The “Brynnswim Holiday Challenge”
HOW IT STARTED
It all started one dark winter morning at The Swimming Hole in Stowe, Vermont in 2011, I was gearing up for another winter of long indoor swims in preparation for my English Channel attempt in 2012, I would arrive to train in the dark of the chilly Vermont winter early mornings 6 days a week and on Saturday’s slog out a good effort 10k swim, it was after one of these Saturday morning swims in December of 2011 that I started to hum in my cold shower post swim, ” On the first day of Christmas my swim coach gave to me One Thousand FREEEEEE”, the seed was planted, within 10 seconds and foamy shampoo all through my hair I’d declared a new short term training goal, ” The Twelve Days of Christmas Swim Challenge” Ta Daaaaaaa.
Wrapped up in a towel I emerged from the shower and shared the news with my training buddy Paula Yankauskas, ” Paula, are you game to join me in the 12 days of Christmas, it is 12 days of swimming, it starts on December 13th with 1000 meters swimming, then on the 2nd day it’s 2000 meters and well you get the rest add 1000 meters a day until December 24th, the grand finale a 12,000 meter swim”, I blurted out at high speed, my post swim buzz having my speech in overdrive, immediately Paula agreed to join me and ” Bob’s your Uncle”, I had company and that’s how it this whole thing started!
So where are we now, well YOU can join too! If you decide to swim along, find us on facebook at Stowe Distance Swimmers to post your progress, or just follow along here, I’ll post some workout options, you can modify intervals to best suit your speed and ability, have fun and remember every workout counts and NEVER GIVE UP!
WORKOUTS OF THE DAY
DAY 1 Holiday Workout 1000 meters or yards
Drill Set
4 x 50’s Drill 25/ Swim 25 Free with 15 seconds rest 65% effort
Drill = side balance ABS ( Arms by Side AND engage your Abdominals for a tight body line)
Main Set
4 x ( 1 minute vertical kick hands up deep water + 2 x 25’s kick FAST w/board + 2 x 50’s SPRINT on 1 min interval)
Timed Swim
Have a swim buddy or coach time you for 100 ALL OUT off the wall, tight streamline off evry wall
Swim Down
100 Chicken T Push ( this is elementary backstroke, it will feel great after your sprint!)
Now GET OUT your’e done for today!
DAY 2 Holiday Workout 2000 meters Speed Work
These short swim sets are a perfect time to work on speed & pacing, get ready to get uncomfortable…..
20 x 100’s = 4 Rounds of ( 4 x 100’s Free on 1:30 Interval + 1 x 100 IM on 2:15 interval)
Descend Free by rounds, set a goal time before you start swimming, then hold that time for all 4 100’s, all IM are 65-70%, focus on tight streamline off the walls and moderate pace.
Round 1: 75% Effort Goal Time 1:25
Round 2: 80% Effort Goal Time 1:20
Round 3: 85% Effort Goal Time 1:17
Round 4: 85-92% Effort Goal Time 1:15
Work hard!
DAY 3 Holiday Workout 3000 Meters Aerobic Cruise Pace Set
( Adjust interval for yard pool and to be suit you!)
For today’s swim we take yesterday’s 75-85% descend pace and hold it for a longer distance
Warm Up 500 meters ( 300 Free, 100 Free 25 Drill side balance, 3 stroke switch, 75 Swim, 100 Back)
Main Set
10 x 200’s on 3:00 Interval
1-3 75% Effort Goal Time 2:50
4-6 80% Effort Goal Time 2:45
7-9 85 % Effort Goal Time 2:40
10 Good Effort for Grins 2:37
Active Recovery Drill set 65-70% Effort
5 x 100’s Drill 25, Swim 25, Drill 25, Swim 25 ( Interval = first swim + 15 seconds rest)
Drill = ABS Arms By Side, keep the core tight as you balance on your side with a light flutter kick.
Focus to work on Balance in the water, leaning your bottom shoulder down and holding your aquatic line in the water, this means crown of the head leads down the pool, nose down, eyes down, no dragging hips, work to feel horizontal in the water.Switch from one side to the other, when you need a breath, hold your body line rotate your head so your nose is up, after you breath return to a nose down postion then rotate to the other side, drive from the hip to switch sides.
DAY 4 Holiday swim 4000 meters
Todays Focus: Easy Pre Set, Pace Work, Good Effort Kick, Strong Pull to finish
Pre Set 65-70%
4 x 150’s 15 seconds Rest
100 Pull + 50 Non Free ( Odd Numbers Brst, Even Numbers Back )
Main Set
3 Rounds of ( 4 x 100’s on 1:40 Interval + 2 x 50’s on 1:15 Interval)
Descend 100’s by round, drop 3-5 seconds of each round, first 50 SPRINT, second 50, EZ active recovery
Here are my swim times, you set your own and hit them!
Round 1 : 100’s 1:25 / 50’s 38 for the first, 45 for the second
Round 2: 100’s 1:20/ 50’s 38 for the first, 45 for the second
Round 3: 100’s 1:17/ 50’s 38 for the first, 45 for the second
Kick Set
100 Kick for Time + 100 EZ Recovery 15 seconds rest then repeat!
2nd 100 kick time should match or beat your first!
Recovery Drills
3 x 25 Fist Drill/ 75 Swim Free
200 Free, focus on early vertical forearm catch
Grand Finale Pull Set
TYR Catalyst Paddles 5 x 200’s on 3:00 Interval Swim Time 2:45
Good Effort on both Kick and Pull complete, kick back your’e done for the day!
DAY 5 Holiday Swim 5000 meters
Pre Set
10 x 200’s on 3:20 Goal Time 3:00 Easy Pace, focus on holding the same time every repeat, goal consistency. 70 % Effort
400 Free Every 3rd length kick on back, every 4th length underwater dolphin kick 70% Effort
Rev Set
8 X 25’s Free Down Fast/ Easy Back with 10 seconds rest
200 65% Recovery Breath every 3rd stroke
6 x 50’s odd numbers Kick FAST, even numbers recovery Free
Leg Burner Main Set – Focus Kick
100 Kick with board , Good Effort + 200 70 % Effort Pull
Take 15 seconds rest then repeat.
4 x 50’s Good Effort Kick with board, your combined time should be faster than the combijned 200 Kick from the repeat set above.
100 Recovery
Pull Set
5 x 200’s Pull on 3:00 Interval Goal Time 2:45
Day 6 Holiday Swim 6000 meters
Focus: Pace Work / Kicking for Time
Drill Set 10 sec Rest
6 x 50’s with fins, 25 Breaststroke with flutter kick & mini pull, focus on getting narrow and head in line with your spine
25 Breaststroke with dolphin kick
Main Set
4 x 200’s on Descend 3:15 Interval
Drop 2-3 seconds off each 200
100 FlutterKick for Time with Board
4 x 200’s on 3:15 Descend Interval
Drop 2-3 seconds off each Interval
100 Flutter Kick for Time with board ( faster than your previous 100!)
Fin IMs 15 seconds rest
Focus: Great underwater kicking of the walls
4 x 100 IMs with fins, dolphin kick with breaststroke
Pull Set
15 x 200’s on 3:15 Interval
Focus: Hold goal time for all 15 repeats, Goal Time 2:55 ( modify to you and yards!)
Recovery Drill Set on 2:15 interval
5 x 100’s ( 25 ABS Drill, 25 Free, 25 ABS Drill, 25 Free)
6000 meters Your done! Rest up tomorrow we kick for time!
Day 7 Holiday Swim 7000 Meters
Focus: 400 All out Kick for time
Main Set
15 x 400’s on 6:15 Interval Set your goal time and hold for all 15
Goal Time 5:55
Recovery
200 Free Every 4th length kick side for 6 kicks, then take 3 strokes and repeat on other side
Kick Rev Up Set
4 x 50’s odd are Strong Flutter Kick with board, even are EZ Free 15 seconds rest
8 x 25’s # 1 Fast Free / # 2 EZ Free / # 3 Fast Kick with Board / # 4 EZ Kick with board 10 seconds Rest ( Repeat )
Kick Set a goal time then kick to hit it: My goal is 8:15 meters
400 FAST
Record your time, lick your wounds and rest up for tomorrow’s 8000 meters!
Day 8 Holiday Swim 8000 Meters
Todays Focus: Early Vertical Forearm catch
Main Set 75% Effort
4 x ( 400 Free on 6:15 + 2 x 200’s Pull on 3:15 + 4 x 100’s on 1:45 with Finis Agility paddles )
12 x 200’s Pull on 3:05 Interval 80 % Effort
Drill Set 15 seconds rest
4 x 75’s with Fins 70% Effort
25 Arms By Side Balance, 25 Balance Side 6 kick switch sides, 25 Swim ( Focus: Steady head, No sinking hips)
4 x 75′ No Fins
# 1 EZ, EZ, Fast Free
# 2 EZM Fast, Fast Free
# 3 All Fast
# 4 All EZ
Day 9 : Holiday 9000 meters
Warm Up
2 x ( 300 Free, 100 Kick, 100 Back)
Drill Set
4 x 100’s on with fins on 2:15 interval ( Focus side balance )
25 ABS, 25 Swim, 25 underwater recovery, 25 Swim
4 x 100’s with Fins on 2:15 Interval ( Focus side balance )
25 Dolphin Underwater/ 25 Swim/ 25 Catch Up Stroke/ 25 Swim
8 x 25’s Free no Fins 10 seconds rest
# 1 Build
# 2 ½ Fast/ ½ EZ
# All Fast
# All EZ
Main Set
( 4 x 400’s Descend on 6:15 )
Set goal times, swim strong and smooth as you build speed
Swim Time 5:45 / 5:40 / 5:29/5:17
( 8 x 200’s Pull on 3:15 Fast on # 4 & # 8 )
( 16 x 100’s on 1:45 in rounds of 4 )
# 1 & 2 Agility Paddles 75%
# 3 Focus on underwater kicking off walls
# 4 85% Set Goal Time and hit it
Swim Time 1:20/1:20/ 1:20 /1:20
Speed Set
Interval Play
4 x 100’s on 1:30 Interval moderate pace, short rest 2-3 seconds
1 x 100 IM on 2:15 Interval 75 % Effort
4 x 100’s on 1:35 Interval, drop 2-3 seconds off your previous swim time
1 x 100 IM on 2:15 Interval 75 % Effort
4x 100’s on 1:40 Interval, drop 2-3 seconds off your previous swim time
1 x 100 IM on 2:15 Interval 75 % Effort
4 x 100’s on 1:45 Interval, GOOD EFFORT SWIM
1 x 100 IM on 2;15 Interval 75 % Effort
Recovery
200 EZ Every 4th length Chicken T Push ( Translation Elementary Backstroke, it feel great after a speed set!)
Rest up tomorrow we swim 10k…
Day 10 : Holiday 10,000 meters
No Frills 10 x 1000’s on 16:00
Odd Pull/ Even Fins
Day 11: Holiday Swim 11,000 meters
This is a 3 dip day due to logistics
Swim 1
30 x 100’s on 1:40 Interval
Swim 2
10 x 400’s Pull on 6:00 Swim Time 5:45
10 x 200’s Pull on 3:00 Swim Time 2:50
Swim 3
3 x 1000’s swim on 15:45
Total Distance 11,000 meters
Nest up the ” Big Finale” Day 12 with 12,000 meters AND our Stowe Swimmers annual 100x 100 meters on the 100 second interval!
Day 12: Holiday Swim 12,000 meters
Workout : 100 x 100’s on 1:40
# 91-100 Descend to 1:15
5 x 400’s Pull on 5:45 Interval Swim Time 5:35
The Challenge is complete and with a swim cap a day, here is the evidence! If you swam the brute ” way to go”, if not enjoy the workouts above, guareenteed to get you pumping any month of the year, Happy New Year and all the best for 2014!
Total Distance: 12,000 meters