I've just met a top swimmer in my country who is now in his 40s, and he is in the top 5 of the national long distance swimming championships, not in the age group, but overall.
He mentioned that he trains about 80 km a week. I wonder how he can keep such amount of training in his working age, and I have found out that he is the CEO of a telecommunication company he created, i.e. he's an entrepreneur. He trains at a recreation club, i.e. a place exclusively for the upper social class.
However, even for me working in a standard 9 - 18 office job Monday to Friday, I cannot do more than 20 km a week, and recently due to the pool opening time (the pool I use opens 7:30 and closes 19:00 in winter), I can only do about 13 km a week, which is totally not enough for my target race (my target is to do 15 km race next year). If I need to do the channel afterwards I must convert my full time job to part time in the winter preceding my attempt in order to have enough training, i.e. live off my saving.
The life of an entrepreneur, with no doubt, is much busier than employed as a 9-18 office worker, how is he still possible to have 80 km training a week? This question is very offending that I dare not ask him directly.
It is possible - I did it for 7 weeks when I was 42.
The key is what Calvin said - you are totally motivated to do it and make it happen.
In my case, I was a VP of a small start-up and working every day about 60 hrs/week.
Swim schedule was 5:30 am - 7 am (about 5K) and then 8:30 - 10 pm (another 5-6K). So, not quite 80K, but close. Did it for 7-8 weeks in prep for the race I was focused on and then went back to the usual.
What is really crazy is what happens in the US during the February fitness challenge (see how many yards you can swim in 28 days). The record is in the 900,000 yard range. Last year's high was close to 700,000.
I bet he would love to explain his training to you - I doubt he would be offended. He is doing something pretty unusual and would enjoy the recognition.
The pools that I use, as part of my employee benefit which open unheated in winter, open 6:30 a.m. to 8:45 p.m. in summer the longest, and 7:30 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. between December and February. So I am limited to 45 minutes before work in these two months. I may consider changing my working hours from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. to 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. when I renew my contract the coming autumn. (When I signed up for this job, I just wanted to have swim training along with some other commitments in the evening, but I have nearly gave up all my evening commitments now as I set my goal to complete a marathon swimming race)
My target race is in January or February, i.e. the season which the pools I use open the shortest hours.
About the fitness challenge, 900000 yards in 28 days?! That's nearly a channel every day! Crazy!
It is possible - I did it for 7 weeks when I was 42.
The key is what Calvin said - you are totally motivated to do it and make it happen.
In my case, I was a VP of a small start-up and working every day about 60 hrs/week.
Swim schedule was 5:30 am - 7 am (about 5K) and then 8:30 - 10 pm (another 5-6K). So, not quite 80K, but close. Did it for 7-8 weeks in prep for the race I was focused on and then went back to the usual.
What is really crazy is what happens in the US during the February fitness challenge (see how many yards you can swim in 28 days). The record is in the 900,000 yard range. Last year's high was close to 700,000.
I bet he would love to explain his training to you - I doubt he would be offended. He is doing something pretty unusual and would enjoy the recognition.
The pools that I use, as part of my employee benefit which open unheated in winter, open 6:30 a.m. to 8:45 p.m. in summer the longest, and 7:30 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. between December and February. So I am limited to 45 minutes before work in these two months. I may consider changing my working hours from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. to 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. when I renew my contract the coming autumn. (When I signed up for this job, I just wanted to have swim training along with some other commitments in the evening, but I have nearly gave up all my evening commitments now as I set my goal to complete a marathon swimming race)
My target race is in January or February, i.e. the season which the pools I use open the shortest hours.
About the fitness challenge, 900000 yards in 28 days?! That's nearly a channel every day! Crazy!
