Roots

For a blog about keeping pace, this space has not featured many pace-related topics lately. I’m not too worried about it, since I know that most readers are equally concerned with creeping communism, alien invasions, grammatical anomalies, and charitable concerns about finding belts for all those underprivileged teens whose trousers have succumbed to gravity’s relentless pull. But every now and then, I’d like to return to the basics upon which this blog was founded.

Today’s topic is: What makes for a “fun” workout?

Our swim team has a tradition called “Fun Friday”, where the coach is called upon to create a workout that brings joy and pleasure to the participants. (Unlike, I suppose, the "normal" days of torment, torture, and cruelty.) I struggle a little bit with this concept, because it seems to me that any hours spent in the water improving your speed and fitness, while simultaneously enjoying the company and encouragement from your friends...well, THAT is always fun!

But according to surveys taken among the group, the fact that I think 3 timed 1650s is "fun" doesn't necessarily mean that my teammates endorse my definition of the word. From feedback I've received, I'm getting the impression that the common definition of fun among this group means doing a couple of 25s on a 2-minute sendoff while wearing party hats and playing ukeleles.



Sigh. But since I take my coaching duties seriously, I do endeavor to add some of those kinds of sets to the workout on occasion. But I also feel obligated to continue my quest to educate the gang on the pure joy and bliss that can be attained by doing hard repeats on a fast interval and holding a steady pace throughout a long set. That's FUN, in my book. And after all, the same words can be interpreted in many different ways. (Example: "Global Warming" defined as a phenomenon that produces cold, rainy/snowy weekends in the middle of June.)

I'll keep you posted on whether I achieve success in getting the group to jump on my particular definitional bandwagon. In the meantime, have a great day!