Papaya Jam

28 September 2021

Many swimmers, especially solo-training Masters Swimmers, trade sets and workouts like DJs trade song samples, ripping them off and riffing on the theme to create something new and, ideally, a bit more challenging.

After trading Snapchats yesterday with my oldest daughter (nickname = Papaya) about our respective Monday morning workouts, I decided to take her 10 x 200 set, which she swam & kicked in meters at the funky Vancouver Aquatic Center (#220 on my list) ...

... to make that the core of my workout. After doing a 1,050 yard warmup at my local LA Fitness, I crafted a mostly IM variant:

10 x 200:

  • Odd numbers kick portion on stomach with a board, even numbers kick portion on back

  • 2 IM kick on 3:35

  • 2 IM on 3:20, 100 kick - 100 swim, still going IM order by 50s

  • 2 IM on 3:20, 100 swim - 100 kick, still going IM order by 50s

  • 2 IM on 3:05, going 50 kick - 100 swim - 50 kick, still going IM order by 50s

  • 2 on 5:00, going 50 fly kick FAST on 0:50, 100 free FAST on 1:10, 50 fly kick FAST on 3:00 (e.g., the whole 200 on 5:00)

With all the stroke work, the mixing of the kick on my back and my belly and the variation in distances, this set went by very quickly.

Thanks, Maia!