It's a Cutback (Week 16)
Vol. 4 No.27 (Happy Easter)
It was an impromptu decision. Inspired by my previous Marathon training plan with Coach Amy Brown. A cut-back week, to allow the body time to heal and build before going headfirst into another week of high mileage and high intensity.
Since March 3rd, I’ve been averaging over 30-miles a week with two of the past six weeks coming close to 40-miles. I can feel the fatigue in my legs, especially after the Hapalua Half Marathon last week. There’s no pain or discomfort, just a feeling of fatigue and tired legs. So with this last week in Hawaii, I’m going to take it easy with reduced mileage at low heart rates. But I might sneak in a few intervals.
The following video is from my Thursday run when I decided to take in the Lagoons in Ko’Olina for a laid back and easy 5K distance.
You get two videos this week! One of the lagoons (Wednesday) and an even better one posted below on Thursday.
This post ends my two weeks on the Island of Oahu. In those 14 days I completed 15 runs for a total of 60 miles to include the Hapalua Half Marathon. This week on the Island was a cut-back week. In all the runs this week my heart rate never broke above 120bpm.
I had no scale to step on for the last two weeks, but with how much I’ve eaten from the local food trucks, I know I haven’t lost any weight. I wouldn’t be surprised if I actually gained a few pounds.
The week is ending on a high note. I am arriving home on Easter Sunday!
Monday: 4.14.2025 (JD 104): Easy 2 for Recovery.
The morning after the Half Marathon was cool and and clear. A perfect morning to get in a short recovery run to get the blood flowing through the legs and work out any lactic acid still built up in the muscles. I felt good, no soreness but the legs were tired.
Running at sunrise is always something special. It’s especially interesting here on the small Island of Oahu because the weather varies greatly just miles apart. During sunrise I can see the clouds coming in off the Pacific and colliding with the mountains, creating great rainfalls with pillars of light piercing their dark veil from across the horizon.
Running around Hawaii also gives me a glimpse in to the past. Not far from my hotel is a World War 2 bunker, a cement outcropping forged into a nearby cliff. In another time it would have been manned by Soldiers keeping a keen eye on the horizon towards the coastline, overlooking the Sugar Cane fields.
After the run I had the time to sit and watch the rest of the sunrise with the tropical birds crisscrossing the sky.
Sometimes it’s not about the run. Sometimes it’s just about getting outside and soaking in nature.
2.15 miles | Avg Pace: 10’34” | Avg HR: 106 | Best Mile: 10’20” | 71°F at 83%
Tuesday: 4.15.2025 (JD 105): Reduced Heart Rate.
Day two of the cutback and I decided today I would cut back on my heart rate while still getting in my desired four miles. Pace was of no concern and it would naturally fluctuate based on how I felt and my heart rate.
The goal was to complete 4-miles at an easy pace with a heart rate below 120.
I’ve really been enjoying my COROS Pace Pro with it’s navigation and maps. I’ve plotted out multiple routes from my hotel and it takes the guess work out of ensuring I hit my mileage. Simply turn when indicated and enjoy the run.
This run was very easy and it felt great to take my time and not push the envelope. It was easy from all aspects.
4.03 miles | Avg Pace: 10’10” | Avg HR: 109 | Best Mile: 9’23” | 70°F at 78%
Wednesday: 4.16.2025 (JD 106): Speed Check on a 5K. New PR.
Last week I found a new running trail nearby the hotel that was secluded, free of traffic and specifically made for walking and running. The trail was on the outskirts of a new subdivision and paralleled a canal. Of the 3.11 miles I was running this morning, this flat and fast section is 1.19 miles long.
On Strava it is a 1.19mile segment.
Last week I decided that before I depart the Island, I would hit that part of the trail hard and see what happened.
Today was that day.
After a 0.68 mile warmup at a 10’15” pace I arrived at the trail head ready to let the feet go!
I knew I was running quick, but it didn’t bring forth that burning feeling in the legs or lungs that are common when you’re pushing full throttle. My goal was to set a “Marathon” pace and sustain that for the duration of this 1.19 miles. The first mile was completed in just 7min 2seconds. A NEW PR!
The last 0.19 miles had me slowing down to a 7’26” and in less than 90seconds I was at the finish line! During this 1.19 mile effort my heart rate barely broke 150 with the average around 148. I had more in the tank!
Following that new PR I was back on route to the hotel and slowed my heart rate down to 120bpm or less. It was an easy, slow trot back to the start.
Following the run I was gifted with a clear morning sky and an amazing sunrise.
3.12 miles | Avg Pace: 9’03” | Avg HR: 123 | Best Mile: 7’02” | 66°F at 89%
Thursday: 4.17.2025 (JD 107): 5K at the Lagoons.
The last time I visited these incredible lagoons I had my amazing wife with me. She accompanied me on one of my work trips to Hawaii back in 2018 and we found ourselves relaxing at these lagoons on a couple of occasions along with visiting Kuoloa Ranch.
While I enjoyed the scenery and the run, there was an aching part of me that was missing my wife. However, I’m extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to travel with her so many years ago.
With a little extra time allowed this morning I decided to visit these Lagoons again and get in an easy, laid back quiet run. The Lagoons are lined with some of the nicest hotels on the Island, to include Disney’s Aulani Hawaii Resort and the Four Seasons Oahu. While the Ko Olina lagoons are private property, the public does have pedestrian access to them and are allowed to swim and enjoy the location recreationally along with free parking and public restrooms.
I arrived before sunrise, got in a few stretches and picked up an easy pace while enjoying the views. I saw more birds and Mongoose than I did people at 6:00am, but as the morning progressed more and more people were on trail. The hotels along the lagoons are pretty high end, so you don’t see any riff raff, bums or homeless laying around. Then again, it’s all private property and well outside the city.
The only goal this morning was to run from one end of the trail to the other and back, which would put me around 5K and enjoy it while keeping a low heart rate.
This was absolutely the most peaceful, easiest, laid back 5K I’ve ever ran. It was a relaxed run where the highest heart rate I hit was 120bpm. Even in this humidity I barely broke a sweat on this run.
3.22 miles | Avg Pace: 10’20” | Avg HR: 109 | Best Mile: 9’49” | 71°F at 84%
Friday: 4.18.2025 (JD 108): I found the runners.
It’s Good Friday and in Hawaii with a 6-hour difference in time than all my friends in North Carolina. After scrolling through Strava I saw my friends Mike and Dwayne got in 5-miles on Good Friday and I decided that would be my choice of distance as well.
I decided in the early morning that Waikiki would be my location of choice as I’ve pretty much ran all roads, paths and areas around the hotel. Traffic was clear as most people had today off and getting to Ala Moana Regional Park would be easy.
The trails were already teeming with people as I parked just after sunrise. There was still plenty of parking and enough space on the trail to get into a comfortable pace. The sky was clear and blue and the ocean calm. It was clear and obvious how the Pacific got it’s name.
My pace varied greatly as I took pictures and video and relished one of my last mornings on the Island. It was a remarkable morning on trail as I passed many runners of all paces and many elderly people continuing to walk and exercise in their sunset years. I saw birds, cats and even a friendly dog. (See the video below).
While she’s not in the video, just by mere happenstance I found myself running side by side with a woman who won her Age Group at last weekends Hapalua Half Marathon. She ran a 1:42 Marathon! This was the second time now that I crossed paths with a 1st Place finisher from the Hapalua. Running is a small community, especially those who are consistent and persistent. How have I just happened to come across two winners out of 10,000+ runners? I really don’t know.
Overall this run was relaxing and enjoyable. This cut back week is feeling great and I can sense that it’s preparing me for a big week of running when I get back home to North Carolina.
5.02 miles | Avg Pace: 10’11” | Avg HR: 128 | Best Mile: 9’30” | 70°F at 83%
Saturday: 4.19.2025 (JD 108): Mahalo! It was a pleasure.
Too bad it wasn’t this nice on Thursday when I made the video for the Lagoons. The weather was incredible. The sky was clear, the air warm with a slight breeze and a blue sky only the Pacific could provide.
There’s no need for headphones on runs like this. The perpetual sounds of the ocean crashing into the earth is an amazing sound that can both stir the soul and calm the mind. I knew the trial would be full this morning as it was a weekend and the hotels were bustling with people for the long weekend.
The trail was full of runners and walkers enjoying the great weather. A drastic change from yesterday when it rained most of the day all the way up to sunset, when the clouds finally broke open. I spent most of the day in my hotel room. It was horrible, I was ready to get outdoors and enjoy my final vestiges of Hawaii.
My legs are finally feeling refreshed and recovered. I have this overpowering feeling to just let the feet go and start logging runs in the 8’s and maybe the 7’s again. It’s taking a tremendous amount of discipline to stay within my cutback week goals, but come Monday I’ll be ready to roll.
The run took me past all four lagoons to the end of the path at the Four Seasons before turning around and transporting myself back to the start. People were friendly and the run was scenic and relaxing.
After the run I decided to get in a swim. I had very little time left but just enough to grab my goggles and earplugs and plunge into the calm and welcoming lagoon.
The swim felt effortless! The salt water made me buoyant beyond recognition and my breathing was effortless and in rhythm. After two laps across the lagoon I laid back and soaked in the increasing luminescence of the sun before making the decision to finally leave.
Running in Hawaii was wonderful. I do miss my friends and running with the club, but if I must go about this running life solo, Hawaii is not too bad of a place to be.
3.11 miles | Avg Pace: 10’25” | Avg HR: 118 | Best Mile: 9’51” | 70°F at 89%
Sunday: 4.20.2025 (JD 109): Happy Easter!
It’s the holiest of Holy days, the resurrection of The Christ! Have a happy Easter and I hope you are having an incredible day.
Travel Day
I’m caught a red-eye flight from Honolulu to Atlanta and the time shift has disrupted my normal publishing time. I will continue my run streak by getting in a short and easy 1-mile run in my neighborhood later on this evening. I’m extremely tired and after eating some ham and salad later, this run will be low and slow.