Week 10

This week will be quite similar to last week -- we are gradually adding more speed work into the progression, while maintaining your base. You should feel good about last week’s sessions and ready to add just a tad more intensity.

Monday: OFF

Tuesday: Swim 35 minutes

200m warm-up (as 50m freestyle, 50m backstroke, 50m kick, 50m freestyle)
6 x 50m kick freestyle with flippers (25m easy kick, 25m very hard kick, with 15 seconds rest after each 50)
4 x 25m freestyle (breathing every fifth stroke, with 10 seconds rest)
6 x 25m freestyle with flippers (as 2 at medium effort, 1 hard effort, with 15 seconds rest after each 25)
200m easy cool-down, choice of strokes
Total: 1050m

Wednesday: Run/walk 25 minutes

5-minute warm-up walking
10 minutes (as 45 seconds jog, 15 seconds faster than jog pace, 30 seconds jog, 1-minute walk)
5 x (20 seconds stride, 40 seconds jog, 1-minute walk)
5-minute cool-down walk

On the strides, pick up your leg turnover and incrementally build to maximum speed, focusing on good technique.

Thursday: Bike 40 minutes

10-minute warm-up spin
3 x (30 seconds left leg spinning, 15 seconds both, 30 seconds right, 45 seconds both)
2-minute recovery spin
3 x (30 seconds @ 90 rpm; 30 seconds @ 100 rpm; 30 seconds @ 110 rpm; 30 seconds @ 120-plus rpm; 2-minute recovery spin)
10 minute cool-down spin

If you do not have an odometer on your bike to show you your cadence, then, every few minutes, count how many times one leg rotates in 15 seconds then multiply this by four to calculate your cadence.

Friday: Swim 30 minutes

300m warm-up (as 100 fr,100 kick,100 choice)
4 x 50m freestyle (DPS -- count your strokes and try to achieve minimal stroke count possible, with 20 seconds rest after each 50)
4 x 100m (as 50m freestyle easy/50m medium effort, with 25 seconds rest after each 100)
100m cool-down, choice strokes
Total: 1000m

Note Distance per stroke: work on lengthening out your stroke by reaching as far forward above the water as possible before entry and extending your arm as far back as possible at the end of your stroke. Take a stroke count for each 25m, then try to decrease your stokes-per-length through the set.

”At effort” means as fast as you can maintain throughout the given distance.

Saturday: Run/walk 40 minutes

5-minute warm-up walking
3 x (4-minute jog, 2-minute walk)
2 x (30 seconds jog, 15 seconds stride, 2:15-minute recovery walk)
10-minute cool-down walk

Sunday: Bike 50 minutes

10-minute warm-up spin
4 x (30 seconds left leg, 15 seconds both, 30 seconds right leg, 1:15 seconds both)
3-minute recovery spin
2 x (30 seconds @ 90 rpm; 30 seconds @ 100 rpm; 30 seconds @ 110 rpm; 30 seconds @ 120-plus rpm; 2-minute recovery spin)
4 x (20 seconds standing, 1:40-minute recovery spin)
15-minute cool-down spin

TOTAL TRAINING TIME: 3 hours, 40 minutes
As you can see, the mileage has decreased a small amount since last week, but I have added some increased heart-rate work while including recovery sets elsewhere. It is very important to stay focused, rest up and eat properly.

Remember that if you would like to add a few minutes to the end of a workout, proceed with caution, and if you feel that it is too much load, go back to last week’s training. If you are fairly serious about your goals and specific training regime, and have many unanswered questions or concerns, consider consulting a coach to add some personal touches to reflect your own individual strengths, needs and overall well-rounded development.