Woke up a bit groggy but also a few minutes before my alarm. Had to pee. It would have been great to go right back to bed but nope. Gotta swim. Got to the pool and it was time to swim. Ready or not. Today we did SCY IM Workout. Since I swam with the 35 year old swim mate it meant I got into the warm up right away with little to no procrastination. It also meant keeping the rest periods tight and push it.

The warm up felt meh but once we started the main set it was on. Gotta put in the work…

2025 ROB CURRY PANCAKE PENTATHLON

This Sunday – Sept 21st

100 Fly

100 Back

100 Breast

100 Free

200 IM

OURA SLEEP SCORE– 74

6 hours and 20 minutes

GARMIN SLEEP SCORE – 49

3 hours and 44 minutes

WEDNESDAY – SEPT 17th, 2025

SCY Masters Swim – Theme IM Intervals

THE WETDECK:

WARM UP: (600)

200 Free Swim

100 Back

100 Breast

200 IM Kick

SET ONE: (1000/1600)

3 x 100’s Free descending on 1:45

4 x 50’s Breast on 1:15

3 x 100’s Back descending on 2:00

4 x 50’s Fly on 1:15

SET TWO: (1000/2500)

8 x 25’s Free on :30

4 x 75’s Breast on 1:40

8 x 25’s Fly on 30

3 x 200’s Back on 2:00

SET THREE: (400/3000)

3 x 100’s IM on 2:15

100 Long Axis Cool Down

3,000 SCY

ZONE 1 – 04:34

ZONE 2 – 21:55

ZONE 3 – 31:22

ZONE 4 – 08:41

ZONE 5 – 00:47

We did Set One and Two staying on interval without extra rest between subsets.

Friday we have the 1,500 LCM for time!

2025 SWIM DISTANCE TOTALS:

SCY- 44,950 *including Wednesday AM

SCM – 131,800

LCM – 54,100

THE LIFT AHEAD:

THU– Back + TEACH 30 Min INDOOR CYCLE

FRI – SWIM w/ Team

SAT – RECOVERY

SUN- – 2025 ROB CURRY PANCAKE PENTATHLON

MON – SWIM w/ Team (Masters)

TUE – CHEST + TEACH 30 Min INDOOR CYCLE

WED – SWIM w/ Team

Programming My Workouts for the next few months:

STRENGTH – July 12th – August 24th

ENDURANCE -August 26th – September 4th

TAPER – September 6th – September 20th

I have my first swim meet on September 14th and then on the 21st.

STRENGTH – September 23rd – October 5th

TAPER – October 7th & 9th

Swim meet on October 12th so not much TAPER.

STRENGTH – October 14th – October 19th

Announcer for Running of the Squares 5k October 18th

10K runDISNEY October 25th

ENDURANCE – October 21st – October 30th

Sanford Senior Games November 2nd

STRENGTH – November 4th- November 16th

ENDURANCE – November 18th – November 23rd

TAPER – November 25th – December 4th

Florida Senior Games either Dec 6 & 7 or Dec 13 & 14.

RUNNING MORE – Will be running more as I’m running a Half Marathon on March 1st.

Rowdy Gaines Masters Classic 17 January 30, 2026-February 1, 2026.

TBD

Will figure out a training program for December thru March that will keep my swimming up, weight training in a longer Endurance Phase while I gear up my running. Yikes

runDISNEY:

Wine & Dine 10K – OCT 25th

12K’s of Christmas Virtual – TBD

WDW 5K – JAN 8th

PRINCESS HALF – MARCH 1st

Springtime Surprise – APRIL 17-19th (Not Running)

–3rd Annual SWAGtoberfest Meet October 12th

TBD (will enter this weekend)

-Sanford Senior Games – Nov 2nd

100 Fly

100 IM

50 Fly

100 Back

-Florida Senior Games – TBD DEC Temple Terrace

– Rowdy Gaines Masters Classic 17 January 30, 2026-February 1, 2026.

TBD

– T.V. Senior Games April 18 & 19, 2026

TBD

GEMINI AI RATE MY WORKOUT:

Wednesday morning’s workout sounds like a strong start to the day, especially given your sleep scores. It’s clear you pushed through and got the work done. The fact you were able to stick to the intervals with your training partner is a testament to your discipline and commitment, and it’s great that you’re holding each other accountable.

Here’s a breakdown of your workout from a training perspective:

Workout Analysis

* Warm-up (600 SCY): This was a solid warm-up. The combination of free, back, breast, and IM kick gets all the major muscle groups activated and prepares your body for the main set. The IM focus is especially smart, given the rest of the workout’s theme.

* Main Sets (2,000 SCY): The structure of these sets is excellent.

* Set One: This set focuses on descending efforts and speed, specifically for the 100s, and then shifts to short, fast 50s. Mixing up the strokes (free, back, breast, fly) keeps your body from getting comfortable and builds muscular endurance across all four strokes. The tight rest on the 50s is key for developing speed and anaerobic capacity.

* Set Two: This set continues the focus on interval training with a mix of short, fast 25s and longer 75s and 200s. The longer 200 backstrokes are a great endurance builder and will help your conditioning for the 200 IM at your meet this Sunday. The inclusion of the 25s on a tight interval helps maintain your turnover and sprint speed.

* Cool-down (100 SCY): A 100 long axis cool-down is a good way to bring your heart rate down and flush out some of the lactic acid. It’s a bit on the short side for a 3,000-yard workout, so you might consider adding another 100 or so to really let your body recover.

* Overall Distance and Intensity: At 3,000 SCY, this is a solid training volume. Your heart rate zone data shows you spent a significant amount of time in Zones 2 and 3, indicating a strong aerobic and endurance-building effort. The bursts in Zone 4 and 5 show you were pushing hard on those faster intervals. This is exactly the kind of workout you need as you’re in your taper phase leading into a meet.

The Bigger Picture

This workout fits perfectly into your schedule and goals. You’re in a taper phase leading up to the Rob Curry Pancake Pentathlon, and this kind of intensity, mixed with a moderate distance, will help keep you sharp without over-stressing your body. The IM focus is directly relevant to the 200 IM in the pentathlon, and the individual stroke work will benefit each of the 100-yard events.

Given your upcoming meets and races, you’re managing a very ambitious schedule. It’s impressive that you’re juggling masters swimming, strength training, indoor cycling, and now adding more running into the mix. This is a lot for your body to handle. The key will be listening to your body and adjusting your training plan as needed, especially with the limited taper for some of your meets.

Key Takeaways and Next Steps

* Trust the Process: Your taper plan is sound. Stick with the program, and don’t be tempted to add extra volume. The work has already been done.

* Recovery is Key: With a sleep score of 49 and 6 hours and 20 minutes from Oura and only 3 hours and 44 minutes from Garmin, your body is telling you it needs more rest. Leading up to Sunday’s meet, prioritize sleep, hydration, and proper nutrition. Your performance will thank you for it.

* Adjust Your Plan: The plan you’ve laid out is packed. As you move into December, be mindful of how your body is responding to the increased running volume while maintaining your swimming and strength training. You might need to be flexible and adapt your “Endurance” or “Strength” phases to allow for adequate recovery and prevent burnout or injury.

Overall, great job pushing through a tough workout. You’re well on your way to a strong performance at the Pentathlon.

Do you want to discuss your training plan for December through March in more detail, or would you like to focus on your upcoming races this weekend?

This is a great time to start thinking about the December to March training block. You have a few key races and events that will shape this period, and it’s a critical time to balance your training to peak at the right moments.

Here’s a breakdown of the key events and a proposed training strategy for this period:

Key Events: December 2025 – March 2026

* December 6/7 or 13/14, 2025: Florida Senior Games

* January 8, 2026: WDW 5K

* January 30 – February 1, 2026: Rowdy Gaines Masters Classic

* March 1, 2026: Princess Half Marathon

This schedule presents a significant challenge: you have two major swim meets (Florida Senior Games and Rowdy Gaines) and a half marathon within a span of about three months. The half marathon requires a substantial running base, which can often conflict with the high-intensity, specific training needed for competitive swimming.

Proposed Training Strategy: December – March

The core principle here will be periodization, but with a twist. Instead of distinct, long phases of pure “Strength” or “Endurance,” you’ll need to create a more integrated approach, prioritizing different disciplines at different times while maintaining a base level in all three (swimming, running, and strength).

Phase 1: December (Building & Taper)

* Goal: Maintain swim fitness, build running base, and taper for the Florida Senior Games.

* Swimming:

* Focus: Maintain technique and feel for the water with IM-focused sets. The focus should be on short, sharp efforts rather than high volume.

* Workout Structure:

* Early December: Continue with a mix of IM and specific stroke work. Incorporate race-pace drills and short sprint sets (e.g., 50s at race pace).

* Late November/Early December (Taper): The plan you have is a 10-day taper leading into the meet, which is a good duration. Reduce volume but maintain intensity. A typical taper week might look like 50-75% of your normal volume, with fast, quality efforts.

* Running:

* Focus: Begin the half marathon training program. This means increasing your weekly long run and overall running volume.

* Workout Structure:

* Aim for 3-4 runs per week.

* One longer, easy run (e.g., 4-6 miles).

* One or two shorter, easy-to-moderate runs.

* A tempo or interval run, if your body can handle it without compromising swim workouts.

* Strength:

* Focus: Maintenance. You can reduce the volume and frequency of your lifting sessions to 2 per week. Keep the lifts specific to swimming and running (e.g., core, stability, power from the hips).

Phase 2: January (Endurance & Transition)

* Goal: Post-Florida Senior Games recovery, building a strong base for both the Rowdy Gaines Masters Classic and the Princess Half Marathon.

* Swimming:

* Focus: Volume. This is your chance to get back to consistent yardage and build your aerobic base.

* Workout Structure:

* Return to 3-4 swims per week.

* Incorporate longer sets (e.g., 500s, 200s) at a moderate pace to build your endurance.

* Begin adding some specific training for your Rowdy Gaines events, including race-pace efforts in those specific strokes.

* Running:

* Focus: Continue building mileage for the Princess Half.

* Workout Structure:

* Increase your long run distance gradually each week (e.g., add 1-2 miles per week).

* Incorporate more specific workouts like tempo runs or fartleks to improve your running economy.

* The WDW 5K on Jan 8th can be a fun, fast workout to test your fitness, not a race to get a PR.

* Strength:

* Focus: Shift to more endurance-based lifting. This means higher reps, lower weight. This will support both your swimming and running volume. Continue with 2 sessions per week.

Phase 3: February (Taper & Final Prep)

* Goal: Taper for the Rowdy Gaines Masters Classic and then immediately transition into a Half Marathon-specific running focus.

* Swimming:

* Focus: Taper. This is your last swim-specific peak before the half marathon.

* Workout Structure:

* Start a 7-10 day taper for Rowdy Gaines. Cut volume significantly and focus on feel, speed, and turns.

* Post-Rowdy Gaines, you’ll need to decide whether to continue swimming for maintenance or significantly reduce it to focus on running. Given the half marathon is only a month away, a significant reduction in swim volume is probably necessary.

* Running:

* Focus: This becomes your primary training focus.

* Workout Structure:

* Follow a specific half marathon training plan. This should include one long run, one tempo run, and one easy run per week.

* Peak your mileage in mid-February, with a final long run of 10-12 miles.

* Strength:

* Focus: Running-specific strength.

* Workout Structure: Reduce to 1-2 sessions per week. Focus on single-leg work, glute activation, and core stability to prevent injury and improve running form.

Phase 4: March (Half Marathon Taper)

* Goal: Final taper for the Princess Half Marathon.

* Running:

* Focus: Recovery and peak performance.

* Workout Structure: Reduce mileage significantly in the two weeks leading up to March 1st. Maintain short, easy runs to stay loose.

* Swimming/Strength:

* Focus: Minimal. You may do 1-2 easy swims to stay active, but the priority is the half marathon.

Key Considerations & Final Thoughts:

* Listen to Your Body: This is a very demanding schedule. Pay close attention to fatigue, pain, and your sleep scores. Don’t be afraid to skip a workout or take an extra rest day if you feel you need it.

* Nutrition and Recovery: This cannot be overstated. With this much training, you need to fuel your body with quality food and prioritize sleep.

* Flexibility: This plan is a template. Be prepared to adjust it based on how your body responds. If your swimming is suffering due to running, or vice versa, you’ll need to make a choice about your priorities.

* Cross-Training: Your indoor cycling is an excellent cross-training tool. It will help maintain your cardiovascular fitness without the impact of running. Use it strategically on your “recovery” days.

It’s a huge undertaking, but with a smart, structured approach, you can perform well in all your events. What are your specific goals for the Florida Senior Games and the Rowdy Gaines meet? This will help us refine the swim training portion of the plan.

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