🎄 How to Keep Your Swimming on Track Over the Festive Season

4 Practical tips on being efficient and effective with your time over the next 4 weeks.

Hey Swimmers

As the festive season rolls around, life often becomes a whirlwind of travel, family gatherings, and indulgent meals. For swimmers, it can feel like a challenge to maintain any semblance of routine. Writing this week’s blog is helping me kill two birds with one stone—getting tips out to you while forcing me to finally plan my own training for the next four weeks of festive travel.

So, it’s a little self-serving, I’ll admit, but after weeks of being flat out launching the GURU x Garmin integration, my calendar has remained stubbornly blank. Hopefully, in sharing exactly what I’ll be doing, you’ll find inspiration to craft your own plan and keep swimming smoothly through the holidays.

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Quick Aside: Don’t miss our special 20th Anniversary deal on the all-new Swim Smooth GURU with Garmin integration! It ends tonight at midnight, and it’s a great opportunity to lock in discounted rates for the next 12 months.

The GURU currently costs £1.99/mo for the standard “Understanding” level and £8.99/mo for the premium “Routine” level (required for Stroke Insights℗ and other premium features). The new prices will be £2.99/mo and £11.99/mo from tomorrow (we also have pricing available in EUR, USD, AUD and CAN).

To take advantage: 1) ensure you have an existing account or have created one here; 2) complete your subscription here:

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A Festive Adventure Inspired by Living Fully

This year, my family and I are embarking on a bit of a bucket list trip. We’ll start in Manhattan, channeling the charm of Macauley Culkin in Home Alone 2 and the nostalgia of the Pogues’ Fairytale of New York. From there, it’s on to the wintry landscapes of Canada and the rugged beauty of Scotland to see my sister’s highland farm she bought during the pandemic seeking a change of pace in her life.

This trip was inspired by Bill Perkins’ book Die with Zero, which I’ve referenced in previous blogs. It’s all about making sure you enjoy the fruits of your labor while you’re young, healthy, and able to share those moments with your loved ones. With our teenage kids on the verge of becoming “too cool” to hang out with Mum and Dad, we wanted to seize this opportunity. After a tough few years, it feels like the right time to prioritize experiences over everything else—you only get one shot at this life, right?

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The Challenge: Training While Traveling

While the trip is an incredible opportunity, it does pose a challenge: staying swim-fit for the Rottnest Channel Swim on February 22nd. With just over 10 weeks until race day, this is crunch time, and I’ll have only 38 days to prepare when I return. But rather than stressing, I’m viewing the trip as a chance to mix purposeful training with unique experiences.

Here’s how I’ve planned it all out to keep my swimming on track—and how you can, too.

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1. Map Out a Realistic Schedule

The first step is to grab a blank calendar and mark the days you’ll realistically be able to swim. For me, that means:

• Morning sessions: Swimming early before the family is up and about.

• Shorter sessions: Keeping swims efficient to balance training with holiday fun.

• Flexibility: Being prepared to adapt if plans change or opportunities arise.

Consistency beats perfection. A few shorter swims are better than chasing an overly ambitious schedule that adds stress to your holiday.

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2. Research Local Pools and Open Water Options

Knowing where I’ll swim at each stop has been crucial. Platforms like Places2Swim are excellent for finding pools. Here’s my plan:

Manhattan: Swimming with the Red Tide Crew

I’ll join the Red Tide crew at John Jay Pool—a friendly group known for their camaraderie and solid training sessions. Beyond swimming, I’m excited to meet Dan Daly, a strength and conditioning expert specializing in swimming, and Marty Munson, a longtime Swim Smooth follower and coach.

Connecting with people like Dan and Marty makes training on the road so much more rewarding. It’s not just about keeping fit; it’s about sharing knowledge and building relationships in the Swim Smooth community.

Montreal: Swim Smooth Clinic with Bart Rolet

In Montreal, I’m teaming up with Bart Rolet, Head Coach of Swim Smooth Montreal, for a 1-day Swim Smooth Clinic on January 5th. Bart will also push me through a grueling 5km Red Mist session the next day. These sessions not only keep my training on track but let me contribute to the wider Swim Smooth mission of helping swimmers improve.

Scotland: Braving Loch Rannoch

When we reach the highlands, I’ll balance pool sessions at Aberfeldy Pool with open water swims in Loch Rannoch. Braving the icy waters will require careful preparation, including my HUUB Albacore wetsuit, gloves, booties, and a skull cap. It’s extreme, but the mental and physical resilience gained will be invaluable for Rottnest.

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3. Adapt to Different Facilities

Click here to seamlessly switch your pool settings in the GURU

Not every pool or location will match your usual setup, so flexibility is key. Here are some considerations:

• Pool size: Be ready for 25-yard pools or crowded lanes. With a swift change to your Swimmer's Settings under your profile in the Swim Smooth GURU, every session will automatically update to the pool length you’re swimming in—whether it’s meters or yards. Your target CSS paces and Red Mist Cycle times will adjust seamlessly, leaving the thinking to us this Christmas!

• Equipment: I’m leaving paddles and fins at home due to luggage limits, but my trusty tempo trainer is small and versatile enough to pack.

• Water temperature: Many pools in Canada and the UK run warmer than Perth’s 28°C, so I’ll bring extra hydration and cooling strategies—two bottles, one for drinking and one icy cold to pour over my face during harder sets.

A bit of prep goes a long way in ensuring your sessions stay consistent, even in unfamiliar facilities. By letting the GURU handle the details, you can focus on the swim itself.

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4. Simplify Your Sessions

Complex workouts with lots of equipment aren’t always feasible when traveling. I’ve selected straightforward sessions from the Red Mist Endurance and CSS Development libraries in the GURU. Printing these out ahead of time ensures I can jump straight in without procrastinating.

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The Joy of Mixing Training with Adventure

For me, swimming isn’t just about fitness—it’s what keeps me happy and grounded. Planning ahead allows me to balance the joy of holiday adventures with the satisfaction of staying consistent in the water.

This festive season, whether you’re traveling or staying local, take some time to map out a realistic swimming plan. Several consistent sessions, even short ones, will keep you feeling your best. And if you’re staying home, you might just find the pool blissfully quiet!

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Takeaway: Plan, Adapt, and Enjoy

1. Map out your travel days and plan swimming opportunities.

2. Use tools like Places2Swim to research pools.

3. Pack light but bring essentials like goggles, a cap, and a tempo trainer.

4. Print out simple sessions from the GURU library to stay on track.

5. Be flexible and enjoy the adventure!

This season is about balance: making time for yourself while creating unforgettable memories with loved ones. With a little planning, you can do both—and start the new year swimming stronger than ever!

Enjoy the holidays, and let’s keep swimming smoothly into 2025!