Eleven days after the marathon, the muscular recovery signal remains positive: the legs felt normal and the 7.6 km run was completed comfortably without any reported residual soreness.
This was no longer a true easy run. The 5:57/km average pace and several stronger sections turned it into a moderate aerobic effort, with heart rate averaging 160 bpm.
Heart rate should not be used as a fitness benchmark from this session. Very poor sleep, a late evening with alcohol, an unusual afternoon running time and the stop-start urban route all add significant noise, while the brief 192 bpm maximum also shows an abrupt rise in the TCX.
Takeaway. Use one more genuinely easy aerobic run to finish the post-marathon transition. After that, begin the next training phase with baseline testing and structured quality rather than adding unplanned intensity to every run.
Next step. Easy aerobic bridge. One final relaxed aerobic run before structured training resumes. Run naturally rather than deliberately slowly, but keep the effort conversational.