Week 11

This week will be quite similar to last week -- we are gradually adding more speed work into the progression, while maintaining your base. This week you will be documenting your training intensities during key sessions. The best way to measure your training intensity is to monitor your heart rate. You can do this by counting your pulse rate for six seconds immediately after a set -- then multiply this number by 10 to get your beats per minute. Alternatively, you can purchase an inexpensive heart-rate monitor to improve the ease and accuracy of your heart-rate-based sets.

Monday: OFF

Tuesday: Swim 25 minutes

· 200m warm-up (as 50m free, 50m back, 50m kick, 50m free)
· 8 x 25m freestyle kick with flippers (as 25m easy kick, 25m very hard kick, with 15 seconds rest after each 25)
· 6 x 50m freestyle (25 freestyle at effort, 25 double-arm backstroke, with 15 seconds rest after each 50)
· 200m easy cool-down, choice of stroke
· Total: 900m

Wednesday: Run/walk 30 minutes

· 5-minute warm-up walking
· 4 x (20 seconds stride, 40 seconds jog, 2-minute walk)
· 10 minutes (as 45 seconds jog, 15 seconds at effort – check heart rate after each 15-second effort – 2-minute walk)
· 5-minute cool-down walk

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

Thursday: Bike 45 minutes

· 10-minute warm-up spin
· 2 x (45 seconds left leg spinning, 15 seconds both, 45 seconds right, 45 seconds both)
· 2-minute recovery spin
· 3 x (30 seconds at 90 rpm, 30 seconds at 100 rpm, 30 seconds at 110 rpm, 30 seconds at 120-plus rpm – then check heart rate. Take a 2-minute recovery after each set)
· 2 x (30 seconds at effort, 90-second recovery)
· 10-minute cool-down spin

If you do not have a bike computer that displays 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 35 minutes

· 200m warm-up (as 100m free, 50m kick,50m choice)
· 4 x 75m freestyle (DPS with 45 seconds recovery after each 75)
· 3 x 150m (as 50m freestyle easy, 50m medium effort, 50m backstroke, with 45 seconds rest)
· 100m cool-down, choice stroke
· Total: 1150m

DPS/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 (45 seconds jog, 15 seconds stride). Then check your heart rate. Take a 2-minute recovery walk after each set
· 4 x (3-minute jog). Then check your heart rate. Take a 2-minute recovery walk after each set
· 5 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, 75 seconds both)
3-minute recovery spin
2 x (30 seconds at 90 rpm, 30 seconds at 100 rpm, 30 seconds at 110 rpm, 30 seconds at 120-plus rpm) Take a 2-minute recovery spin after each set
2 x (30 seconds standing). Then check your heart rate. Take a 2:30-minute recovery spin after each set
15-minute cool-down spin

TOTAL TRAINING TIME: 3 hours, 45 minutes
The mileage has stayed about the same as it was last week, but I have added some increased heart-rate work on some days. Again, it is very important to keep 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 developmen