Brrrrr! 32F. Let’s make it a recovery day to end 2025. Last night my sleep wasn’t great. Tossed and turned. Woke up with dry mouth in the middle of the night so

I got up for water. All of that and driving 40 minutes for a SCY workout. Meh! I decided to roll over and get more rest. I’ll kick on 2026 by swimming tomorrow. But since it’s the last day of December 2026 that’s look back a bit…

My average weight for the month of December was approximately 166.85 lbs.

2025 SWIM DISTANCE TOTALS:

SCY – 70,000

SCM – 170,000 including this/last workout

LCM – 81,000

WEDNESDAY 1/31/25

OURA SLEEP SCORE – 82

7 hours and 26 minutes

GARMIN SLEEP SCORE – 54

5 hours and 59 minutes

OURA tracked my extra hour or so sleeping in while GARMIN did not.

JUST KEEP SWIMMING:

2025 SWIM DISTANCE TOTALS:

SCY – 70,000

SCM – 170,000 including this/last workout

LCM – 81,000

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

THE LIFT AHEAD:

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

FRI – TBD (Maybe have to work 8-12 so may just Legs at the gym)

SAT – CHEST + TREAD

SUN – BACK & BICEPS + Run Tread

MON – SWIM w/ Team (Masters)

TUE – CHEST & TEACH 30 Min INDOOR CYCLE

WED – SWIM w/ Team

THU – RunDisney 5K

FRI – SWIM w/ Team (Masters)

SAT – NONE – Work the 5K setup and announce!

SUN – BACK & BICEPS

THE ROAD AHEAD:

STRENGTH (80-100%) 12/9 – 1/16

ENDURANCE (60-80%) 1/17 – 1/24

TAPER (50-60%) 1/24 – 1/30

STRENGTH (80-100%) 2/3 – 3/26

ENDURANCE (60-80%) 3/28 – 4/9

TAPER (50-60%) 4/11 – 4/16

runDISNEY:

12K’s of Christmas Virtual

WDW 5K – JAN 8th

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

GEMINI AI RATE MY WORKOUT:

Happy New Year’s Eve! Honestly, at 32°F and with a subpar night of sleep, choosing the “extra hour” over a 40-minute drive for a swim was a pro-athlete move. Recovery is an active choice, not a lack of discipline.

Looking at your data, you’ve put in a massive year. Let’s break down your 2025 totals and the road into 2026.

2025 Year-in-Review: The Swim Totals

You covered some serious ground (or water) this year. To put those numbers in perspective:

* Total Distance: 321,000 meters/yards combined.

* Conversion Check: That is roughly 190 miles of swimming!

* The Breakdown: You clearly favored the Short Course Meters (SCM) pool this year, accounting for over 50% of your total volume.

Sleep Tech Showdown

It is fascinating to see the discrepancy between Oura (82) and Garmin (54).

* The Difference: Garmin is notoriously strict with “awake time” and often fails to resume tracking if you get up for water and then fall back into a light sleep.

* The Takeaway: Trust the Oura score for your recovery vibes today. That extra hour of rest was clearly needed to offset the “toss and turn” period, and Oura giving you credit for it is likely more reflective of your actual readiness for tomorrow.

Rate My Workout: The Final “Recovery” Day

Rating: 10/10 (Strategic Rest)

Sometimes the best “workout” is the one you don’t do. By skipping today, you are:

* Lowering cortisol levels after a restless night.

* Hydrating to fix that dry-mouth/dehydration issue.

* Priming your CNS (Central Nervous System) for the New Year’s Day Team Swim.

The Road Ahead: Rowdy Gaines & RunDisney

Your January is absolutely packed. You are balancing heavy yardage with a 5K and high-intensity lifting.

* The Rowdy Gaines Classic: That Sunday schedule (1500 Free + Fly events) is a monster. Your “Strength” phase (Dec 9 – Jan 16) is perfectly timed to give you the power base needed to hold your form during that 1500.

* The Lift Ahead: Moving “Legs” to Friday if you work is a smart pivot. It keeps the Sunday “Back & Biceps” fresh for your Monday Masters swim.

> Insight: With the WDW 5K on Jan 8th, watch your calf tightness during your Tuesday Cycle and Wednesday Swim. The transition from pool to pavement can be sneaky on the Achilles!

__________________________

Short But Efficient, The Joel McKenna Life Story. (Hey I’m 5’8” which makes me a Short King.)

Short But Efficient – Oura Ring regarding my sleep last night.

Last Gym Workout of 2025 – Tried to make this Strength Workout count for the year.

TUESDAY 1/30/25

OURA SLEEP SCORE – 77

5 hours and 46 minutes

GARMIN SLEEP SCORE – 61

5 hours and 11 minutes

CHEST DAY – STRENGTH (80-100%)

THE WORKOUT:

1:03:43

ZONE 1 – 13:46

ZONE 2 – 04:09

ZONE 3 – 03:21

ZONE 4 – 00:00

ZONE 5 – 00:00

5 minutes Easy Warm Up Cycle

BB Flat Bench Press (180 lbs 1RM / PR)

8 x EB

2 x 165 (60 each side) at 91.66% of 1RM / PR

2 x 165 (60 each side) at 91.66% of 1RM / PR

2 x 165 (60 each side) at 91.66% of 1RM / PR

2 x 165 (60 each side) at 91.66% of 1RM / PR

2 x 165 (60 each side) at 91.66% of 1RM / PR

3 min Rest in between

(Last Time 161 x 2 / 2 / 2 / 2 / 1)

(Prior Time 160 x 3 / 3 / 3 / 3 / 3)

(Prior Time 160 x 3 / 3 / 3 / 2 / 2)

(Prior Time 160 x 2 / 2 / 3 / 2 / 1)

Standing Cable Fly at 60 lbs each side at 85.719% of 1RM / PR x Reps 7 / 7 / 6 / 6

(1RM / PR 70 lbs each side)

(Last Time 60 x 5 / 6 / 5 / ?)

(Prior Time 50 x 8 / 8 / 8 / 8)

Seated DB OH Press Narrow to Wide Grip at 45 lbs at 100% of 1RM / PR x Reps 3 / 3 / 3 / 2

2 min rest between sets

(45 1RM / PR)

(Last Time 40 x 6 / 6 / 5 / 5)

(Prior Time 40 x 5 / 5 / 5 / 4)

(Prior Time 40 x 5 / 4 / 5 / 4)

DB Lateral Raise at 25 lbs each side x Reps 6 / 8 / 7 / 6

2 min rest between sets

(Last Time 20 x 10 / 8 / 8 / 8)

(Prior Time 15 x 10 / 10 / 10 / 10)

(Prior Time 15 x 8 / 8 / 8 / 8)

Shower, Eat Banana and Drive…

6:15am – 6:45am

TEACH 30 min INDOOR CYCLING

36:11

ZONE 1 – 12:56

ZONE 2 – 12:46

ZONE 3 – 07:38

ZONE 4 – 00:15

ZONE 5 – 00:00

JUST KEEP SWIMMING:

2025 SWIM DISTANCE TOTALS:

SCY – 70,000

SCM – 170,000 including this/last workout

LCM – 81,000

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

THE LIFT AHEAD:

WED – SWIM w/ Team

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

FRI – TBD (Maybe have to work 8-12 so may just Legs at the gym)

SAT – CHEST + TREAD

SUN – BACK & BICEPS + Run Tread

MON – SWIM w/ Team (Masters)

TUE – CHEST & TEACH 30 Min INDOOR CYCLE

WED – SWIM w/ Team

THU – RunDisney 5K

FRI – SWIM w/ Team (Masters)

SAT – NONE – Work the 5K setup and announce!

SUN – BACK & BICEPS

THE ROAD AHEAD:

STRENGTH (80-100%) 12/9 – 1/16

ENDURANCE (60-80%) 1/17 – 1/24

TAPER (50-60%) 1/24 – 1/30

STRENGTH (80-100%) 2/3 – 3/26

ENDURANCE (60-80%) 3/28 – 4/9

TAPER (50-60%) 4/11 – 4/16

runDISNEY:

12K’s of Christmas Virtual

WDW 5K – JAN 8th

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

GEMINI AI RATE MY WORKOUT:

Closing out 2025 with a “Short King” efficiency masterclass! You may be short on sleep, Joel, but you are definitely long on intensity. To put up those kinds of numbers on sub-6-hour sleep shows some serious grit.

Here is the breakdown of your final 2025 strength session.

The Joel McKenna “Short But Efficient” Report Card

1. The Big Lift: BB Flat Bench

* Performance: 5×2 at 165 lbs (91.6% 1RM).

* Analysis: This is a massive improvement over your last session (161 \times 2/2/2/2/1). You maintained a consistent 2-rep count across all five sets at a higher weight. That indicates your central nervous system (CNS) is adapting well to the high-intensity, low-volume “Strength” phase.

* Rating:  Elite Progression

2. Accessory Strength: Cable Flys & DB OH Press

* Cable Flys: Jumping from 5-6 reps to 6-7 reps at 60 lbs is a solid volume increase while staying in that heavy power-hypertrophy range.

* DB OH Press: You hit 100% of your 1RM for reps. hitting 3/3/3/2 at 45 lbs after your previous 40 lb sessions shows that your “ceiling” is rising. Just be careful with the narrow-to-wide transition at 100% intensity to protect those rotator cuffs.

* Rating:  High Intensity (Watch the shoulders)

3. The “Short King” Sleep Tax

* The Data: Oura (77) vs. Garmin (61).

* Insight: Both wearables agree you were significantly under-recovered on time (under 6 hours). The fact that you hit PR-level intensity on this sleep schedule is impressive, but it’s a “withdrawal” from the recovery bank.

* Warning: With the 800m Free and 200m Fly looming in late January, keep an eye on that sleep debt as you transition into the New Year.

2025 Swim Totals: The “Just Keep Swimming” Award

Your year-end totals are staggering:

* SCY: 70,000

* SCM: 170,000

* LCM: 81,000

* Total Meters (Approx): 315,000+ You’ve built an incredible aerobic base. This is exactly what you’ll need for that brutal Sunday schedule at the Rowdy Gaines Classic (1500m Free followed by Fly events).

The Road Ahead: Strategy Check

You are currently in the Strength Phase (80-100%) until Jan 16th.

* The RunDisney Conflict: You have the WDW 5K on Jan 8th. Since you are in a Strength lifting phase, your legs might feel “heavy” or “stiff” for that run. Don’t sweat the 5K time—use it as a shakeout for the Masters meet.

* Thursday Swim: Taking advantage of New Year’s Day for an extra swim is a great move. It keeps the feel for the water while giving your CNS a break from the heavy iron.

> Final 2025 Workout Rating: 9.5/10. > You maximized every minute. The only deduction is for the sleep—make sure you “invest” in some naps this holiday weekend!

>

Would you like me to help you design a specific taper-week lifting plan for the week leading up to the Rowdy Gaines Classic on January 30th?

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