Short-term, Achievable, Challenging Goals Are Fun

By Gale Bernhardt

Lane 5 is aiming for a December goal of 10 x 100s on a send-off 5 seconds faster than normal. You might ask, “Why?”
I ask, “Is your lane interested in joining us?

Everyone that gets up at 5:00 a.m. to swim has at least one goal, maybe more. Common goals include fitness, heart health, triathlon events, swim meet performance, social aspects, or a combination of these or other goals. Personally, my goals change depending on the time of year[SM1]

Let me explain and offer you some examples that you can apply in your lane – if your lane mates agree.

Winter, Spring, and Summer

This time of year my cycling or alpine skiing increases, so I swim to keep my upper body fit. Previously, when I quit swimming in my “other sport” busy times, I noticed increased issues with arm fatigue during cycling, and lower back issues as a skier and regular human. Additionally, I swim for recovery and variety. During these seasons, I’m typically in the pool two days per week. Swimming keeps my body in working order and decreases pain.

Fall

Because cycling is winding down and skiing has not started, fall is when I like to focus on swimming. I like to try to get faster, if only for a few weeks. Fall is the time when I commit to being at the pool three times per week to get just a tiny bit faster.

Last year, and again this year, I convinced my lane to help me with my fall goal –swim 10 x 100s on a 1:30 send-off. Our normal base is 1:35 and we typically swim 6 x or 8 x 100s in a practice. Sometimes even this send-off is hard for me to make.

The goal of doing 10 x 100s on a tighter send-off combines endurance and speed endurance. To swim the entire set, we need the capability to consistently swim 100s on a 1:20 to 1:25 pace, with minimal rest. Coach Doug and Coach Eric are helping us reach this goal with the workouts they assign. We are approaching the goal with the following skills in mind:

  1. Endurance – Any practice where the main set is 1000 yards to 2000 yards helps our endurance.
  2. Muscular Endurance – A clock-based set of 50s to 200s where the goal is to swim some part of the set at a 1:30 base. Examples include:
  • Coach Doug’s over-unders (alternating 100s on 1:40 and 1:30).
  • A long set of 100s on a 1:40 base – with the goal of swimming every 100 at a 1:20 to 1:25 pace.
  • Coach Eric’s broken 200 set where the 150 is on a 1:30 base pace, but the 50 is recovery (150 on 2:15, then 50 on 1:00).
  • 8 to 10 x 50s on a 45-second send-off.

3)    Speed and Speed Endurance – Shorter intervals where we swim faster than normal. For me, this means swimming at a 1:20 per 100 pace, but only for 25 or 50 yards. My favorite is at least 8 x 25-yards on a 30-second send-off, aiming to swim every single one at 20 seconds.

I think I speak for all of lane 5, that using and managing the clock makes swim time go fast and it is fun to try to eek just a bit more speed.

What about your lane?

Though I gave specific interval examples for lane 5, any lane can use the same principles. Our lane goal is freestyle – but – you could make a lane goal of IM if that sounds like more fun.

How about it – are you interested in joining us for 10 (or a different number) x 100s in December? How does the week before Christmas sound?
Perfect! See you at the pool.