Training Diary: Build 1 Rest Week, 5 – 11 April

As much as my adrenaline-junkie internal demon would like to train all day every day, I must say that my body kindly accepted the offer of a rest week after the past 3 weeks; they certainly weren’t the most intense weeks of training I have ever done, but that’s what I’m building towards.

On the Monday I found that the knee pains I was getting was Osteochondritis Tendonitis Patellar, or an irritation of the tendon that runs from below the kneecap under and laterally on the outer side of the knee. The doc said that with some antiinflammatory tablets and some heat rub it should get better, and was nothing to worry about. I must say that it has been bothering me, up until the day I write this email, but it has improved considerably. I was also given some specific exercises to help keep the kneecap in position, which is apparently a cause of this type of complaint.

I did a couple of good sessions in the swim and also a decent time trial on the bike which left me feeling happy about where this month’s training had left me. The run is also improving, with the focus being more on recovery and keeping some solid longer-distance training going to build up the knee strength once again.

Build 2 here I come…!!!

Monday:

Swim: Half session, 2km easy.

Run: 30 mins jog after going to the doc’s, felt fine.

Tuesday:

Swim: I: 300 smooth, 6×100 combined, 12 x 100 w/paddles: 4 every 1:20, 4 every 1:25, 4 every 1:20. 400 kick w/fins, 10 x 25 fast kick, 300 drill w/fins, 12 x 25 speed w/fins. II: 2 x 150 every 2:20, 3 min rest, 400 w/paddles, 2 x 150 every 2:20, 300 smooth.

Wednesday:

Cycling: 30 min warm-up. 7km time trial on a rolling course, 45km average. 30 min warm-down.

Swim: I: 300m smooth, 800 w/paddles, 800 (100 free, 100 combined), 400 kick w/fins. II: 4 x [10 x 25 speed, 250 drill]. 200 smooth.

Thursday:

Strength: Legs. Squat 4 x 8 w/bar. Deep Squat 5 x 8 x 30kg. Deep Leg Press 5 x 10 x 80kg. Hamstrings 5 x 10 x 24kg. Deep Leg Press 5 x 8 x 110kg.

Swim: I: 300 smooth, 8 x 125 combined, 2 x 500 w/paddles, 400 kick w/fins, 10 x 25 kick, 200 drill w/fins, 12 x 25 w/fins. II: Speed workout. 3 x 100 every 1:25, 2 min rest. 2 x 300 w/paddles every 6 mins. 3 x 100 every 1:25. 300 smooth.

Friday:

Run: 45 minute easy jog.

Swim: I: 300m smooth, 1200m w/fins (200 combined, 100 free), 1000 w/paddles, 300m smooth, 12 x 25 speed. II: 2 x [200 w/fins combined, 300 w/paddles, 5 x 100 combined]

Saturday:

Run: 40 minutes moderate run.

Sunday:

Rest Day.