Happy Liftmas! Not a gym go-er was stirring, not even a power lifter.

Two Weeks To runDisney WDW Marathon Weekend! I’m doing the 5K so basically just a quick two day Vacation. The Expo and the 5K. Then return to wiork on Friday for our 5K Packet Pickup and then Saturday working our 5K as the Race Announcer.

OURA SLEEP SCORE– 73

5 hours and 7 minutes

GARMIN SLEEP SCORE – 60

5 hours and 7 minutes

CHRISTMAS – BACK & BICEPS

STRENGTH (80-100%)

THE WORKOUT:

58:28

ZONE 1 – 27:35

ZONE 2 – 07:23

ZONE 3 – 00:28

ZONE 4 – 00:00

ZONE 5 – 00:00

5 minutes Easy Warm Up Cycle

Cable Lat Pulldown (22”) at 172.5 lbs at 92.74% 1RM / PR x Reps 4 / 4 / 4 / 3 / 2

2 min rest between sets

(186 PR/1RM)

(Last Time 170 x 4 / 4 / 4 / 4 / 3)

(Prior Time 167.5 x 5 / 5 / 5 / 5 / ?)

(Prior Time 121 x 8 / 8 / 8 / 8 / 8)

DB Hammer Bicep Curl at 35 lbs x Reps 7 / 6 / 7 / 7

2 min rest between sets

(Last Time 35 x 6 / 6 / 6 / 5)

(Prior Time 30 x 8 / 7 / 6 / 6)

(Prior Time 30 x 6 / 6 / 6 / 6)

Seated Cable Row at 159 lbs at 85.48% 1RM / PR x Reps 6 / 5 / 5 / 5

2 min rest between sets

(186 PR/1RM)

(Last Time 156.5 x 6 / 6 / 5 / 5)

(Prior Time 154 x 8 / 8 / 8 / 8)

(Prior Time 121 x 8 / 8 / 8 / 8)

(Prior Time 132 x 8 / 8 / 8 / 8)

DB Farmer Carry at 35 lbs each side Walking on turf Back and Down and Again x 3 Rounds w/ 1 min Rest in between

PELOTON TREAD – 2.485 / runDisney 4K – 12K’s of Christmas Virtual (Did my own thing and really just had the class on so I didn’t have to think about a playlist. 2 min Jog / 1 min Walk basically building to 1 min Faster Jog / 1 min Walk)

40:14 for the 4K

Then walked it out.

42:13 (2.83 miles)

ZONE 1 – 04:35

ZONE 2 – 09:41

ZONE 3 – 21:05

ZONE 4 – 05:51

ZONE 5 – 00:00

THE LIFT AHEAD:

FRI – SWIM (No Coach)

SAT – CHEST + Run Tread 2.485 Miles / 4K

SUN – BACK & BICEPS +TREAD

MON – SWIM w/ Team (Masters)

TUE – CHEST & TEACH 30 Min INDOOR CYCLE

WED – SWIM w/ Team

THU -(NEW YEARS DAY) SWIM w/ Team (I’m off so why not get an extra swim in?)

FRI – SWIM w/ Team

SAT – CHEST + TREAD

SUN – BACK & BICEPS + Run Tread

MON – SWIM w/ Team (Masters)

TUE – CHEST & TEACH 30 Min INDOOR CYCLE

WED – SWIM w/ Team

THE ROAD AHEAD:

STRENGTH (80-100%) 12/9 – 1/16

ENDURANCE (60-80%} 1/17 – 1/24

TAPER (50-60%) 1/24 – 1/30

JUST KEEP SWIMMING:

2025 SWIM DISTANCE TOTALS:

SCY – 70,000 including last workout

SCM – 166,925

LCM – 78,000 including last workout

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

FRI – 800 Free / 25 Fly

SAT – 400 Free / 200 Fly / 100 Back

SUN – 1500 Free / 50 Fly / 25 Back / 100 Fly

runDISNEY:

12K’s of Christmas Virtual

WDW 5K – JAN 8th

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

GEMINI AI RATE MY WORKOUT:

Merry Liftmas! There is something uniquely satisfying about hitting the iron while the rest of the world is still opening presents. You managed to move some serious weight on a day most people use as an excuse to do nothing.

Here is the breakdown of your Christmas session and your trajectory heading into the runDisney weekend.

 Workout Rating: 9/10 (The “Grit” Rating)

The only reason this isn’t a 10 is that your sleep scores (73/60) suggest you’re running on some holiday “fumes.” However, your performance in the gym didn’t reflect that fatigue—you actually pushed your volume and intensity.

 Strength Analysis: Pull Day

You are living in the 80-100% Strength Phase right now, and the numbers show it.

* Cable Lat Pulldowns: You moved up to 172.5 lbs. Even though your reps dropped slightly (4/4/4/3/2) compared to the 170 lb session, you are successfully exposing your CNS to higher loads.

* DB Hammer Curls: Impressive progression here. Moving 35s for 7/6/7/7 is an improvement over your last session (6/6/6/5). You’ve officially stabilized at this weight.

* Seated Cable Row: Increasing to 159 lbs while maintaining sets of 5-6 reps is excellent. You are hovering right at that 85% 1RM mark, which is the “sweet spot” for building dense functional strength.

* Farmer Carries: These are the “unsung heroes” of your workout. Great for grip strength (which helps your pulldowns) and core stability for your upcoming run.

 Endurance & Hybrid Work

* Peloton Tread (4K): This was a smart “active recovery” style run. Staying primarily in Zone 3 (21 mins) ensures you’re building aerobic capacity without Creating excessive inflammation before your swim tomorrow.

* RunDisney Prep: With the 5K only two weeks away, these interval jogs (2 min jog / 1 min walk) are perfect for keeping the legs snappy without risking a flare-up or overtraining.

 Recovery & The Road Ahead

* The Sleep Gap: Oura and Garmin both caught you at 5 hours and 7 minutes. While you performed well today, keep an eye on this. Your “Just Keep Swimming” schedule is heavy (4 swim days in a row starting Monday).

* New Year’s Bonus: Adding that extra swim on New Year’s Day is a great move for your SCY/LCM totals, but ensure you’re hitting your protein goals to support that “Chest + Tread” double on Saturday.

 Pro-Tip for the Race Announcer

Since you’re working the 5K as the Race Announcer on Saturday after your Friday packet pickup, remember that “announcer fatigue” is real! You’ll be on your feet and using your voice—stay hydrated and maybe swap one of those 2-minute rests for some extra mobility work to keep the lower back loose before you stand all day.

Would you like me to look at your specific swim distances for 2025 and see how they compare to your prep for the Rowdy Gaines Classic?

YES

Merry Christmas! Looking at your 2025 swim totals and your roadmap for the Rowdy Gaines Masters Classic 17 (Jan 30 – Feb 1, 2026), you have built a massive aerobic base.

With over 314,925 meters/yards combined (SCY, SCM, and LCM) in 2025, you aren’t just “just swimming”—you’ve built the engine of a true distance specialist.

 The “Rowdy Gaines” Strategy

Since this is a Short Course Meters (SCM) meet, your training and race schedule are perfectly aligned. Here is how your current 2025 volume translates to your event list:

* The Distance Double (800m & 1500m): These are your “anchor” events on Friday and Sunday. Your 2025 yardage totals show you have the “slow-twitch” endurance to handle these easily.

* Strategic Note: SCM (25m pool) means more turns than LCM. Use your Back & Biceps strength to power those explosive push-offs.

* The “Sprinter’s Side Quest” (25m & 50m Fly/Back): You have several “blast” events scattered between the long swims.

* The Benefit: Your current 80-100% Strength Phase in the gym is exactly what you need for these. Those 172.5 lb lat pulldowns are essentially “simulated” butterfly pulls.

 The Hybrid Taper: Jan 8 (5K) to Jan 30 (Rowdy Gaines)

You have a unique overlap where your runDisney 5K hits right as you enter the final “push” month for Rowdy Gaines.

| Phase | Dates | Focus |

|—|—|—|

| Strength & Volume | Now – Jan 16 | Keep the heavy lifts. Use the Masters swims to maintain high yardage. |

| Endurance & Speed | Jan 17 – Jan 24 | Drop the gym weight to 60-80%. Start practicing “Broken” sets in the pool (e.g., 4 x 200m at 800m pace). |

| The Final Taper | Jan 25 – Jan 29 | 50-60% effort. High rest, low volume. Focus on starts and turns. |

 2025 Totals Breakdown

You’ve effectively balanced three different pool lengths this year, which is great for “feel” but can be tricky for pacing:

* SCY (70k): Great for turn speed and high-frequency cycles.

* SCM (166k+): This is your “Race Pace.” Since Rowdy Gaines is SCM, your body already knows the timing of the wall at this distance.

* LCM (78k): This is where you built that raw, “no-wall” endurance that will make the 1500m feel shorter in an SCM pool.

 Recommendation for the “New Year’s Swim”

Since you’re adding an extra swim on New Year’s Day, consider making it a “Pace Check” session.

> Try a set of 5 x 100m SCM at your goal 800m pace. It will give you a benchmark for where your “cruise control” is set before you head into the Disney 5K week.

>

Would you like me to help you draft a specific “Announcer’s Survival” mobility routine for that Saturday 5K so your back stays fresh for Sunday’s workout?

YES

Being a race announcer is an “invisible workout.” Standing for 4+ hours, often on concrete, while projecting your voice and staying high-energy puts a massive strain on your lower back, calves, and hip flexors.

Since you have Back & Biceps + Tread scheduled for the very next day (Sunday), we need to ensure you don’t wake up with “concrete legs” and a stiff spine.

 The “Announcer’s Survival” Mobility Routine

Perform these on Saturday: 5 minutes before the race starts, 2 minutes during a mid-race break, and 5 minutes once you get home.

1. The “Decompressor” (For the Lower Back)

Standing all day compresses the spine.

* The Move: Jefferson Curl (Bodyweight only). Stand tall, tuck your chin to your chest, and slowly roll down one vertebra at a time until your hands reach your shins or toes. Hang for 5 seconds, then roll up slowly.

* Why: It resets the posterior chain after hours of standing.

2. The “Active Calf Pump” (For Leg Drainage)

Standing still causes blood to pool in the lower legs.

* The Move: Seal Walks or Elevated Toe Pulses. While standing, shift your weight to your heels and lift your toes high, then shift to your toes and lift your heels.

* Why: This “muscle pump” helps venous return, keeping your legs from feeling like lead during your Sunday run.

3. The “Couch Stretch” (For Hip Flexors)

Standing (or leaning against a high stool) shortens the hip flexors.

* The Move: Use a chair or a wall. Place one knee on the ground (use a cushion!) and the foot of that leg up against the wall/chair behind you. Squeeze your glute and stand tall.

* Why: This opens the hips so your Sunday Treadmill session doesn’t feel “tight” and choppy.

 Survival Kit Checklist

* The Shoes: Since you’re not running the 5K, wear your max-cushion recovery shoes (like Hoka Bondis or New Balance More). Do not wear “flat” casual shoes.

* Compression Socks: Wear them during the announcing gig. It’s a cheat code for preventing leg fatigue.

* Hydration + Salt: You’ll be talking a lot. Use an electrolyte mix. Vocal cords are the first thing to dry out, but your muscles will feel the salt depletion during Sunday’s lift if you aren’t careful.

 Looking Ahead to Sunday

Because you’ll be on your feet all Saturday, Sunday’s Back & Biceps session might feel “heavy” at first.

* Modification: Spend an extra 5 minutes on the Easy Warm Up Cycle (Zone 1) to flush the legs before you hit those 172.5 lb Lat Pulldowns.