+17.4 km vs Evening Run · -0.81/km

The right move is easy only or off, because forcing quality would cost more than it helps.

Today's call: easy only or off

• Sleep was too short for a Green readiness call.

• HRV is clearly suppressed versus baseline.

• Resting HR is meaningfully elevated versus baseline.

Do not treat the Half as something to bounce back from in two days. The left quad gave an early mechanical warning and then a sharp late-race stop signal; that makes this a recovery-and-gate week, not a normal transition week. If stairs or walking change your stride, running is off the table until that settles.

Monday morning check: how does the left quad feel on stairs and during normal walking — green, yellow, or red?

After the first heavy NYC walking day, does the quad feel better, the same, or worse the next morning?

The business trip changes the load profile: walking around Midtown counts. Monday and Tuesday are no-run days. Wednesday is the only planned Central Park run window, and it is optional: 20–30 min very easy only if walking and stairs are normal and the quad is no worse than 1/10. Thursday is no run. Friday is skip-by-default with only a tiny shakeout if Wednesday and the next morning were clean. Weekend is recovery endurance, not a long run.

Use Central Park for rhythm and place, not fitness. From the Grayson/Bryant Park area, walk or transit closer if the legs are tired, then keep to flatter lower-loop or reservoir-adjacent paths. No hills, no surges, no trying to make the loop respectable on Strava. If the quad tightens, pulls, or changes your stride, stop and turn it into a walk.

The next race asks for different durability than Toronto: controlled descents, climb-hike transitions, stable hips/calves/quads, and fueling while moving. None of that starts by forcing sore legs onto trails. The first gate is simple: two flat easy runs on separate days with no next-morning worsening. Only then do we start mild trail exposure, light strength, and conservative descent practice.

Readiness is red tonight: short sleep, suppressed HRV, elevated resting HR, and a high-cost race. That does not mean the block failed. It means the system is honestly reporting the bill. This week is successful if walking normalizes, sleep rebounds, and the quad gets quieter each morning.