Is It Normal to Feel Worse in Marathon Peak Week? 3 Weeks Out With Savannah Sachdev

Getting fitter but feeling worse? Three weeks out from marathon day, peak week is meant to feel hard.

This is the second episode of our marathon training mini-series leading up to New York, where Coach Anya checks in with different runners at key stages of the block to share what's working, the honest setbacks, and the coaching that keeps you on track.

This week, Coach Anya sits down with Savannah Sachdev (@savannahsachdev) for a peak week check in. They break down why the biggest weeks of marathon training leave you tired, hungry, and dreading your next long run, and how to tell if it is working.

Savannah is lining up in New York, where she ran her very first marathon. She's honest about the fear of the 28K long run, about going into this block probably the least fit she's been, and about why her progress right now isn't about speed. She gets into using food as motivation, gamifying a long run, and trusting her plan when she's scared.

With Anya deep in her own biggest weeks (and admitting she's finding it tougher than Savannah), they break down how to tell if peak week is working, why you're suddenly SO hungry, and why listening to your body matters more than ever.

Listen for more on:
🧠 Marathon Peak Week Reality: Why getting fitter can feel like getting worse
😬 Long Run Dread: Why the biggest weeks feel so scary
🍞 Marathon Fuelling: Snacks VS gels?
🎮 How to gamify your long run

⏱️ Timestamps:
0:00 – Why peak week makes you feel worse before you feel fitter
3:03 – Meet Savannah Sachdev, 33 sleeps from race day
4:25 – Why she never decides her marathon plan until 10k in
8:04 – Dreading the 28K
9:46 – Marathon fuelling: Using food as motivation
13:17 – How to gamify a long run
14:31 – Going in less fit than planned
16:49 – Undertrained or overtrained?
18:50 – The treadmill long run
19:49 – Why you should not feel fittest in peak week
20:58 – The run streak
27:42 – 'I am not ready' nerves for race day
28:11 – Advice for your longest run
31:25 – Lucky pants, pre-race rules, and calf massages
34:33 – Coach takeaway: listen to your body!

Want to give Runna a go?

🆓 Try it FREE for 2 weeks with code: PODCAST26
👉 web.runna.com/redeem

📱
Instagram → @runna
TikTok → @runna

📺 Watch more episodes → @therunnapodcast