Training for Lap the Lake

Jace Morgan
Aug 21
3 min read

Pain, Purpose, and Pool Laps

There’s something really humbling about doing 320 laps in 25 yard pool.

Especially when your shoulders feel like overcooked noodles and your brain keeps whispering, “You could just stop right now and no one would know…”

But this swim — this whole journey — isn’t just about distance. It’s about discipline, discomfort, and discovering who I’m becoming in the process.

Where I’m At Right Now

Right now, I’m swimming five days a week, putting in about 5 miles per session — which adds up to 25,000 meters (or roughly 15.5 miles) every week. That’s just in the water.

Most of it's still in the pool (about 70%), but I’ve been getting into the lake more and more, especially as the date gets closer and the water cools down. Every time I slide into open water, it's a reminder of what I'm actually preparing for: the chaos, the cold, the weeds, the fish (which I hate, by the way — let’s not pretend I’m not terrified of seaweed draping over me mid-stroke).

Mental Gains > Muscle Gains

My body’s holding up surprisingly well — thanks to daily mobility, 3 massages a week, cupping, scraping, and eating like a freight train (4,500 calories a day, fueled by candy and BPN products). But the mental side?

That’s a daily war.

boy and girl getting ready to swim — Bre thinks i'm crazy but she still loves me 💜

The first 10–15 minutes of every swim, I want to quit. My brain fires off every excuse in the book. I wonder why I’m doing this at all. But then I remember:

My daughter Bre, who watches everything I do
My wife Rikki, who’s my coach, crew chief, and partner in every sense
And you — the people watching, supporting, and maybe being inspired in your own life

I tell myself, “This isn’t just about you anymore.”

It's like a free TED Talk in my head — hosted by Goggins and my own dark inner voice. It’s loud. It's messy. But it works.

i'm Not Just Swimming

Here’s what my average training week looks like:

🏊‍♂️ 5 swim sessions (up to 8k meters per session)
🏃 35 miles of running
🚴 120 miles of biking
🧘 1 hour of mobility per day
💆‍♂️ 3 massage/recovery sessions weekly
🥶 1 hour of contrast therapy (Sauna/Cold Plunge 4 days per week)

I train like it’s my job — because, well, it is. I’m treating this like a professional mission, even if the only paycheck is pride and purpose right now.

My Next Benchmark

I’m currently pushing toward a big training goal: Comfortably swim 50% of the total distance of the full 14-mile Lap the Lake swim in a single training session.

Once I hit that milestone, I’ll feel like I’m really in the zone.

After that, it’s all about refining technique, testing gear, and dialing in the mental game for the long haul.

The (I'm not crazy) Funny Stuff

No one wants to train with me. Literally everyone thinks I’m nuts.
I’ve started naming the seaweed patches in the lake just to make peace with them.
The goggles marks may be permanent.
Yes, my arms hate me. Deeply. Passionately.
I have long debates in my head with imaginary podcast guests while swimming. Sometimes I win, sometimes they do.

Why I’m Still Doing It

This journey is already changing me. It’s making me more patient. More focused. Hungrier. More me.

This swim isn’t just a fitness challenge — it’s the next chapter of who I’m becoming. And every stroke, every mile, every doubting thought I overcome is a page in that story.

I don’t want to just swim around the lake. I want to be proud of myself. I want to inspire.