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The Lunchtime Set Thread
Sets for working stiffs!
This is a thread for high-quality, distance and threshold-oriented sets that are designed to be finished in approximately 45 minutes. Leaving 10 minutes of warm-up and 5 minutes of cool-down, you should be able to complete a full workout in about an hour - and then get back to the office!
Typically, these are sets I do with Santa Barbara Masters (LCM) or with my training partner Zack (SCY).
<b>Definition of "BASE"</b> -- There are varying definitions, but to my mind the simplest is: The fastest interval at which you are capable of doing 10x100 in an average workout. <b>AIA </b>- adjust intervals accordingly!
Usage note: "400 on BASE + 10" means "400 on BASE interval * 4, plus 10 seconds," <b>not </b>"400 on BASE interval + 10 seconds per hundred."
This is a thread for high-quality, distance and threshold-oriented sets that are designed to be finished in approximately 45 minutes. Leaving 10 minutes of warm-up and 5 minutes of cool-down, you should be able to complete a full workout in about an hour - and then get back to the office!
Typically, these are sets I do with Santa Barbara Masters (LCM) or with my training partner Zack (SCY).
<b>Definition of "BASE"</b> -- There are varying definitions, but to my mind the simplest is: The fastest interval at which you are capable of doing 10x100 in an average workout. <b>AIA </b>- adjust intervals accordingly!
Usage note: "400 on BASE + 10" means "400 on BASE interval * 4, plus 10 seconds," <b>not </b>"400 on BASE interval + 10 seconds per hundred."
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3x300 @ BASE +20 / +10 / +0
3x200 @ BASE -5
3x300 @ BASE +0 / +10 (hold same pace as #1) / +20 (faster than #1 & #2)
"Masters minute" rest between each round.
We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams
To my understanding, basically, it means: "A minute's rest, rounded up to the nearest 30 seconds." Or alternatively, "About a minute's rest, unless a tacit agreement arises among lanemates to extend it to 2 minutes. Or whatever, because it's Masters and you can do whatever you want."
We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams
"Duck Duck Goose"
3 X [2 X 250m @ 3:45, 1 X 300m @ 4:00]
"A" Group has to do it all on 3:45
Mortals may pull the 300's as needed
[2600 SCY]
2x150 @ +15
4x100 @ BASE (for us, 1:10)
2x150 @ +15
4x100 @ +10 (faster)
2x150 @ +15
4x100 @ +20 (even faster)
2x150 @ +15
(master's minute rest)
200 at goal pace for a 500, one at a time, filmed
3x"drop dead" 1000's with a master's minute between each.
A drop dead 1000 is a NON-STOP 1000 done as follows:
4 laps at 1-2 mile race pace, 1 lap as hard as you can,
3 laps at 1-2 mile race pace, 2 laps as hard as you can,
2 laps at 1-2 mile race pace, 3 laps as hard as you can,
1 laps at 1-2 mile race pace, 4 laps as hard as you can.
(a "lap" is up & back of a 25 yd pool = 50 yards)
This is for a transition or peaking period and is good prep for shorter races. It can also be adapted for longer races by making the 4,3,2,1 sequence @ long race pace and the 1,2,3,4 sequence as a hard race acceleration - of course, then you have to do more of them and that won't fit into a lunchtime.
“Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.” - Oscar Wilde
We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams
"Zen mile" a.k.a. broken 1650
11 lengths, rest 15 sec.
10 lengths, rest 15 sec.
9 lengths, rest 15 sec.
....
3 lengths, rest 15 sec
2 lengths, rest 15 sec
1 length.
A length is 25 yards.
You can also do this as a "Zen butterfly double mile" which is the same as the above, but after the 1 length , rest for 15 secs and then do the original IN REVERSE. (The butterfly in the name is for the shape of the workout, not that you are doing butterfly stroke.)
BTW, for the "drop dead" 1000's you can also turn these into "drop dead" 500's by doing lengths instead of laps.
“Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.” - Oscar Wilde
4x100 @ BASE (just make it)
4x300 @ BASE+30 (hold same pace)
4x100 @ BASE (whatever you've got left)
Zack and I did this today with a base interval of 1:10 (SCY) - meaning 300s on 4:00.
400 @ BASE
100 easy, active recovery
400 broken at the 200, with 20 seconds rest at the break. Overall time for this 400, once the 20 seconds is pulled out, should be 6-8 seconds faster than the first 400.
100 easy, active recovery
400 broken at the 100, with 10 seconds between each 100. Overall time for this 400, once the 30 seconds is pulled out, should be 6-8 seconds faster than the second 400.
100 easy, active recovery
Had at this one yesterday at lunch, used 1:20 base SCM... trying to hold the 100 pace on the 300s cooked me good (maybe I should have slowed down the 100s a little).
Thanks evan
2500 SCY, BASE = 1:10
- 3x300 @ BASE+10
- 2x200 @ BASE+20
- 1x100 AFAP (as fast as possible)
- 100 easy (active rest)
- 3x100 @ BASE
- 2x200 @ BASE+10
- 1x300 AFAP
Hold steady pace (but still make interval) on parts 1/2/5/6.Blast the 100 & 300 (we'll be aiming for 1:00 and 3:15, respectively).
4500 SCM, Base = 1:20
3 x 1500 SCM with a master's minute rest between each
- 1 @ Base + :45
- 1 @ Base
- 1 @ Base - :45
3500 SCY, Base = 1:10
400 loosen
warm-up set (1000 SCY):
- 4x25 underwater streamline dolphin-kick
- 4x50: 25 scull, 25 drill
- 4x75: fl/bk/br, bk/br/fr, br/fr/fl, fr/fl/bk
- 4x100 free @ BASE+20: 12/13/14/15 SPL by 100
main set (2000 SCY):- 4x250 @ BASE+5 (3:00) - aerobic, just make the interval, set up for Part 2
- 10x100 @ BASE+20 (1:30), best average - i.e., aim for fastest 1000 sum
100 cool-down9x200 SCY
1 @ BASE-10
2 @ BASE
3 @ BASE+10
2 @ BASE
1 @ BASE-10
(Base = 1:10, i.e., 2:10, 2:20, 2:30, 2:20, 2:10 = ouch!)
50 fast, 50 easy
2*50 fast, 50 easy
3*50 fast, 50 easy
4*50 fast, 50 easy
5*50 fast, 50 easy
I took 5 seconds between the fast 50s and 20-30 seconds rest after each easy 50.
Managed 52 mins which I was pleased with at my somewhat pedestrian pace.
Jason
Target time between 1 hour 30 mins when starting working down to 1 hour or less
Check your pulse / heart rate and record it.
Start with a warm up of 10 lengths plus 1 x length back stroke
(275 metres = 11 lengths to loosen up before your sprints)
4 x 100 metre sprints watching the clock
(400 metres 16 lengths - hard swimming with short rests in between each set) -- total = 675 metres
short rest - until you are fit (4/5 mins max) - if you don't need a rest you are not working hard enough.
Rest time is the time to consider your recovery rate by checking your heart rate and it's recovery time.
Do a timed swim of 75 lengths (1875 metres - 75 lengths about a nautical mile which is 1852) -- total = 2550 metres
short rest (4/5 mins max) - heart rate recovery time
200 metre sprint (200 metres is 8 lengths) -- total = 2750 metres
short rest (4/5 mins max) -
Wind down swim of 250 metres (10 lengths) total = 3000 metres
120 lengths x 25 = 3000 metres or 1.62 nautical miles
Heart rate at finish and recovery time
Note the time it takes to complete the set in your log/diary each time you complete it.
Use this as your bench mark to test your improvement over your training periods.
Don't be surprised if it takes a few sessions to complete the 120 lengths of the pool or if you never get it down to an hour.
If it takes you more than 75 mins (that's 2200 metres or 2400 yards = 1.2 nautical miles it's going to be a very long swim.
Here's one I did last night.
12 x 25 back on :30 with hella fast kick (excellent way to warmup quickly)
500 at comfortably hard effort don't look at clock til the end, can use result for performance model.
20 x 25 (:10) small paddles, buoy and kicking with very fast turnover 72+ (working to build specific turnover and strength).
Take daughter to McDonald's if she finished her homework before practice!
loneswimmer.com
Any new Lunchtime sets to share?
5x100 - Base + 25
4x 200 - Add Base-5 to the 100 interval
3x300 - Add Base-5 to the 200 interval
2x400 - Add Base-5 to the 300 interval
1x500 - Add Base-5 to the 400 interval
For example, if Base = 1:20, then you start at 1:45 and then add 1:15 to each:
5x100 - 1:45
4x200 - 3:00
3x300 - 4:15
2x400 - 5:30
1x500 - 6:45
If your Base = 1:15, you start at 1:40 and add 1:10 to each:
5x100 - 1:40
4x200 - 2:50
3x300 - 4:00
2x400 - 5:10
1x500 - 6:20
250 IM inverted pyramid (up an down) in 25 meter increments. Each additional stroke is 25 meters farther than the one before, such that the middle (longest) interval looks like this: 25 fly, 50 back, 75 breast, 100 free. Each interval is base +15 per interval, not cumulative, so that you're only getting about 3-8 seconds rest per interval (after accounting for the back/breast speed and fly fatigue). So if your base is 1:40, then 25m interval is :40 (1:40/4 = :25+:15); 50m interval is (:50+15) :65; 100 @ 1:55; etc. I'm not 100% sure that it was +15. It might have been +20. It felt like +5, but the math doesn't seem plausible. Whatever it was, there was no feeling of "rest" after the first 4-5 intervals. Gasp 6-8 breaths and push off.
Here are the "up" intervals (down is the reverse of this):
25 fly
25 fly, 25 bk
25 fly, 50 bk
25 fly, 50 bk, 25 br
25 fly, 50 bk, 50 br
25 fly, 50 bk, 75 br
25 fly, 50 bk, 75 br, 25 free
25 fly, 50 bk, 75 br, 50 free
25 fly, 50 bk, 75 br, 75 free
25 fly, 50 bk, 75 br, 100 free
No repeat of the long and then back down by carving off the last 25m each interval (i.e., the first down interval only has 75m free).
The worst part is: I missed the "and then back down" part of the instructions. So I'm hanging off the backstroke grips, desperately trying to open my lungs enough to catch my breath, approaching the tipping point of satisfaction overtaking pain, when the number 2 guy says: "You going?" "Going where??" "Back down" "Oh, hell" and then I pushed off for 20 more minutes of suffering...
To those of you (like me) who look at this and think, "that doesn't look so bad": beware! There's something about starting each interval with 25m fly. It gets to you. Physically and mentally. I told coach we need to make this our regular Friday workout, but I don't think he wants to scare off the masses...
2,500 meters, not including warm-up/cool-down.
"Lights go out and I can't be saved
Tides that I tried to swim against
Have brought be down upon my knees
Oh I beg, I beg and plead..."
"Lights go out and I can't be saved
Tides that I tried to swim against
Have brought be down upon my knees
Oh I beg, I beg and plead..."
I love these, this thread is how I found you guys. Keep'm coming!
--Charlie
My Tuesday swim buddy came in with this set today, which will work best in a short course pool. You start with a distance and a send-off, then you drop the send-off 10 seconds (or 5 if you want to prolong the suffering) each rep until you can't make the send-off, then you drop the distance by 50 and make as many send-offs as you can and so on until you get to your ending send-off. We started with 200's at 3:00 and went down to 1:00. He's faster, so he got an additional rep at the longer distance. It's tougher than it sounds.
My set went:
200 @ 3:00, 2:50, 2:40
150 @ 2:30, 2:20, 2:10, 2:00
100 @ 1:50, 1:40, 1:30, 1:20
50 @ 1:10, 1:00
This icon means your face is red and snot is coming out of your nose at the end of the set, right?
![:\](https://forum.marathonswimmers.org/resources/emoji/confused.png ":\")
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It's always a bad hair day when you work at a pool.
Another one I just stole from @sylmarino ..
Warm up -as you please..
4x25 on 30
50 on 1.00 ( or whatever interval is good for you)
4x25 on 30
100 on 2.00
4x25 on 30
200 on 4.00
and back down again.
The 4x25 actually become harder.. and I am beginning to believe in an abacus for anything over a 100
Hi guys, I’ve been handed some invaluable advice on this forum so far so hope you will entertain a really stupid question.
Although I’ve read the definition of BASE (above) i'm still a but in the dark on intervals and timings etc…
I’m trying to sort out an interval regime that covers 2500meters which usually takes me 42-45 minutes on a continuous swim and is the maximum amount of time I can devote before dashing back to work.
Is any kind hearted chap/chapess able to break down a 2500m interval regime for me to do, i.e. do 5 x 100metres then rest for X seconds/minutes.
All suggestion really appreciated!
I did this as one of my sets the other day. It's a great way to knock off 1600 and keep you entertained along the way. Throw in a warm up before and a warm down at the end and you've got yourself a 2500 workout.
The basic set is 4x (4x100) For each set of 4x100 you walk a 25 stroke through it. Here is the example set:
75 free, 25 fly (stroke)
50 free, 25 fly, 25 free
25 free, 25 fly, 50 free
25 fly, 75 free
and then on to the next stroke. I do it IM order, but you can also do it reverse IM order if you really want to mess yourself up. I use a consistent interval time based on how fast I can do the breast stroke set. (Short rest). You get a longer rest on the fly and free sets, but if you work it, you will want that rest.
My coach throws something like this in my workout regularly, but with a moving fast 25 or 50 - last night part of my main set included 8x100 on 1:50, where each 100 you moved the fast 25 (#1, 1st, #2, 2nd, etc, rotating back around). I've done it w/200s and fast 50s, too. Helpful if your other strokes are... triathlete like.
I swam the non-fast portions just slower than my threshold pace, and had just under 10 seconds rest.
If you aren't sure how to adjust sendoffs/intervals for your speed and fitness, look at a workout that people have posted, swim the first one at whatever effort level they describe, take the designated amount of rest, then try to hit that sendoff for the rest of the set. So if you tried the above and came in at 1:50 on the first (or 1:30), then you'd swim them all on 2:00 (or 1:40).
Another "fun" short set is repeated broken 500s - pick a round number interval that you can swim an easy 100 with about 15 seconds of rest (mine is about 2:00 so that'll be my example), and swim as follows:
25 MAX on on interval that gives you ~5 sec rest (mine would be about 20 seconds, so I'd swim this on :25)
75 easy on balance of the interval above (so, on 2:00 you'd get the remaining 1:35)
50 MAX on an interval that gives you ~5 sec rest (again, I'd probably hit 43 or so here, so I'd round up to :50)
50 easy on balance (so on 2:00 you'd get 1:10)
75 MAX on an interval that gives you ~5 sec rest (I think I hit this in 1:10 last time, so 1:15)
20 easy on balance (on 2:00 you'd get :45)
100 MAX on 2:00
100 easy on 2:30 (or 2:00 if you'd like to be a jerk to yourself)
go through it 3 or 4 times with no rest between (depending on your speed and how much time you have).
Yes, doing the pace change is a great training set too. I try to do pace change sets fairly regularly. It's really good for you to be able to turn it on when you need to and then back off to your steady pace again. Knowing how fast you are swimming and having control over that is really valuable.
@MoCo I lived near Worcester years ago. Swam with a masters group over at Clark University. They were a good bunch with a good range of swimmers, so there was always someone faster and always someone slower than you. Made for a good workout.
Thanks for those great suggestions guys. I appreciate the two options too, one for mixing up strokes and one for pace training. Just what I need. I'll give these a go!
I did this as my main set yesterday but it could be tailored to include the warm up and cool down. Total of 3000 yds.
It was two rounds of 1500 yds. I took about :30 between sets to get a drink and reset the clock. The 1500 set was broken as:
5x100
4x75
4x50
4x75
3x100
4x25
All 25s were 2 on :25 and 2 on :30 recovery.
The 100s were:
1st set of 5 - 1 on 1:15, 1 on 1:25, 1 on 1:20, 1 on 1:25, 1 on 1:15
2nd set of 4 - 1 on 1:15, 2 on 1:25, 1 on 1:15
3rd set of 3 - 1 on 1:15, 1 on 1:25, 1 on 1:15
Just did a set today that was about as mindless as possible. I just really didn't want to have to think or count or anything, but I wanted to at least do a legitimate workout. So here it is for those who want to take a mental vacation.
10x400 @ X:XX Pace 75, Hard 25...
It's mindless because you don't even have to count due to that hard 25 keeping track of everything. I put a "X:XX" at the send off because everyone has a different pace. I was giving myself roughly :30 rest. I do a set interval rather than a set rest period. It keeps me honest. Do a little warm up and a warm down and you have rested your mind while still getting a workout in.
Got another nice lunchtime workout for you. This can be sliced up a number of different ways. Basically it's a set of broken 1000's where you negative split the second part.
Example: If your pace is 1:30 for 100's, then the negative split should be 1:25 for 100's. (The idea here is to hold to a consistent 100 time for the whole distance, don't just try to blast the last 50 for a negative split.)
500 pace, :30 rest, 500 negative split, :30 rest
600 pace, :30 rest, 400 negative split, :30 rest
700 pace, :30 rest, 300 negative split, :30 rest
800 pace, :30 rest, 200 negative split, :30 rest
You can see how this all works and do a 900 set and a 1000 set if you feel all ambitious. You can knock off a quick 6000 for lunch! (I will leave that to the animals or those with long lunch hours.) Also, the 500 set can be a nice warm up set with an easy pace 500 then a quicker pace 500 and now you are ready to get to work on the other 3000. If a 4K is too much for lunch, start with the 600/400 and go from there. Lots of variations on this menu...
The thing that is kind of cool about this set is that your pace will start to quicken on each set because you do a negative split and that gets you all revved up and so your pace feels like you might be going slow and you pick it up a tad and so forth. By the time you get to that 200 at the end, you are almost sprinting. It's really fun.
Bon appetite!
Hi Guys, as part of an interval set im working on, im doing 10 x 100’s. On the first 100 I will usually come in on 1:25ish and then I will set off on 2:00 (so a 35 second rest). From then on my 100 times will slip until eventually after completing all 10 makes my average 100 time around 1:40. After completing this I’m usually pretty shattered. Should I be trying to swim at a faster but more consistent pace from the first to last 100, i.e. say 1:35 average overall. Or should I continue to just kill myself on each 100 and progressively see my time suffer? Which is the better way to train/improve? I hope that makes sense!
Also (sorry this isn’t an interval question but im here) my swim cap keeps coming off. I’ve got junior and senior size rubber caps (not expensive) and neither works. I put my goggle straps over the top hoping that would secure it but it doesn’t. Any tips?
Thanks
Sam
@Sam : I suggest finding the distance you can swim at your goal pace with 15-20 seconds rest to calculate your interval. Let's say your goal pace is 1:30 per 100, and you can't make 10 of them on a 1:50 interval, then here's my suggested set:
15 x 75s, trying to hold 1:08s on a 1:25 interval.
If you CAN do this without a problem, cut the interval to 1:20.
If you CAN'T do it, then you have two options:
#1: 20 x 50s, holding 45-seconds on a 1:05 interval...If this is too easy, go to 1-minute interval.
#2: Increase the interval to 1:30 and see how you do on the 75s.
My experience and physiological research shows that if you take MORE than 20-seconds rest, you'll lose the "training effect." So, I'd prefer to shorten the distance and swim at the desired pace.
In my opinion, it does you no good to train at a pace slower than you want to swim.
Mark
RE: The cap...I recently saw where some open water swimmers actually used colored duct tape on the front of their cap and onto their forehead. I'm going to try this next time I swim in an event requiring a cap. I always have that problem.
Hi Sam,
You didn't say specifically what your goal is or what distance you're training for, but I'll make the assumption that you want your distance swims to be faster.
If you are training to swim a faster 100 at a pool meet, repeats with lots of rest are in order. You would want to increase the rest toward the end of the set so you can still achieve a faster time.
If you want to be faster over a distance, let's say a mile, you should work on holding a consistent speed over time, with less rest and emphasize swimming faster at the end of the set, (descending). If you really love 10x100, try using a 1:45-1:50 interval and swimming them at a pace you can consistently hold, but hammer the last 3, making them progressively harder. Mix up your sets throughout the week so you don't get bored or stuck in a rut, I'd only do 10X100s once a week or at least change the focus if you're going to do it more often.
I'd highly recommend using longer segments to total your goal distance and mixing up the distances and effort. I rarely swim anything shorter than 150s (unless I'm swimming a set with someone else). Sometimes I use 4-6x150s flat out at the end of a workout where I've mostly done long stuff (800+) to work on feeling strong and fast at the end of a long swim. Here are a few sets that I like to swim, usually once a week for each . I use a 1:30 base interval (1:30 x each 100 yards), which means I get quite a bit of rest on the long swims and not so much as they get shorter.
2x(500-4-3-2-100) descending pace-100 should flat out
1000-8-6-4-200 watch the time on the last 200 of each swim and descend those final 200s, last one should be fast.
500
2x400
3x300
4x200
1x500 (sometimes I just do another 500 if I'm lazy/tired)
600-300-100-300-600 sprint the last 100 of each
Yesterday I swam 1000 with my buddy, trying to lap him and he was trying not to get lapped. I had my lead out to 25 yards by 500, but he make a tough comeback and I couldn't get him. I alternated pace by 25s, cruising one and pushing one.
Hopefully that gives you some ideas.
Try a silicone cap, they stay on my head better and don't pull my hair.
It's always a bad hair day when you work at a pool.
I agree with the idea that you don't want to build in too much rest. The above sets are a good idea for developing speed. It's kind of a combination of learning what it feels like to swim fast as well as conditioning. However, there is also merit in training at a slower pace for certain sets. It's a great way to build your base by swimming longer distances at a slower pace. It is useful to incorporate both ideas in creating your workouts. Do some speed work to go faster and do some distance work to go longer. The two work hand in hand to make you a better swimmer. I use both kinds of sets but the one thing in common is to minimize rest intervals within the set. I find that if you take too long a rest, you are constantly in start up mode and you never really get going. :35 rest on a 100 is massive unless you are doing major league sprinting. Start with those shorter distance swims as recommended above and work your way up.
I also agree that :35 is too much rest on 100s. When I swim alone, my goal is always to complete the workout in less than a 1:30 base/100 to include the sets and any rest between sets. For example I'm planning to do 5000yds tonight I and my goal is to be out of the pool 1hr 15 minutes.
Most of my swim are based off a 1:20/100 interval. I'm planning this as my main set today, total of 3000yds.
3 sets of
200 on 2:35
150 on 2:00
100 on 1:20
50 on :50
150 on 1:55
100 on 1:20
50 on 50
100 on 1:15
50 on :50
50 on :50
My focus is to work the 200 and hold that pace on the 150 and 100 where I get a little more rest. I use the 50 as recovery. Then work I'll work the 150 (trying to descent from the first 150) and holding pace on the 100. Again, sue the 50 as recovery. On the third 100 I try to descend from the 2nd 100 and then do the last two 50s as recovery. I'll go right into the next set starting with the 200 on the last 50 interval. It's basically 3 broken 1000s on 13:45.
@FlowSwimmers if I could hit a consistent 100 at 1:30 I'd be very very happy indeed. So I will definitely use your plan when working out a decent interval strategy. And @wendyv34, great and thorough advice again, I am doing interval sets to improve my distance time (preferably for a 10k distance which is my ultimate goal). I find around 1.50 pace for a 10k and really want to get that down. My weekly routine now involves (after previous advice from you) 2-3 x 4k swims, 1 x interval training and 1 x 2.5k at a flat out pace. Im just not confident that my time is coming down...perhaps my gains now are only marginal and that's the way it will be. @curly and @gtswim thanks for the input and can ijust say that doing a 5k in 1hr 15 is insane from where im standing! That's around my 4k time...so im definitely happy to take your advice on board if its proven to work!
As a general comment I'd like to thank everyone who has chipped in with advice since I popped up on this forum. In 6 months I've gone from little swimming background and doing 1600km in 38 minutes to the same distance in 28 minutes and am able to marginally retain a similar pace up to 5000km AND have completed a few 10km's. Thanks all!
Silicone stays on better than latex. Also, I use oversize caps (I have long hair atop a melon head).
"Lights go out and I can't be saved
Tides that I tried to swim against
Have brought be down upon my knees
Oh I beg, I beg and plead..."
Holy crap, you're incredible. 1600km in 38 minutes! Wow!
We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams
@Spacemanspiff thanks for the tip.
With that in mind does anyone have the MSF link so that my swimming cap purchase helps support the website? (im sure ive seen in mentioned before). Thanks
This is one of my favorite go-to sets. At 5K, it’s often the whole workout (and would require an extended lunch break—but it’s not really an animal set either, so I’m putting it in this thread). I think it’s adapted from one of pwb’s workouts from the USMS site from several years ago, but I’m sure his version would have been more IMful than this. Only the number of reps changes in each round, so although it looks long it is easy to remember, and it gets to you 5k without ever having to count beyond 4 of anything.
Round 1
4 x 200 FR with technique focus, odds pull, evens swim
3 x 150 Backstroke sandwiches (50 FR / 50 BK / 50 FR)
2 x 100 IM, desc.
1 x 50 Kick
Round 2
1 x 200 FR pull with technique focus
4 x 150 Backstroke sandwiches (50 FR / 50 BK / 50 FR)
3 x 100 IM, desc.
2 x 50 Kick
Round 3
2 x 200 FR with technique focus, odd pull, even swim
1 x 150 Backstroke sandwich (50 FR / 50 BK / 50 FR)
4 x 100 IM, desc.
3 x 50 Kick
Round 4
3 x 200 FR with technique focus, odds pull, even swim
2 x 150 Backstroke sandwiches (50 FR / 50 BK / 50 FR)
1 x 100 IM, fast
4 x 50 Kick
For intervals: 200s are on a relaxed interval that gives you about 15 seconds to change equipment after each one, 150s are on an interval fast enough to give you a tiny sense of accomplishment every time you make it, 100 interval should give you 20-25 seconds rest on the fastest IM of each descend, and 50s are on your standard aerobic kick interval. I take a master’s minute between rounds. Enjoy!
(And as a bonus, today’s pool haiku):
Where’s the wall today?
First too near, now beyond reach
Gusty backstroke flags
+1 for the haiku