Samuël Van Velzen — Current Runner Profile

Updated 31 July 2026.

Status

• 3 runs per week
• Longest run: 11.29 km in 1:15:01 at 6:39/km, avg HR 153
• Hamstring symptoms resolved; shin awareness stable but monitored

Weekly rhythm

Day	Role
Tuesday	Easy or quality depending on the weekly plan
Friday	Complementary: quality if Tuesday was easy; easy if Tuesday became hard
Sunday	Long aerobic run
Thursday	Bike + optional controlled gym
Monday	Fuller gym session
Saturday	Optional hike

Paces (effort-first)

• Cadence: usually 174–180 spm — do not force higher
• Easy: typically 6:25–6:45/km, slower in heat or fatigue
• Steady/tempo: about 5:55–6:10/km, controlled
• Long-run: usually 6:35–6:50/km by effort

Recent markers

• Easy: 7.04 km at 6:29/km, avg HR 147
• Faster: 6.66 km at 5:56/km, controlled negative split
• Heat-tolerant easy: 6.76 km at 6:27/km after motorcycle practice

Decision rules

1. Easy means conversational and deliberately restrained, even when the body wants to run faster.
2. Only one major stressor should increase at a time: distance, intensity, or rough terrain.
3. Reduce/stop if pain changes stride, worsens continuously, or remains painful during normal walking the next day.
4. Heat, motorcycle training, cycling and gym all count as fatigue.

---

race_name: Amersfoort 10K race_date: '2026-09-27' race_distance_km: 10 time_goal: '' primary:

• Finish healthy with controlled pacing
• Run the second half at least as well as the first
• Use the final 2 km to race
• Set a time goal only after training data confirms it

---

Success hierarchy from race-day strategy. Time goal stays blank until easy/tempo/long evidence supports a realistic number.

Optional supporting goals:

• Keep shin status green/yellow-managed through the block
• Complete the Aug–Sep plan with planned adjustments only
• Practice heat-adjusted effort discipline

Race pipeline

Near-term focus is Amersfoort; later races are the longer-term path (not current training targets).

When	Race	Location
2026-09-27	10K (primary)	NL Amersfoort
Nov 2026	10K	Vietnam
Dec 2026	10K Trail	Vietnam
Mar 2027	Half Marathon	NL Harderwijk
Oct 2027	Marathon	NL Eindhoven

---

active: Reebok Floatride Energy 5 rotation:

• Reebok Floatride Energy 5

---

Track shoe rotation here. Note approximate km, when they feel flat, and which pair is race-day.

Update active whenever you change the pair for key sessions.

Current daily trainer: Reebok Floatride Energy 5 (used for all logged sessions so far).

Injury & Recovery Guide

This supports decision-making; it does not diagnose injury. Seek medical care for severe, persistent, focal or worsening pain.

Traffic-light system

Status	Looks like	Action
Green	Awareness only; no altered stride; gone within hours	Continue as planned
Yellow	Mild pain, next-day soreness, or worsening on rough surfaces	Reduce intensity/distance; smooth asphalt
Red	Sharp pain, limping, focal bone tenderness, pain at rest/walking	Stop running; seek clinical assessment

Current patterns

• Shins: often noticeable early or on bad surfaces; little/no next-day pain → long warm-up walk; smooth routes; avoid sudden trail jumps
• Hamstring: previously irritated by sitting/cycling; now resolved → break up sitting; moderate leg curls; monitor recurrence
• Knees: occasional early-run awareness that disappears → warm up; avoid forcing pace on hills
• Feet/ankles: fatigue late in longer runs; no persistent pain → secure lacing; rotate shoes when possible
• Groin chafing: longer/warm/wet runs → anti-chafe barrier, snug longer liner, change/shower promptly

Return-to-run checks after a flare

1. Normal walking and stairs
2. No sharp pain during 10 gentle hops
3. No single clearly painful spot on the shin bone
4. Symptoms do not increase during a short easy test run

Gear, Fueling & Checklist

Before every run

• Shoelaces secure with a double knot; ankle not compressed
• Anti-chafe on inner thighs/groin for longer or wet runs
• Prefer mostly smooth asphalt for key sessions
• Check weather; adjust pace for heat, humidity, wind
• Phone/watch charged; route available

Fuel & hydration

Duration	Approach
Under 60 min	Normal meals; water by thirst; no gel needed
60–90 min	Small pre-run carbohydrate; water in heat; optional gel practice
Over 90 min / trail	Practice 30–45 g carbohydrate per hour
Hot weather	Hydrate earlier in the day; don't try to catch up mid-run

Core gear

• Road running shoes (primary training + race)
• Longer compression liner / tights (friction control)
• Technical shirt
• Running socks
• Phone holder
• Small bottle / vest for heat and long runs

10K Training Plan — Aug–Sep 2026

Race: 27 September 2026

Weekly rhythm: Tuesday easy/quality · Thursday bike + optional gym · Friday complementary run · Sunday long run. Warm-up and cooldown walks are additional to listed running distance.

Pace / effort guide

Type	RPE	Guide
Easy	3–4/10	Full sentences; often 6:25–6:45/km, slower in heat
Long	4–5/10	Calm first half; finish tired but controlled
Tempo	6–7/10	Comfortably hard; short phrases; not a 5K race
10K effort	7/10	Controlled and repeatable; never sprinting
Strides	fast-relaxed	15–20 sec, full recovery, smooth form

Adjustment rules

• If Thursday bike + gym leaves heavy legs, Friday quality becomes easy and Tuesday keeps the quality role.
• If shins are painful during walking or tender at one specific spot, replace the next run with easy cycling/walking and reassess.
• If temperature is above 25°C, use effort rather than pace and shorten quality if HR climbs unusually fast.

Weeks

See plan.json for machine-readable sessions.

[
  {
    "week": 1,
    "dates": "03 Aug–09 Aug 2026",
    "phase": "Build 1",
    "focus": "Introduce formal structure; no racing",
    "sessions": [
      {
        "day": "Tuesday",
        "label": "Quality",
        "distance_km": 7,
        "detail": "7.0 km total incl. 3×6 min controlled tempo"
      },
      {
        "day": "Friday",
        "label": "Easy",
        "distance_km": 7,
        "detail": "Easy 7.0 km"
      },
      {
        "day": "Sunday",
        "label": "Long",
        "distance_km": 12,
        "detail": "Long 12.0 km"
      }
    ]
  },
  {
    "week": 2,
    "dates": "10 Aug–16 Aug 2026",
    "phase": "Build 2",
    "focus": "Build threshold and endurance",
    "sessions": [
      {
        "day": "Tuesday",
        "label": "Easy",
        "distance_km": 7,
        "detail": "Easy 7.0 km"
      },
      {
        "day": "Friday",
        "label": "Tempo",
        "distance_km": 7.5,
        "detail": "7.5 km total incl. 20 min steady-hard"
      },
      {
        "day": "Sunday",
        "label": "Long",
        "distance_km": 12.5,
        "detail": "Long 12.5 km"
      }
    ]
  },
  {
    "week": 3,
    "dates": "17 Aug–23 Aug 2026",
    "phase": "Build 3",
    "focus": "Highest load before recovery",
    "sessions": [
      {
        "day": "Tuesday",
        "label": "Easy + strides",
        "distance_km": 7,
        "detail": "Easy 7.0 km + 4×20 sec strides"
      },
      {
        "day": "Friday",
        "label": "Quality",
        "distance_km": 7.5,
        "detail": "7.5 km total incl. 4×5 min tempo"
      },
      {
        "day": "Sunday",
        "label": "Long",
        "distance_km": 13,
        "detail": "Long 13.0 km"
      }
    ]
  },
  {
    "week": 4,
    "dates": "24 Aug–30 Aug 2026",
    "phase": "Recovery",
    "focus": "Reduce fatigue; keep rhythm",
    "sessions": [
      {
        "day": "Tuesday",
        "label": "Easy",
        "distance_km": 6,
        "detail": "Easy 6.0 km"
      },
      {
        "day": "Friday",
        "label": "Steady",
        "distance_km": 6.5,
        "detail": "Steady 6.5 km"
      },
      {
        "day": "Sunday",
        "label": "Long",
        "distance_km": 10.5,
        "detail": "Long 10.5 km"
      }
    ]
  },
  {
    "week": 5,
    "dates": "31 Aug–06 Sep 2026",
    "phase": "Race-specific 1",
    "focus": "Practice controlled faster running",
    "sessions": [
      {
        "day": "Tuesday",
        "label": "Easy",
        "distance_km": 7,
        "detail": "Easy 7.0 km"
      },
      {
        "day": "Friday",
        "label": "10K effort",
        "distance_km": 7.5,
        "detail": "7.5 km total incl. 3×1 km controlled 10K effort"
      },
      {
        "day": "Sunday",
        "label": "Long",
        "distance_km": 12.5,
        "detail": "Long 12.5 km"
      }
    ]
  },
  {
    "week": 6,
    "dates": "07 Sep–13 Sep 2026",
    "phase": "Sharpen",
    "focus": "Keep speed; lower fatigue",
    "sessions": [
      {
        "day": "Tuesday",
        "label": "Easy + strides",
        "distance_km": 6.5,
        "detail": "Easy 6.5 km + 4 strides"
      },
      {
        "day": "Friday",
        "label": "Brisk",
        "distance_km": 7,
        "detail": "7.0 km total incl. 5×3 min brisk"
      },
      {
        "day": "Sunday",
        "label": "Long",
        "distance_km": 11,
        "detail": "Long 11.0 km"
      }
    ]
  },
  {
    "week": 7,
    "dates": "14 Sep–20 Sep 2026",
    "phase": "Taper",
    "focus": "Freshen up; no tests",
    "sessions": [
      {
        "day": "Tuesday",
        "label": "Easy + strides",
        "distance_km": 6,
        "detail": "Easy 6.0 km + 4 strides"
      },
      {
        "day": "Friday",
        "label": "Easy",
        "distance_km": 5,
        "detail": "Easy 5.0 km"
      },
      {
        "day": "Sunday",
        "label": "Easy",
        "distance_km": 8,
        "detail": "Easy 8.0 km"
      }
    ]
  },
  {
    "week": 8,
    "dates": "21 Sep–27 Sep 2026",
    "phase": "Race week",
    "focus": "Start controlled; finish progressively",
    "sessions": [
      {
        "day": "Tuesday",
        "label": "Easy + strides",
        "distance_km": 5,
        "detail": "Easy 5.0 km + 4×15 sec strides"
      },
      {
        "day": "Friday",
        "label": "Shakeout",
        "distance_km": 3.75,
        "detail": "Shakeout 3.5–4.0 km easy"
      },
      {
        "day": "Sunday",
        "label": "Race",
        "distance_km": 10,
        "detail": "RACE 10 km"
      }
    ]
  }
]

10K Race-Day Strategy — 27 September 2026

Main risk: starting too fast because you feel good. First 3 km should feel restrained.

Pacing plan

Section	Instruction	Feeling
Km 1–2	10–15 sec/km slower than planned average	Almost too easy
Km 3–6	Settle into realistic race rhythm	Working but controlled
Km 7–8	Hold form and cadence; no panic	Hard but stable
Km 9	Increase only if breathing and legs remain controlled	Commit
Final km	Progressively empty the tank	Strong finish

Race morning

• Familiar food 2–3 hours before; small banana/toast closer if needed
• Anti-chafe before dressing
• Warm-up: 8–10 min walking/easy jogging + 4 short relaxed strides
• Double knot / runner's knot without over-tightening the ankle
• Do not copy a friend's pace or chase people in the first kilometre