Amy Plan – Surviving Week 6

August 31st, and I finished Week 6 out of 15 in the Amy Parkerson-Mitchell 5K Time Goal plan.

I survived.

How it felt

• Tempo runs: Amy wants me at 4:20–4:33/km. I don’t go there. I stay at ~4:50/km in Zone 3 — controlled, not suicidal. It still feels like tempo, and my HR stays where I want it. I’d rather run smart and consistent than burn myself down.
• Speed repeats: the grind. I can hold 5–6 × 3 minutes at ~4:00/km, with 3-minute cooldowns between. By the 4th rep I’m already dying, the last 30 seconds of each rep are pure hell. HR climbs to 186–187, though a few months ago the same sessions sent me to 191–192. Adaptation is happening.
• Base runs: smooth again, almost meditative. Back to the rhythm I built during the 17-week adaptive program earlier this year. Recovery pace ~5:55–6:00/km, HR <150. Easy means easy.

Metrics this week

• HRV stable at ~130 (top end of my range).
• Resting HR dropped to an all-time record: 38 bpm.
• Sleep consistently 80+ (Garmin scores), thanks to going to bed before 23:00 and finishing food by 17–18.
• VO₂max: climbing back, now at 50.

The doubt

Amy expects me to run the goal 5K at 4:20/km.
Reality: in my whole life, I’ve only managed that pace for 5K about 3 times — and it nearly killed me every time.

Yes, 20 seconds/km slower (4:40) feels sustainable.
But 4:20? That’s the edge.

When I do 3 minutes at 4:00/km, I can barely survive — even with 3 minutes rest between intervals. How will I run 22 minutes non-stop at 4:20?

Maybe adaptation will bridge the gap.
Maybe it won’t.

For now, I’m grinding, surviving, and learning not to let the plan kill me before race day.