Goal: Swimming ‘24
I splash about in a pool four times a week.
This regular swimming routine is more about self care than winning any medals. I’ll almost always swim breaststroke. I have done this since August 1st 2024.
It’s only September 15th as I write this post. The start of week seven would seem a good time to reflect and plan to improve on this new ‘default behaviour’ of mine.
Currently*, my swimming looks a bit like this—
It would be tempting to try and shave off some time to swim a kilometer in 30 minuites. A good goal, but not my current goal. Let’s put a 30 min kilometer on the wish list.
I’m recovering an injury and habit forming. For me, I’d rather regularly swim a fixed figure and have an easy number to work with at the end of the year. Since swimming pools are measured in meters, I’ll work in meters.
Goal thought #1:
Swim 1km at least three times a week. Do not worry about the speed. Instead, simply swim for 2000 seconds (33.3 miniutes) on at least three of my four visits to the pool.
That sounds rubbish and complicated. I’m unlikely to plan which three pool visits will be my 34 miniute swims. There is a risk that I will be satisfied with three swims a week and not four.
Goal thought #2:
Swim 3k a week. Do not worry about the speed. Instead, simply ensure that you are in the pool, swimming, for 6000 seconds (100 miniutes) every week.
This sounds more like it! If I swim three times in a week, I shall need to swim for ~34 miniutes. If I’m at the pool four times in a week I only need to swim for 25 miniutes in each session.
#2 will work!
Let’s say that I’ve completed two, 30 miniute swimming sessions and expect to visit the pool four times. Then plans change and I have to miss a session. That’s ok, I can swim for 40 miniutes in my third session!
Or, if I swim three times and then need to cut my fourth session? That’s hardly a problem either, I can still swim, but only need to achieve ten miniutes as I’ve already achieved 90 minutes that week.
Just as with estimates, machine tooling and large project timelines, there will always be the need to be pragmatic. Should I only manage three, 30 miniute sessions in a week I can always roll over the 10 miniute ‘debt’ over to my next two sessions.
But even typing this was a bit of an effort. I like to simplify!
#3, The goal:
Increase the length of each swimming session from 20-25 miniutes to 30 miniutes on each visit. Prioritise visiting the pool four times a week.
When this is not possible, consider two backup plans:
Swim for 34 miniutes, three times in that week.
Swim for 30 minutes, three times that week. Then make up the time on the first session of the next week.
The result:
By trying to stick closely to this goal, I shall swim about 50 km in each 12 month period. This allows for a couple of weeks off but does not consider illness. See ‘the note’.
The note:
Since this goal is only important to me, and the ultimate achievement is a healthy routine, I shall brag about this achievement and dismiss negative comments from my otherwise supportive friends and family. Should I record my visits, you can expect another post like this in the future, with an adjusted goal based on the reality of my future efforts!
*My workings—
30 meters takes me ~60 seconds.
So, I swim 0.5 meters in 1 second ≡ 1 meter in 2 seconds.
A 25 miniute swim is 1500 seconds.
- In 1500 seconds I swim about 750 meters (1500/2=750 ). That’s 0.75km (0.466028 miles).
A 30 miniute swim is 1800 seconds.
- In 1800 seconds I swim about 900meters (1800/2=900). That’s 0.9km (0.559234)
Evidence—
I timed a 30 miniute swim in a 15m pool on September 16th 2024. Sure enough, it took me ~30 miniutes to swim 30 x 30m ‘laps’