(Training) Review - Week 6 - Feb 5 to 11

Starting the week already ahead of my end of week swim target makes this quite an easy week to come out happy with the numbers. But that was never going to be the measure of success for this week. It was all about what the Consultant said at my fracture clinic appointment on Wednesday morning.

Monday was my first time back at a Club session. I shifted down a lane. There was a bit more space and it gave me options ovary my pace if required without interfering with anyone else. I also still have to do the whole set with a pull-buoy, but that worked out fine as it was an arms-only set for everyone else as well.

Tuesday I went to bucksburn for another 20 minute steady swim. 

Wednesday started with a trip to the fracture clinic. 7 weeks since the break, 6 since the surgery. Big update from the fracture clinic. Only 4 more weeks in the boot, but I can lose the crutches and start to walk around on it. Also I didn't specifically ask, but I have taken that as permission to go aqua-jogging based on the loading being no worse for one than the other. 

Aquajogging is not the mind-numbingly boring activity I was promised. At least not if you do it during a public swim session where you have to dodge all of the other patrons, (I won't say swimmers because that only covers a small fraction of the pool users during the public session). I did 23 widths of traffic dodging in 20 minutes. It took me a while to get the hang of it but by the end I was definitely getting some effect from it.  

Thursday is 22 weeks to World Champs. And that reminder pushed me to try my first double session of the year. Thursday's lane session follows on from a standard public session so I can aqua-jog in one and then swim in the other. I had planned 20 minutes of each but arrived at the pool slightly early and managed to do 30mins of aqua-jogging and then a 20-minute swim. I think I have the aqua-jogging sussed now. There are obvious ways to cheat it, which come in handy for little bursts of speed and avoiding traffic but obviously reduce the effectiveness. 

For the swim this was the first time I didn't use the pull buoy. I was very careful to only do a light and slow kick to try and help my body position rather than for propulsion, and I am still only doing one-legged turns. This (and the surprisingly heavy arms from aqua-jogging) meant I was actually slightly slower than the last few pull buoy sessions, but I am still really happy with managing a double session and definite progress. 

Friday I had planned another aqua-jogging trip in the afternoon but my day was hijacked by Mrs M smashing her phone and needing to shop for a replacement. 

Saturday I did a set of 100m swim reps in the morning. they are about 10 seconds each down on this time last year. I think most of that is from still being careful in turns but there is probably still a little that is from not kicking properly. In the afternoon I went back to the pool to do a 30 minute aqua-jogging session. That is definitely working, my right leg feels like I have run a marathon on it. 

Sunday morning I went for a steady 25 minute swim session, then a break for a McDonalds breakfast and to do some work, then back in to the pool again for another 25 minutes of aqua-jogging. I was shattered for both sessions and I have probably just done a little bit too much this week for my current fitness levels. Ankle seems to be coping well with the aqua-jogging though.

I rounded out my week with core and weights sessions in the evening.

I will have 18 weeks from finally removing the boot to ITU Denmark, but I am going to start the official rehab clock now that I am aqua-jogging. So from now I am going to call it 8 weeks of rehab (4 in the boot, 4 out of boot) then 7 weeks of fitness and 7 weeks of speed. I am going to go and build my plan for the year on that basis. 




Targets - Swim 2.7 miles, Bike 0 miles, Run 0.0 miles.
Stretching session x0, Core session x2, Weights session x2.

Monday - Swim with TPT 1,650m in 45 mins. 

Tuesday - Swim at bucksburn 1,050m in 20 mins.

Wednesday - Rest day.  Aqua-jogging 20 mins (~230m).

Thursday - Aqua-jogging 30 mins. (~390m)
Swim at bucksburn 950m in 29 mins.

Friday - Rest Day.

Saturday - Swim at bucksburn 1,500m in 36 mins.
Aqua-jogging 30 mins. (~400m)
Core session.
Weights session.

Sunday - Swim at bucksburn 1,150m in 25 mins.
Aqua-jogging 25 mins (~300m).
Weights session.
Core session.

Actuals - Swim 3.9 miles (6,300 m). Bike 0 miles. Run 0.8* miles. 
0 short core, 0 short light weights and 0 stretching / rollering session. 0 mins of yoga.

Cumulative actual, (Cumulative target), [Cumulative Stretch target]
S 9.4, (5.2), [5.7], 
B 0.0, (0.0), [0.0],
R 0.8*, (0.0), [0.0].
Core      - 9, (6)
Weights - 9, (6)
Yoga      - 0, (0)

*Includes aqua-jogging.