Hi, I'm very new to this forum, but glad I stumbled across it.
I am a long time runner (avg 30-40 miles/wk), grew up around the water, but not swimming competitively, or even training. I've recently stated swimming freestyle regularly 2-3 times a week and am up to a longest swim of approx1000-1100 meters. there is a 2 mile openwater charity swim that I want to complete (not race or win, but complete) in 10 weeks.
Can anyone suggest a progressional workout to take me from 1000M to 2 miles in 10 weeks? Or, a resource that I should checkout for something like this?
thanks so much.
I also swim and run, and for longer events in any sport (even biking), I'd suggest adding a little each time.
I'd do something like this:
week 1: 1200m
week 2: 1500m
week 3: 1800m
week 4: 2100m
week 5: 2400m
week 6: 2700m
week 7: 3000m
week 8: 3300m
week 9: 3500m
week 10: taper/event
It may be a bit ambitious, but I'd try to target that number for at least 1 workout per week (2 if you can). If you can get in to swim other times, I'd suggest shooting for 75% of that distance once, and another swim of 1000 or so, just to keep the feel.
The reason I show the progression to more than your event (about 3000m) is because there's a huge difference between pool and o/w swimming. If you can comfortably do a 3500m workout in a pool, you shouldn't have any problem doing 2 miles in o/w.
Prior to my first open water swim event (2.4 miles in a lake), I hadn't swum open water for years, and my longest nonstop swim was about 500 yards. I jumped off the boat, swam over to the start, and off I went, absolutely no issues. But maybe I'm the exception. I had been doing masters swimming with teams for about 5-6 years at that point, 4-5 workouts/week with each workout around 3,000 to 3,500 yards.
I find long continuous swims in a pool, especially solo, very boring. I'd rather do 6 x 500s @ 7:30 (an interval that lets me somewhat recover, 30-45 sec when I swim at 80%) than swim 3000 yards nonstop. Plus with the 6 x 500 you can mix up how you work the 100s in each, and do that last one all fast.
I also swim and run, and for longer events in any sport (even biking), I'd suggest adding a little each time.
I'd do something like this:
week 1: 1200m
week 2: 1500m
week 3: 1800m
week 4: 2100m
week 5: 2400m
week 6: 2700m
week 7: 3000m
week 8: 3300m
week 9: 3500m
week 10: taper/event
It may be a bit ambitious, but I'd try to target that number for at least 1 workout per week (2 if you can). If you can get in to swim other times, I'd suggest shooting for 75% of that distance once, and another swim of 1000 or so, just to keep the feel.
The reason I show the progression to more than your event (about 3000m) is because there's a huge difference between pool and o/w swimming. If you can comfortably do a 3500m workout in a pool, you shouldn't have any problem doing 2 miles in o/w.
Prior to my first open water swim event (2.4 miles in a lake), I hadn't swum open water for years, and my longest nonstop swim was about 500 yards. I jumped off the boat, swam over to the start, and off I went, absolutely no issues. But maybe I'm the exception. I had been doing masters swimming with teams for about 5-6 years at that point, 4-5 workouts/week with each workout around 3,000 to 3,500 yards.
I find long continuous swims in a pool, especially solo, very boring. I'd rather do 6 x 500s @ 7:30 (an interval that lets me somewhat recover, 30-45 sec when I swim at 80%) than swim 3000 yards nonstop. Plus with the 6 x 500 you can mix up how you work the 100s in each, and do that last one all fast.
