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FatDog 120 Training

Week 1 Review

BASE Phase. April 6 to 12, 2026. Week 1 of 18. 120-mile ultramarathon. Manning Park, BC. August 7 to 9, 2026.

Week 1 Performance

Garmin Connect data, April 6 to 12, 2026. First week of the 18-week FatDog 120 training block.
Running Volume
58.1
km / 4 runs
Target: 40 to 45 km
Vertical Gain
567
meters
Target: 400m
Longest Run
2h33
25.1 km
Target: 2h00
Strength Sessions
1
of 2 planned
Target: 2x full body

Daily Log

Garmin Connect activities, April 6 to 12, 2026. All logged sessions.

Running

Apr 6 (Mon)
Easy run, Canmore
10.1 km
64 min / 85m vert / HR 144
Apr 9 (Thu)
Easy run, Langley
10.9 km
67 min / 139m vert / HR 154
Apr 10 (Fri)
Easy run, Canmore
12.0 km
72 min / 106m vert / HR 157
Apr 11 (Sat)
Long run, Canmore
25.1 km
2h33m / 237m vert / HR 151

Strength & Recovery

Apr 7 (Tue)
FatDog-CAN-Wed (Lower + Core)
51 min
HR 121
Apr 12 (Sun)
Walk + Yoga recovery
2 km / 22 min
Active recovery

Readiness Metrics

Garmin Connect biometric data, end of Week 1. These metrics inform Week 2 loading decisions.
Training Readiness
4
Poor (high fatigue)
HRV
64
ms / Balanced
Sleep Score
65
Moderate
Resting Heart Rate
54
bpm
Body Weight
65.7
kg (-1.3 from last week)

Fueling Assessment

Cronometer tracking, April 6 to 12, 2026. Daily macros averaged across the week.
Avg Daily Calories
2,580
kcal
Avg Daily Protein
160
grams

Fueling Status

No underfueling days detected. Caloric intake ranged from 2,173 to 2,947 kcal across the week, supporting the running volume. Protein intake is consistent and adequate for recovery and the strength transition.

This is a significant improvement over Week 0, where two underfueling days contributed to poor Training Readiness. Consistent fueling helps absorb the volume even when it exceeds plan targets.

Week 1 Analysis

Volume Came in Hot

Week 1 delivered 58.1 km against a 40 to 45 km target, roughly 30% over plan. The long run pushed to 2h33m vs. a 2-hour target. Vertical gain was 567m against a 400m target. By every running metric, Week 1 exceeded expectations.

This is not a problem. Your Tahoe base is substantial, and the plan starts conservatively to accommodate the new strength programming. The volume felt easy, which confirms the base is there. The key is not to let over-delivery become the new expectation. The plan ramps for a reason.

Missed Strength Session

One of two planned strength sessions was completed (FatDog-CAN-Wed on Tuesday). The second session (FatDog-BW-Fri) was scheduled for Thursday but a run happened instead. Strength is the major new variable in this build vs. Tahoe. Protecting both sessions is the priority for Week 2. You had zero strength sessions across 130 days of Tahoe prep. Getting both in this week matters more than hitting a specific km number.

Heart Rate Running Warm

Friday's "easy" run averaged 157 bpm, well above the Z2 ceiling of 145. Thursday was 154. Early in a training block this is common as the body adjusts to increased load, but it is worth watching. If easy runs consistently sit above 150 in Week 2, it signals the aerobic system is being taxed harder than the pace suggests. Sleep quality (65) and Training Readiness (4) support this: the body is absorbing a lot.

Week 2 Approach

Week 2 targets are 45 to 50 km, 600m vert, 2-hour long run, and 2x strength. Since last week felt easy and next week involves travel (lighter load), this week leans into mountain access with a potential Ha Ling summit on Thursday (800m vert). The strides session on Tuesday introduces light neuromuscular work without the fatigue cost of full tempo intervals. Protect both strength sessions.

Proposed vs. Scheduled

April 13 to 19, 2026. BASE Phase. Week 2 of 18. Canmore all week.
Changes
Adjusted Session type or intensity changed from proposal
Open-ended Self-directed effort, no Garmin workout
Location set Gym location confirmed, specific workout assigned
As proposed No change from original proposal
Proposed
Scheduled
MON
Apr 13
Recovery Run
45 to 60 min. Zone 2. Flat or rolling.
Easy Run
45 min. Zone 2. 120 to 145 bpm.
As proposed
TUE
Apr 14
Quality / Tempo
50 to 60 min. 3 x 5 min at tempo (Zone 3) with 2 min recovery.
Easy + Strides
50 min. 40 min easy + 6 x 20s strides. Lighter quality work for BASE week 2.
Adjusted
WED
Apr 15
Easy Run + Strength #1
AM: 45 to 50 min Zone 2. PM: Full body strength, 45 to 60 min.
Easy Run + Strength #1
AM: Easy-45. PM: FatDog-CAN-Wed (Lower + Core). Canmore condo.
Location set
THU
Apr 16
Hills / Mountain Run
50 to 70 min. Sustained climbing, 600 to 800m gain.
Ha Ling or Hills-60
Ha Ling if weather allows (8 km, 800m vert, 2.5 to 3 hrs). Hills-60 as backup.
Open-ended
FRI
Apr 17
Easy Run + Strength #2
AM: 30 to 45 min Zone 2. PM: Full body strength, 45 to 60 min.
Easy Run + Strength #2
AM: Easy-30. PM: FatDog-CAN-Fri (Upper + Posterior). Canmore condo.
Location set
SAT
Apr 18
Long Run
2.0 to 2.5 hrs. Zone 2. Time-based, terrain dictates distance.
Long Run
2 to 2.5 hrs. Self-directed on Canmore trails.
Open-ended
SUN
Apr 19
Rest
Rest

18-Week Periodization

FatDog 120 plan spans April 6 to August 9, 2026. Seven phases, each building specific adaptations.
WK 1
WK 2
BASE
BASE
BASE
BUILD1
BUILD1
BUILD1
BUILD1
BUILD2
BUILD2
PEAK
PEAK
SPEC
SPEC
SPEC
TAPER
TAPER
RACE

Phase Breakdown

Base (Weeks 1 to 4): Re-establish aerobic base, introduce 2x strength per week, moderate volume ramp. Deload at Week 4.

Build 1 (Weeks 5 to 8): Increase run volume, introduce tempo and progression runs, vertical progression. Deload at Week 8.

Build 2 / Peak (Weeks 9 to 12): Highest volume and vert. Longest training runs (7 to 8 hours). Strength at maintenance. Deload at Week 12.

Specificity (Weeks 13 to 15): Mountain-specific long efforts, back-to-back weekends, race simulation. Strength tapers to 1x.

Taper (Weeks 16 to 17): Volume cut, maintain sharpness. Strength drops to 0x at Week 17.

Race Week (Week 18): August 7 to 9, 2026. Manning Park. 120 miles. 29,000 feet vertical.