There was no rest for Sydney Swans veterans Ryan O’Keefe and Jude Bolton when they returned to pre-season training this morning at Lakeside Oval.

Instead of easing into the program after an extended break, the pair took part in the three kilometre time trial alongside premiership players Jarrad McVeigh, Rhyce Shaw, Mitch Morton and Heath Grundy, who also returned to the club for their first pre-season session today.

Despite being veterans of the club, both O’Keefe and Bolton posted impressive results in today’s time trial, which was led by McVeigh and Dan Hannebery.

Speaking to SwansTV after the time trial, O’Keefe said the gruelling run was the perfect way to kick of a pre-season campaign.

“It’s always a good welcome back, it lets you know you’re alive that’s for sure!” he said.

“It’s just good to get it out of the way and blow out the cobwebs and sort of see where you’re at and find the areas you need to work on and go forward for the pre-season.

“I’m probably a little bit off where I’d like to be but there’s plenty of time before the season starts in March and it’s all about trying to peak at the right time and not too early.”

It’s been over two months since the Swans achieved premiership glory and O’Keefe took out the Norm Smith Medal for his efforts in the Swans 10-point win over Hawthorn.

While the 31-year-old admitted he did allow time for reflection on the Swans victorious year, he said his main focus was getting back in top shape for the year ahead.

“It comes around pretty quickly but I’ve had a little bit of time to relax and reflect, but it’s straight back into it now and last year’s done and dusted,” he said.

“I’ve been doing plenty of running and jumping on the bike to keep the legs and the body ticking over, but it’s always a different intensity when you come back to the group.

“It all just steps up, we get the balls out and change direction and that sort of stuff and it’s an entirely different fitness aspect.”

Last year O’Keefe experienced an injury-interrupted pre-season after a training accident left the midfielder with bone bruising.

While O’Keefe believes his slow start to the 2012 season contributed to his impressive late season form, his aim for this year’s training was to remain fit and injury free.

“You never want to have an injury but it may have been a little blessing in disguise for me because when it came towards the back end of the year and the finals, I was still pretty fresh and probably missed eight weeks and six extra games that everyone else played,” he said.

“For me, missing those games probably wasn’t a bad thing and I’m probably at the stage where I don’t need to play four or five lead-up games towards the start of the season, but obviously you don’t want to get an injury and you want to keep your body as sound as possible.”

Fellow midfielder Jude Bolton, who recently stated his intentions to play on for a 15th AFL season in 2013, also returned to pre-season training in good shape.

Bolton, who missed three weeks late in the season after hyperextending his knee in round 19, said he felt confident he had recovered from his knee concern.

“It feels good,” he said,

“I didn’t need any post-season operations or anything, so from there I’ve just been able to do some knee rehab and then have been able to do all the running and I feel really positive about the knee.”

Bolton said he was pleased with his time trial result, despite admitting he was very nervous ahead of the race.

“I swear I get more nervous about doing a three kilometre than playing a game or having a big crowd,” he said.

“For some reason, when all the guys turn up they are as tense as anything and there is no-one talking to anyone, but now it’s out of the way it’s really good to put a time on the board and get into it now.

“My time certainly improved from last year but was not quite where my PB is, but it felt really good and I just have to try to chase after some of the young guys who have come back in really good knick.”

Bolton said he was impressed with the pre-season form of some of the club’s younger players, including 19-year-old midfielder Jed Lamb and premiership pair Craig Bird and Shane Mumford.

“I think (a) guy like Jed Lamb has come back in really good shape and he’s running really well,” he said.

“Also Craig Bird looks like he’s come back fit and even Shane Mumford is training really well and certainly he’s had limited pre-seasons previously, so it’s good to see those sort of guys training well.”

Swans co-captain Adam Goodes, Marty Mattner, Nick Smith, Josh Kennedy and Nick Malceski also took part in today’s return training session, but did not take part in the time trial.