By Coach Nic Baxter | NBx Running Coach

Week 5 of my Sydney Marathon training is done. I was back into building mode after Week 4's recovery week, and this week brought one of the more humbling long runs of the block so far.

THE PLAN

Coming out of a scheduled recovery week, Week 5 stepped volume back up and reintroduced some quality work. The big long run was also moved earlier in the week rather than the usual weekend slot. This was a deliberate choice to get it done and dusted before a busy weekend.

Total mileage for the week: plan said approximately 46 miles. Actual mileage 50.80 miles.

MONDAY JULY 20 — TRAIL RUNNING, CLIENT HILL SESSION & STRENGTH

Monday brought a delivery of new trail sneakers (I hope my husband doesn't read this!), so of course I had to use them straight away. A walk followed by a 5 mile trail workout followed in the afternoon by the hills of Jockey Hollow Tour Road with a client, plus an upper body strength session. Average HR 127 and 122 respectively on the runs, so both comfortably controlled. A solid, steady start to the week.

Look how clean the new sneakers look (not for long!)

TUESDAY JULY 21 — STRENGTH AND TREADMILL

Tuesday was a morning dog walk, a lower body strength session and a 5 mile treadmill run. Average HR 117 on the treadmill. This was genuinely easy. A quiet day that kept the legs ticking over without adding much fatigue.

WEDNESDAY JULY 22 — A HARDER EFFORT THAN EXPECTED, PT & STRENGTH

Wednesday brought a shorter outdoor run that felt notably harder than the distance suggested. Some days the effort just doesn't match the numbers, and this was one of them. PT felt good as we worked on improving my hamstring strength. My afternoon core and upper body strength session was better, and I felt strong.

THURSDAY JULY 23 — CLIENT SESSION AND THE LONG RUN

Thursday was a big day. It started with a run alongside one of my athletes, before I headed out for the long run of the week on the Columbia Trail.

I'll be honest, this one was humbling. Flat course, good conditions on paper, but my legs and lungs had other ideas. Average HR 136, max HR 154. It wasn't my strongest long run, but I got it done, and there is real value in learning to push through the sessions that don't feel good. Marathon day will not always feel easy either.

Moving the long run to Thursday rather than the weekend also meant I could fully recover before a busy Friday and Saturday, which was a small scheduling win.

The Columbia Trail on a beautiful cloudless morning.

FRIDAY JULY 24 — ACTIVE REST DAY

Friday was an active rest day. A morning walk, followed by pilates & a light weight session. After Thursday's long run, this was exactly what my legs needed. This rounded out the recovery focus, protecting the legs ahead of the weekend.

SATURDAY JULY 25 — RECOVERY RUN

Saturday brought a long dog walk and an easy effort run, with average HR 121. A gentle return to running after Friday's full rest, keeping things controlled and comfortable.

SUNDAY JULY 26 — CLOSING OUT THE WEEK

Sunday brought an 8.2 mile run, while catching up with a friend, followed by a short 1 mile run, average HR 133 and 108 respectively. A solid way to finish the week after Thursday's tougher long run.

WEEK 5 BY THE NUMBERS

Total running miles: approximately 51 miles Sessions completed: Trail runs, treadmill session and strength work. Key session: Long run on the Columbia Trail, which I moved to Thursday, and genuinely humbling. Feeling at end of week: Tired, but proud of pushing through a tough one

WHAT I LEARNED THIS WEEK

Not every long run feels good, and that's valuable information, not failure. Thursday's miles on a flat, straightforward course still felt hard. Marathon training isn't just about banking easy, comfortable miles. It's about learning what your body and mind do when a run doesn't cooperate, because race day won't always cooperate either.

Moving the long run earlier in the week can protect the weekend. Scheduling Thursday's long run meant Friday and Saturday became genuine recovery time rather than pre-long-run anxiety. This is a scheduling trick I like to use when my weekends get booked with athletes and clients training for their own races.

Coaching and training on the same day is a real juggle....and a privilege. Running alongside my client before heading into my own long run was a good reminder of why I do this. Balancing coaching my athletes with training for my own race is demanding, but it keeps me honest and connected to exactly what I ask of them.

WHAT'S COMING IN WEEK 6

Week 6 continues building toward the peak of this training block. With the humbling long run behind me, the focus shifts to consistency and trusting the process, even on the days that don't feel strong.

4 weeks to Sydney. The work continues.

If you are training for a fall marathon and want expert guidance to get you to the start line strong — I'd love to help. Book your free 30-minute intro call at nbx-runningcoach.com

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.