New Week, New Swim Oh f#%k It’s A Kick Workout

Two whole weeks and it’s back to the pool. Between the cold and work I have been to swim practice in two weeks. I so could go two more as it’s cold out. That and the 40 minute drive to the pool would make it so easy to take a break for a few weeks. But nope.

Although at 44F staying in bed seems so comforting. We are swimming inside but the water will be cold and I eventually have to walk outside.

Oh damn – Kicking. Maybe it was a good thing as it makes it easier to get back into the swim of things. Everything was a bit sore but I kept at it.

I also did sign up after all for runDisney’s 12K’s of Christmas Virtual. So it’s three 4K’s which I’ll try running between this week and Dec 26th. We don’t have swim on the 25th or 26th so I’m giving myself the extra day to run. Unless I get done earlier. My first 4K will be this Saturday on the tread. This will help me kick off my Half Marathon Training. Hopefully the blister on my ankle heals by the weekend.

OURA SLEEP SCORE– 73

7 hours and 16 minutes

GARMIN SLEEP SCORE – 76

7 hours and 03 minutes

MONDAY – SWIMMING

THE WETDECK – Masters Kickimg

THE WORKOUT:

1:07.10

ZONE 1 – 08:49

ZONE 2 – 24:07

ZONE 3 – 16:05

ZONE 4 – 08:22

ZONE 5 – 06:43

WARM UP: (400)

300 Free

100 Back

SET ONE: (1,000/1400)

4 x 25’s Kicking IM Order (100)

4 x 50’s Kicking IM Order (200/300)

4 x 75’s Kicking IM Order (300/600)

4 x 100’s Kicking IM Order (400/1000)

SET TWO: (1,000/2,400)

3 x 100’s Kick w/ Board and Fins on 1:50

3 x 100’s Free on 1:30

3 x 100’s IM on 2:10

4 x 25’s Fly on 30

SET THREE: (500/2900)

5 x 100’s Free Pulling

2,900 SCY

JUST KEEP SWIMMINGx:

2025 SWIM DISTANCE TOTALS:

SCY – 67,150 including last workout

SCM – 166,925

LCM – 69,200

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

THE LIFT AHEAD:

TUE – CHEST & TEACH 30 Min INDOOR CYCLE

WED – SWIM w/ Team

THU – BACK & BICEPS & TEACH 30 Min INDOOR CYCLE

FRI – SWIM w/ Team

SAT – CHEST + Run Tread 2.485 Miles / 4K

SUN – TBD (SWIM at NTC OR BACK & BICEPS)

MON – SWIM w/ Team (Masters)

THE ROAD AHEAD:

STRENGTH (80-100%) 12/9 – 1/16

ENDURANCE (60-80%} 1/17 – 1/24

TAPER (50-60%) 1/24 – 1/30

runDISNEY:

12K’s of Christmas Virtual

WDW 5K – JAN 8th

PRINCESS HALF – MARCH 1stSprinwgtime Surprise – APRIL 17-19th (Not Running)

GEMINI AI RATE MY WORKOUT:

That’s fantastic that you got back in the pool despite the cold and the long drive! Two weeks off can make that first workout back tough, especially when it’s a dedicated kick set. You definitely powered through a challenging session!

Here is my rating and analysis of your Monday swim workout:

 AI Workout Rating: 8.5/10 – Strong Comeback!

Key Strengths & Analysis

* Successfully Re-entry: After two weeks out, diving straight into a 2,900 SCY workout, especially one focused heavily on kicking, shows great discipline and resilience. The initial soreness you mentioned is expected, but finishing the entire set is a major win.

* Kick Focus (The Dreaded Kick Set): Kicking is often the most neglected area, but it’s crucial for core strength, body position, and endurance. Set One’s build-up (25s \rightarrow 50s \rightarrow 75s \rightarrow 100s) across all four strokes is an excellent way to re-establish full-body muscle memory and cardiovascular capacity without immediately relying on the arms. This was a smart way to get back into the “swim of things.”

* Metabolic Zone Performance: Your time distribution is solid for this kind of workout:

* Zone 2 (24:07): The largest chunk in Zone 2 is perfect for a heavy kick/endurance session, building your aerobic base.

* Zone 3 & 4 (16:05 & 08:22): You hit significant time in these zones (threshold/VO2 max), likely during the Free, IM, and Fly sections of Set Two, providing a quality anaerobic stimulus.

* Balanced Set Design: The workout effectively transitioned from the taxing kick sets (Set One) to building full-stroke fitness (Set Two: Kick/Free/IM/Fly) and finishing with controlled aerobic pulling (Set Three). This structure ensures a comprehensive workout that doesn’t just isolate one area.

Opportunities for Next Time

* Specify Kick Intervals: While the total volume is clear, knowing the specific intervals for Set One (e.g., “on :50 rest” or “on 1:45”) would help you track your true kicking speed and recovery time to ensure you are meeting a specific training goal (e.g., maintaining a fast kick with minimal rest).

* Warm-up: The 400 warm-up is adequate, but a kick-specific warm-up (e.g., 4 x 50 Free/IM Kick) might have helped prime those leg muscles a bit better for the intense Set One.

Training Context & runDisney

* Smart Kicking: This kicking workout will significantly benefit your runDisney 12K training by strengthening your hip flexors, glutes, and core, which are vital for running endurance and stability.

* Sleep Score: Both Oura and Garmin scores (73/76) for 7+ hours are decent, especially after a break from training. Prioritizing rest will be key as you start integrating your Half Marathon training.

Next Step Recommendation

Given that you are now back in the groove and have your Chest & 30 Min Cycle planned for Tuesday, would you like me to suggest a specific focus (e.g., mobility, core strength, or ankle care) for that training session to help your blister heal and aid your running?

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