Week 5

You have completed the first four-week block and are ready to boost the training mileage and intensity slightly. This second four-week block will still be geared toward your base and endurance phase; however, the mileage will be brought up slightly. Nonetheless, the intensity will remain quite low.

Monday: OFF

Tuesday: Swim 30 minutes

100m warm-up, choice stroke
8 x 25m freestyle (as 1 fast arms, 1 recovery, with 15 seconds rest after each 25)
4 x 100m (as 50 backstroke/50 freestyle, with 45 seconds rest after each 100)
4 x 50m freestyle (working on DPS, with 20 seconds rest after each 50)
200 easy warm-down, choice of stroke
Total: 1100m

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.

Wednesday: Run/walk 30 minutes

10-minute warm-up walking
4 x (30 seconds jog, 30 seconds faster than jog pace, 1 minute recovery walk)
3 x (2-minute jog, 1-minute walk)
5-minute cool-down walk

Faster than jog pace should raise your heart rate quite a bit. Remember to stay relaxed and maintain form and technique while increasing your intensity.

Thursday: Bike 35 minutes

10-minute warm-up spin
4 x (25 seconds left leg spinning, 35 seconds both, 25 seconds right, 35 seconds both)
2-minute recovery spin
4 x (30 seconds fast-cadence spinning, 30 seconds recovery)
10-minute warm-down spin

Single-leg spinning: this will help your overall foot rotation as you are able to isolate each leg. Concentrate on pulling up with one leg while pushing down with the opposite leg.

Fast cadence: little to no tension and just maintain proper form and foot rotation while trying to bring your pedal rate as high as you can.

Friday: Swim 25 minutes

100m warm-up choice
10 x 25m (as 1 freestyle, 1 backstroke, with 20 seconds rest after each 25)
6 x 50m (breathe every 3rd stroke, with 30 seconds rest after each 50)
3 x 50m kick freestyle (as 25m easy, 25m fast, with 20 seconds rest after each 50)
200m cool-down, choice stroke Total: 1000m

Breathe every 3rd stroke: only take a breath every third stroke

Saturday: Run/walk 35 minutes

10-minute warm-up walking
3 x (2:30-minute jog, 1:30-minute walk)
2 x (30 seconds jog, 30 seconds faster than jog pace, 2 minutes recovery walk)
5-minute cool-down walk

Sunday: Bike 55 minutes

15-minute warm-up spin
4 x (30 seconds left leg, 30 seconds recovery spin, 30 seconds right leg, 30 seconds recovery spin)
5 x (30 seconds standing, 90 seconds recovery spin)
2-minute recovery spin
4 x (30 seconds hard gear with low cadence, 90 seconds recovery)
10 minutes cool-down spin

TOTAL TRAINING TIME: 3 hours, 30 minutes
This fifth week is geared toward less intensity and more overall endurance. Next week we will be keeping the session lengths the same but adding just a dash more intensity. The goal here is to not rush through anything, to take things in stride and listen to your body.

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 hiring a coach to add some personal touches to reflect your own individual strengths and needs