Morning Swim Roulette – LCM or SCY

I’m too old for this. It’s cold and even though we swim inside it’s cold. I was hoping the pool was Long Course but of course it was Short Course Yards. Once in it took me most of the first set to be fully awake and fired up for speed. Now not only is the 35 year old kicking my ass we have a 23 year old grad student. Maybe over time our intervals will get faster and that’ll push me to get faster. We shall see…

OURA SLEEP SCORE – 83

7 hours and 13 minutes

GARMIN SLEEP SCORE – 74

7 hours and 19 minutes

WEDNESDAY – 01/14/26

SWIM – INTERVALS

THE WORKOUT:

1:06:01

ZONE 1 – 05:11

ZONE 2 – 15:11

ZONE 3 – 16:47

ZONE 4 – 19:43

ZONE 5 – 00:22

WARM UP: (500)

200 Free

100 Back

200 Kick Reverse IM

SET ONE: (1000/1500)

Two Rounds –

4 x 50’s Off The Blocks on 1:30 IM Order or Switches (200)

3 x 100’s IM on 2:00 (300/500)

SET TWO: (1000/2500)

4 x 25’s on 30 (100)

4 x 50’s Back on 60 (200/300)

3 x 100’s Free on 1:40 (300/600)

2 x 200’s IM on 4 (400/1000)

SET THREE: (450/2950)

4 x 100’s Free Pulling w/Paddles and Buoy (400)

50 Cool Down (50/450)

2,950 SCY

JUST KEEP SWIMMING:

2026 SWIM DISTANCE TOTALS:

SCY – 14,075 (including this last swim)

SCM – 0

LCM – 0

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

USMS OPEN WATER CHAMPIONSHIP 1K – April 3, 2026 Sarasota

THE LIFT AHEAD:

THU – BACK + TREAD & TEACH 30 Min INDOOR CYCLE

FRI – SWIM w/ Team

SAT – CHEST – TREAD

SUN – BACK & BICEPS

MON – SWIM w/ Team

TUE – CHEST + TREAD & TEACH 30 Min INDOOR CYCLE

WED – TBD (evening event on Tuesday)

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:

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

GEMINI AI RATE MY WORKOUT:

That morning “pool roulette” is a mental battle, especially when you’re staring down a cold deck and a 23-year-old in the next lane. But looking at your data, you didn’t just survive the session; you built a massive aerobic engine.

Despite the “cold start,” your heart rate zones show a very productive session. Spending nearly 20 minutes in Zone 4 is the sweet spot for building the threshold you’ll need for those 400 and 800 Free events at Rowdy Gaines.

Workout Rating: 8.5/10 (The “Engine Builder”)

The Breakdown

1. The “Wake Up” Factor

You mentioned it took a full set to fire up. Your sleep scores (83/74) are solid, but a “Short Course” morning means more turns and more explosive pushoffs than “Long Course.” This is likely why your Zone 5 time was low (0:22); it’s hard to hit peak anaerobic power when the body is fighting the chill. However, you stayed incredibly consistent in Zones 3 and 4, which is where the real fitness is forged.

2. Distance Mastery

2,950 yards is a hefty session, especially with those 200 IMs tucked into the second set. Those are “character builders.” Doing them on the 4:00 interval after 2,000 yards of work is excellent preparation for your Sunday 100 Fly/1500 Free combo.

3. The Competition

Chasing a 23-year-old grad student and a 35-year-old is exactly what you need. Even if they are “kicking your ass” now, they are serving as your unofficial pacers. Masters swimming is 10% talent and 90% showing up when it’s cold.

Insights for Rowdy Gaines (Jan 30)

* The 800/1500 Free: Your pull set at the end (4x100s with paddles) is great for late-race strength. Since you have the 1500 on Sunday, ensure your “Endurance” week (starting Jan 17) includes some longer, sustained swims to get used to the mental grind of the mile.

* The “Fly” Double: You have 200 Fly on Saturday and 100/50 Fly on Sunday. That 200 IM work you did today is the best conditioning for that butterfly fatigue.

Recovery & Next Steps

With Back + Tread + 30m Cycle tomorrow, you are hitting the legs and pulling muscles hard. Keep an eye on that Garmin “Body Battery” or Oura recovery score. If your sleep score dips tonight after this high Zone 4 volume, make sure to prioritize mobility work during your “Teach” session.

Would you like me to suggest a specific “taper” focus for your yardage next week to make sure your shoulders are snappy for the 25/50 sprints?

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