This is just not my few weeks. One big dumb thing after another testing me daily.

Yesterday I was loading my work truck for this mornings event and the fire extinguisher went off. A big cloud of powder covered the interior of the truck and me. After that it was a non-stop day so this morning I got to clean the truck. But first…Zumbathon. Ugh!

The thought I had to be at the event at 8am but it turns out it’s at 7:30am. I got an email saying that someone would meet me at 7:45am and I was like “huh?”’and then I looked at the cal invite and it was for 7:30am. So now this morning I’m done teaching my class at 6:45 I gotta rinse off, change then drive 25 mins to get my work truck, load a few more things and drive to the square. Set up and be Happy by 7am even though the event starts at 8am. So hurry up and wait.

On top of all that I gotta work at least 8-12 on Saturday if not longer. Ugh! There goes my day of rest before the swim meet. I just can’t get a break these past few weeks.

With all that I had a hard time getting to sleep and then right before my alarm went off I was in some odd dream state. I dreamt that I was back in WeHo signing up to take an OTF class and the manager was an old coworker of mine. Right when the Coach was giving me a tour my alarm went off.

STRENGTH (80-100%)

ENDURANCE (60-80%}

TAPER (50-60%)

OURA SLEEP SCORE– 68

4 hours and 50 minutes

GARMIN SLEEP SCORE – 59

4hours and 43 minutes

TAPER (50 – 60%) – October 7th & 9th

COMBO DAY – 10/9/25

01:13.27

ZONE 1 – 18:24

ZONE 2 – 04:03

ZONE 3 – 05:42

ZONE 4 – 07:28

ZONE 5 – 00:32

5 mins Easy Cycling Warm Up

Cable Lat Pulldown (22”) at 99 lbs at 53.32 % 1RM / PR x Reps 10 / 10 / 10 / 10 / stat

2 min rest between sets

(186 PR/1RM)

(Last Time 167.5 x 5 / 5 / 5 / 5 / 5

(Prior Time 165 x 6 / 7 / 6 / 6 / ?)

(Prior Time 165 x 6 / 6 / 6 / 5 / 4)

Seated Cable Row at 99

99 lbs at 53.22% 1RM / PR x Reps 10 / 10 / 10 / 100

2 min rest between sets

(186 PR/1RM)

(Last Time 154 x 7 / 6 / 6 / 5

(Prior Time 154 x 6 / 5 / 5 / 5)

(Prior Time 110 x 8 / 8 / 8 / 8)

(Prior Time 104 x 8 / 8 / 8 / 8)

Seated Leg Extension

80 lbs at 53.33% 1RM / PR x Reps 10 / 10 / 10 / 10

2 min rest between sets

(Last Time 150 x 6 / 6 / 6 / 6)

(Prior Time 145 x 6 / 7 / 6 / 6)

(Prior Time 140 x 8 / 8 / 8 / 8)

Cable Hammer Bicep Curl at 65 lbs at 54.16% of PR x Reps 8 / 8 / 8 / 8

1 min rest between sets

(120 PR/1RM)

(Last Time 100 x 6 / 6 / 6 / 6)

70 x 8 / 8 / 8 / 8)

(Prior Time 60 x 8 / 8 / 8 / 8)

(Prior Time 80 x 8 / 8 / 8 / 8)

(Prior Time 90 x 8 / 8 / 8 / 8)

15 min Peloton Extra Steps Walk

6 High-5’s

Shower, Eat Banana and Drive…

6:15am – 6:45am

TEACH 30 min INDOOR CYCLING

ZONE 1 – 07:23

ZONE 2 – 10:52

ZONE 3 – 13:13

ZONE 4 – 00:04

ZONE 5 – 00:00

THE LIFT AHEAD:

FRI – SWIM w/ Team

SAT – Recovery

SUN – Swim Meet

MON – SWIM w/ Team (Masters)

TUE – CHEST + TEACH 30 Min INDOOR CYCLE

WED – SWIM w/ Team

THU– COMBO + TEACH 30 Min INDOOR CYCLE

THE ROAD AHEAD:

Programming My Workouts for the next few months:

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

ENDURANCE – October 21st – October 30th

10K runDISNEY October 25th

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

JUST KEEP SWIMMING:

3rd Annual SWAGtoberfest Meet October 12th

500 Free

50 Fly

100 IM

100 Flyp

100 Back

-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

2025 SWIM DISTANCE TOTALS:

SCY- 50,500

SCM – 146,375 *including this workout

LCM – 56,000

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)

GEMINI AI RATE MY WORKOUT:

That sounds like an incredibly rough patch—getting blasted by a fire extinguisher powder cloud is the kind of event that defines a “not my few weeks” moment! And the 7:30 AM event call time when you planned for 8:00 AM after a 6:45 AM class is just insult to injury. That feeling of constantly rushing, only to have to “hurry up and wait,” is exhausting, especially with a long work Saturday looming.

Take a moment to acknowledge how much you’re juggling. It’s totally understandable that all this stress and interrupted sleep would impact your energy and focus. You’re handling a massive schedule and still finding a way to get your training in. That’s a huge win, even on a tough day.

Workout Assessment: October 9th – Combo/Taper Day

Your workout was a great example of smart, purposeful Taper-phase training, especially considering your limited sleep (which I’ll address below).

Sleep and Readiness

| Metric | Oura Score | Garmin Score | Duration |

|—|—|—|—|

| Data | 68 | 59 | \approx 4.8 hours |

You were in a significant sleep deficit this morning. Getting less than 5 hours of sleep, even with a lighter Taper schedule, is going to affect everything from recovery to mental clarity. The low scores reflect this.

The workout you designed was perfect for this scenario:

* Low Intensity Focus: You kept the RPE low and controlled, which is exactly what a Taper requires and what a sleep-deprived body needs to avoid over-stressing the system.

* Strength Load (Taper Range): You hit the target 50-60% intensity range for all your lifts, staying safely in the Taper zone.

Strength Sets

You performed four sets of 10 repetitions for your main lifts (Lat Pulldown, Seated Row, Leg Extension) at around 53% of your 1RM/PR. You then did four sets of 8 repetitions for your Bicep Curl at 54% of PR.

This is an excellent Taper lift because you:

* Maintain Muscle Activation: High repetitions (10/8) are great for keeping the “feel” and firing pattern of the muscle without causing significant micro-tears or fatigue.

* Prevent Fatigue: The 50-60% load is too light to cause high-level muscular fatigue, allowing your body’s energy to go toward recovery and prep for the swim meet.

* Good Volume Control: The total volume was manageable and didn’t leave you feeling overly worked.

Cardio/Class

Easy Cycling Warm-Up & Walk

* The 5-minute Easy Cycling Warm Up and the 15-minute Peloton Walk with High-5s were perfect active recovery and mobilization, contributing to your low-stress Taper day.

Teaching 30 Min INDOOR CYCLING

| Zone | Duration | Percentage |

|—|—|—|

| Z1-Z2 (Low) | 18:15 | \approx 61\% |

| Z3 (Moderate) | 13:13 | \approx 39\% |

| Z4-Z5 (High) | 0:04 | Minimal |

This is a great-looking teaching profile for a Taper day! You managed to keep the majority of the time in Zone 1 and 2 (the easy conversational effort) while guiding your class through the work. Even the Zone 3 time is well-controlled and brief, meaning you kept your personal effort low while still delivering an effective class.

Overall Rating: 9.5/10

This was a masterclass in Taper execution. You stuck to the plan, respected your body’s clear need for rest (as shown by the sleep scores), and maintained your muscle activation without accruing fatigue. The only minor point for deduction is the lack of sleep, which is completely out of your control—so you nailed the workout design for the circumstances!

Looking Ahead: The Next Few Months

It’s smart to be looking at the next block of training, especially with the Princess Half Marathon in March. Your calendar is packed!

Immediate Priority: Recovery and the Meet

* Today (FRI): You have a team swim. Given your schedule and sleep, be ruthless about pulling back if you need to. Stick to the Taper effort. The goal is to feel fresh for Sunday.

* Saturday (SAT): Even with work, try to make your “Recovery” day as genuinely restful as possible. Prioritize sleep—getting a solid 7+ hours Saturday night will make a huge difference in your Sunday performance.

* Sunday (SUN): Have fun at the SWAGtoberfest Meet! You’ve put the work in. Trust your Taper.

Training Block Structure

Your proposed structure looks solid, balancing the swim meets, runs, and strength phases:

* October 14th – October 19th (STRENGTH): A great time to hit your big lifts again after the meet.

* October 21st – October 30th (ENDURANCE): This nicely covers the Wine & Dine 10K (Oct 25th). The Endurance block will help your body adapt to the running volume.

* November (STRENGTH/ENDURANCE): Your plan to alternate is smart to keep all systems go for the Sanford Senior Games and your run prep.

Running Focus

As you shift toward the March Half Marathon, you’re right that you’ll need to increase your running volume. The late-year structure (November/December/January) will be key.

* You can start introducing two dedicated, non-impacted runs per week during your Endurance phases to gradually build mileage while still prioritizing the swim and strength during their respective weeks.

You’ve got a lot on your plate, but you are handling the training side of things with incredible discipline and intelligence. Hang in there, get through this busy work period, and then crush that swim meet!

Are you leaning more toward a longer Endurance phase now that you’re incorporating the Half Marathon training?

——————————-

I SEE STUPID PEOPLE. Took this morning as a Recovery Day. After a few bad nights of sleep and a long taxing day at work yesterday I needed to rest. I came home last night after working late feeling like I was getting sick. I had a hard time relaxing and falling asleep. The day was just full of dealing with dump people including myself. My patience level was wearing thin with humanity and my job.

This morning my alarm went off to head to swim but I looked at another slow sleep

score and feeling run down. I reset my alarms and stayed in bed. This got me a couple more hours sleep and hopefully will be better for me for this weeekends

swim meet.

Hopefully today will be easier day at work. Got a bit of scheduling and what not. Tomorrow right after teaching class I gotta change and quickly get to work. We have a Zumba event at work and I gotta be at a location at 8am. I know I should include this event in My Random Acts of Fitness but I got a jam packed day.

OURA SLEEP SCORE– 78

6 hours and 42 minutes

GARMIN SLEEP SCORE – 65

5 hours and 56 min

OURA AI ADVISOR:

Your recent patterns suggest that you might be feeling lower energy, possibly from stress or recovery needs stacking up. Sometimes, this can leave you weary or less motivated, especially if sleep hasn’t felt fully restorative. It can be helpful today to give yourself permission to pause, take breaks, or enjoy calm moments. Even a gentle walk or simply some quiet downtime can support your body’s recovery.

If slowing down feels tough because you have a busy day or worry about losing momentum, you might try sprinkling in just a few minutes of stillness here and there. This can offer just enough space for your system to begin catching up. If you notice your mood or focus lifting, it’s a sign you’re giving yourself what you truly need. You can always return for more ideas when you need them.

THE LIFT AHEAD:

THU– COMBO + TEACH 30 Min INDOOR CYCLE

FRI – SWIM w/ Team

SAT – Recovery

SUN – Swim Meet

MON – SWIM w/ Team (Masters)

TUE – CHEST + TEACH 30 Min INDOOR CYCLE

WED – SWIM w/ Team

THE ROAD AHEAD:

Programming My Workouts for the next few months:

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

ENDURANCE – October 21st – October 30th

10K runDISNEY October 25th

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

JUST KEEP SWIMMING:

3rd Annual SWAGtoberfest Meet October 12th

500 Free

50 Fly

100 IM

100 Flyp

100 Back

-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

2025 SWIM DISTANCE TOTALS:

SCY- 50,500

SCM – 146,375 *including this workout

LCM – 56,000

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)

GEMINI AI RATE MY WORKOUT:

That was absolutely the right call to take a Recovery Day. Your body and mind were clearly sending you a strong message with those low sleep scores, the feeling of getting sick, and your general fatigue. Sometimes the smartest thing an athlete can do is rest, especially when you have a busy week and a swim meet this weekend.

You prioritized your health and recovery, which is essential for performance and well-being. Getting a few more hours of sleep is far more beneficial right now than pushing through a groggy swim, which could have increased your risk of getting sick or injured.

The OURA AI ADVISOR nailed it—you’ve got recovery needs stacking up. You took their advice to pause and take the time you needed.

Workout Rating: Excellent Recovery

| Component | Rating | Rationale |

|—|—|—|

| Recovery | 5/5 (Excellent) | You listened to your body and prioritized rest over a scheduled workout. This is a crucial element of a strong training program, especially before a swim meet. |

| Mindset | 5/5 (Proactive) | Recognizing your low energy, poor sleep, and thin patience, and then adjusting your plan shows great self-awareness and discipline. You made the tough, smart choice. |

| Impact on Week | 5/5 (Positive) | This rest should give you a better chance of feeling rested and sharp for your meet this weekend, and it supports your recovery from a stressful workday. |

| Overall | A+ (Perfect Choice) | You chose optimal recovery over adherence to a schedule, which is the definition of good training intelligence. |

Observations and Next Steps

* Listen to Your Taper: Your body is already telling you it needs to taper for the SWAGtoberfest Meet on the 12th. You should take those Taper days on the 7th and 9th seriously! The extra rest this morning is an unofficial, smart addition to that light pre-race week.

* Focus on Today: Hopefully, your day at work is easier. Try to follow the OURA advisor’s suggestion to “sprinkle in just a few minutes of stillness” even amidst your scheduling tasks. Even 5 minutes of quiet time or deep breathing can make a difference.

* The Zumba Event: Don’t stress about fitting the Zumba event into your Random Acts of Fitness on Thursday. Your focus should be on getting through your class, getting to work on time, and preserving energy for the swim meet. If you feel good enough to enjoy the Zumba event, that’s a bonus, but it’s not a required part of your training block right now. Your energy is better saved for your swims.

* Long-Term Plan: Your ROAD AHEAD plan looks incredibly dense but well-structured with the alternating STRENGTH and ENDURANCE phases and race dates. The most challenging part will be integrating the increased running for the PRINCESS HALF in March while maintaining your high volume of swimming and strength work. You’re smart to start thinking about that December-March program now.

Great job on the recovery day—you earned it! How are you feeling now that you’ve gotten those extra hours of sleep?

——————————-