Results from training regime--is this right?

I would venture it is just the natural process of your body adjusting to the increased yardage. Considering that you don't come from a swimming background, 4k a day is quite substantial. However, if you are worried that you might be overtraining, read this thread. Here is an excerpt from a NY Times article (posted by Fortress) in the same thread. How to Tell If You’re Overtraining A FEW SIGNS THAT YOU SHOULD SEE A DOCTOR AND HEAD FOR THE BARCALOUNGER. Fatigue that persists for more than 72 hours after a workout, often accompanied by insomnia. Muscle pain and weakness that persist for more than three days. Irritability, anxiety, depression. Unsure if you’re being extra-moody? Ask your significant other. A rise in resting heart rate. Track yours by wearing a heart-rate monitor to bed. A dramatic drop-off in performance for no obvious reason. “Heavy legs,” or the feeling that your lower limbs, once springy and quick, have turned to stone. A loss of appetite, which exacerbates fatigue by sapping the body’s fuel stores. Disruptions in the menstrual cycle. Cuts and bruises that heal slowly; overtraining might suppress your immune system. Falling levels of ferritin — a protein complex that stores iron — as revealed by blood work. Not many colds. True, it’s not normally a sign that you need to see a doctor, but athletes are more likely to overtrain if they manage to avoid viruses. A cold ruthlessly forces the body to slow down and thus prevents overtraining. G.R. I'm telling myself that it's a sign my body is getting broken down and repairing, and that when I back off and taper the pep will return and hopefully more power than before. You could always do a mini taper of, say, a week, to test your theory. If proved right, you would feel more confident continuing with your new regime. Syd

I would venture it is just the natural process of your body adjusting to the increased yardage. Considering that you don't come from a swimming background, 4k a day is quite substantial. However, if you are worried that you might be overtraining, read this thread. Here is an excerpt from a NY Times article (posted by Fortress) in the same thread. How to Tell If You’re Overtraining A FEW SIGNS THAT YOU SHOULD SEE A DOCTOR AND HEAD FOR THE BARCALOUNGER. Fatigue that persists for more than 72 hours after a workout, often accompanied by insomnia. Muscle pain and weakness that persist for more than three days. Irritability, anxiety, depression. Unsure if you’re being extra-moody? Ask your significant other. A rise in resting heart rate. Track yours by wearing a heart-rate monitor to bed. A dramatic drop-off in performance for no obvious reason. “Heavy legs,” or the feeling that your lower limbs, once springy and quick, have turned to stone. A loss of appetite, which exacerbates fatigue by sapping the body’s fuel stores. Disruptions in the menstrual cycle. Cuts and bruises that heal slowly; overtraining might suppress your immune system. Falling levels of ferritin — a protein complex that stores iron — as revealed by blood work. Not many colds. True, it’s not normally a sign that you need to see a doctor, but athletes are more likely to overtrain if they manage to avoid viruses. A cold ruthlessly forces the body to slow down and thus prevents overtraining. G.R. I'm telling myself that it's a sign my body is getting broken down and repairing, and that when I back off and taper the pep will return and hopefully more power than before. You could always do a mini taper of, say, a week, to test your theory. If proved right, you would feel more confident continuing with your new regime. Syd