Guppy Challenge Returns!
Let’s get faster in the water! Faster, more confident, safer, with more economy. That’s been the theme of the Guppy Challenge since 2016, when we first produced this series of swim workouts in challenge form.
We’re back at it now in 2022 post-Pandemic. Let’s talk about the changes from past editions.
This is a 12-week challenge, a 2-week increase from the old 10-week format. If you’re in, go here and sign up for the Challenge (just like you would for the 100/100 Challenge, or the Big Kahuna Challenge).
For the first time, you can get your workout in 1 of 2 ways, and 1 of those ways is how you always get your workout: It’s written here. That’s also going to be a little different, because I’ve always just included the workouts in a table in each weekly article I write that goes on the front page. Now, each week’s worth of workouts will site on a Google Sheet. When I write my weekly article bloviating on one or another opinion I have about how you all should live your swim lives, I’ll link to the Google Sheet that contains that week’s articles, as well as each of the prior week’s articles. For this challenge you need goggles, a pool, a way to time yourself, and something to cover your nakedness. That's it! You may however want to invest in some implements (fins, kickboard, buoy) but that's not mandatory.
The other way you can get your workouts is via your FORM Goggles, if you’re a part of that ecosystem. Slowtwitch and FORM have gotten together on this, I did some back-and-forth with the coaches that set up their training plans for triathlon, and we have a set of workouts for you. Why?
First, I’m a FORM fan, because of specific things (health-related issues) that cause me to rely on that goggle's tech . Second, because FORM is a Slowtwitch Partner. Third, because a huge number of Slowtwitchers are already FORM users. And fourth, just like your Wahoo RIVAL or Garmin 945 will track and record your run, which appends to STRAVA, which syncs down to our Training Log, the FORM goggle provides that. For the first time, swimmer’s don’t need to enter their swim workouts manually (either on STRAVA or Training Peaks, or on our Training Log). If you think FORM goggles might be for you, go here and sign up for a FORM subscription (the goggles are no-charge beyond the subscription charge) and if you type in slowtwitch (just “slowtwitch”, without the quotation marks) your price will come down by 20 percent.
To be clear, the Guppy Challenge is full-featured for you and is no-charge from us, just as it has always been, regardless of the goggle or tech you use. Just, if you use a FORM goggle this just gives you a second way to get your workouts.
I’m going to write my typical article each week focusing on the thing I want you all to do differently than you’re doing it now. We’ll have our usual “fix my stroke” thread on the Reader Forum, where the seasoned swimmers on Slowtwitch analyze the video of your stroke and offer guidance. We’ll host our Guppy Challenge thread, which we’ll curate, and answer any questions you have.
There will be 3 official workouts each week. In my weekly articles I’ll give you some options for extra credit, and the way you “win” the Challenge is by distance, so, if you want to win, the extra credit is how you do that.
And that’s about it! You have just over a week to get yourselves ready. So, Zoomers, paddles, buoy, whatever you need, now is the time! Each workout will be in the neighborhood of 1,800yd to 2,600yd, on average; each workout will have a plan and a strategy; and because there are only 3 “mandatory” workouts a week you won’t sacrifice run or bike fitness. We begin a week from today, June 6th.
