Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

This is a long, monostructural couplet with a skill-dependent middle segment. The total work favors strong aerobic engines, but swimming adds technical demands and shoulder fatigue many CrossFitters don’t regularly train. Most will finish between 26–36 minutes if paced well; the 40-minute cap pressures transitions and sustainable pacing without redlining early.

Benchmark Times for Run Swim Run (2)

• Elite: <24:00
• Advanced: 26:00-28:00
• Intermediate: 30:00-32:00
• Beginner: >40:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Endurance (9/10): Two long runs and a moderate swim create a sustained aerobic effort with minimal rest, emphasizing cardiovascular capacity and efficient breathing control over an extended timeframe.
• Stamina (6/10): Repetitive lower-body work from running and continuous shoulder/lat engagement while swimming demand muscular endurance, especially if posture and technique degrade under fatigue.
• Speed (5/10): Athletes should hold a brisk but sustainable pace, using quick transitions and controlled cadence; opportunities for sprinting are limited to the final run kick if paced well.
• Flexibility (3/10): Basic mobility suffices for running, but effective swimming benefits from shoulder external rotation, thoracic extension, and ankle plantarflexion for better streamlining and kick efficiency.
• Power (2/10): Explosiveness is not required; brief accelerations off the wall (pool) or during turns are minimal contributors compared to steady aerobic output.
• Strength (1/10): No external loading and minimal force demands beyond propelling bodyweight through running and swimming; strength is not the limiter for most athletes.

Scaling Options

Scale to: Run 1,200 m / Swim 300 m / Run 1,200 m • Replace swim with 1,250 m Row or 3,000 m Bike • Swim 10 x 50 m with 10–15 s rest

Scaling Explanation

These options preserve the aerobic stimulus and sequencing while reducing volume or skill barriers, keeping total time and intensity comparable for varied abilities and swimming experience.

Intended Stimulus

Steady cardio with a strong, sustainable pace. The first 2,000 m run should feel controlled. The swim is smooth and efficient without long rests. The final run builds from steady to hard, aiming for a slight negative split. Breathing control, relaxed upper body, and crisp transitions keep you under the cap while pushing aerobic capacity.

Coach Insight

Pace the first 2,000 m at a conversational-to-steady effort you could hold for 5k. Settle into rhythm before pushing late. The one tip: Swim relaxed. Long strokes, consistent kick, and bilateral breathing to avoid spiking your heart rate. Avoid blasting the first run, standing around at the pool edge, or sloppy swim turns/sighting that waste time and energy.

Benchmark Notes

Times assume controlled 2,000 m run splits and competent but steady swimming. L1 likely reaches the cap. Mid-tier athletes (L5) target around 32 minutes. Top athletes (L9) push sub-24 by running fast but sustainable and swimming efficiently with minimal transitions and no pauses at turns or walls.

Modality Profile

This workout is purely monostructural: running and swimming only. No gymnastics or external loading is involved. The training effect is dominated by sustained cardio-respiratory demand, technique efficiency in the water, and pacing across the long run segments and transitions.

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