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.
But the fact is that he's now the top swimmer in the national champ even when he's competing with the youth together.
Not mutually exlcusive. Most of the best at what they do are a little insane about it. In fact, it's kind of a prerequisite. Doesn't mean it's something an average Joe should emulate.
THIS. Total agree with you. Twice on Satarday or Sunday makes sense. I swim also usually 20km/week with one day off and one day with only athletic or lifting without swimming..I have fun and I have a life...
Otherwise Mastersswimming becomes just another field for your ego where you have to prove somethings.
More than 40km a week is total absurd imo.
If you are doing channel swimming you have to train for 40 - 50 km a week though.
80 km a week is a sign of insanity. Full stop.
But the fact is that he's now the top swimmer in the national champ even when he's competing with the youth together.
I tend to get in most of my yardage/meterage over the weekend due to pool limitations and job schedule during the week. 80k per week for a typical masters swimmer is absurd, in my opinion.
If you want to get in your 20k per week you could consider a very long swim on Saturday--something like 10k. Swim 2,500 four more days per week and there's your 20k.
THIS. Total agree with you. Twice on Satarday or Sunday makes sense. I swim also usually 20km/week with one day off and one day with only athletic or lifting without swimming..I have fun and I have a life...
Otherwise Mastersswimming becomes just another field for your ego where you have to prove somethings.
More than 40km a week is total absurd imo.
If you are doing channel swimming you have to train for 40 - 50 km a week though.
A friend of mine swam the Catalina Channel a couple years ago. Next time I see him I'll ask what amount of training he was putting in before he swam it.
So a question for you uber long distance folks, probably mostly open water folks if any of you reading are in that category. What do you do about drinking while training? In one of my workouts "swim a 3,000 without stopping" was the main set. By 1500 yards I was parched. I just stopped at 2,000 because I desperately needed water. Was it the water temperature, or do y'all do something to stay hydrated?
A story I heard about Jim McConica (first person to break 1:40 in the 200 Free) when he was training for the Catalina swim - he would do 200 x 200 on 2:30 for training sets. That is one day.
I know Jim and never asked him if the rumor was true, but I know I used to do 80 x 100 or 40 x 200 sets in training for 5 mile swims. Given what I would do, I don't doubt Jim did 200 x 200.
As stated in other posts - it is all about your motivation.
So a question for you uber long distance folks, probably mostly open water folks if any of you reading are in that category. What do you do about drinking while training? In one of my workouts "swim a 3,000 without stopping" was the main set. By 1500 yards I was parched. I just stopped at 2,000 because I desperately needed water. Was it the water temperature, or do y'all do something to stay hydrated?
A water bottle is part of my practice kit every day. I don't ever train long enough these days to warrant a refill, but I will finish a whole 32 oz. size gatorade water bottle every practice. And usually I fill it and drink it dry again on the way home. In college, I would go through at least 2-3 bottles of water (32 oz) in a 2.5 hour practice. Now it's 1 bottle in a 1-1.5 hour practice (3000-5000 yards).
Now all that is for pool workouts. If I was swimming open water in the ocean, I bet I would be way thirstier, and obviously hydrating when open water swimming is a little more difficult.
But the fact is that he's now the top swimmer in the national champ even when he's competing with the youth together.
And who's to say he still couldn't be if he trained half as much?
I'm not going to say I'm close to being the top swimmer in my age group, but I have won national championships in distance free and I've never, ever averaged more than 20k per week in my masters career.
