I took my 1500 m time in a 50 m pool 12 weeks before, and it was 31'42". Afterwards the 50 m pool I use closed for annual maintenance.
In these 12 weeks, I joined a squad and did 2 sessions per week, swam open water with a group every weekend, and also swam intervals on my own in a 25 m pool, with about 12 - 15 km total per week.
The 50 m pool I use reopened this week, so the first thing I did while returning was to take my time again, but the result was 31'13" - only 29 seconds improvement over 12 weeks! In contrast, I improved for 45 seconds in the preceding 6 weeks, from 32'27" to 31'42", and those 6 weeks were the weeks I newly joined the squad and I normally did only 1 session per week, and no intervals on my own.
I was targeting 30' and attempted to swim at an aerobic intensity which I thought I could sustain for 30 lengths, but I could only sustain my form for around 400 m. Afterwards, I felt my teres major were so tight that I couldn't perform my stroke well, my arms simply failed to execute my desired stroke even I reduced my stroke rate a bit, and the stiffness even persisted in the cool down after completing the set, and for another few hours.
According to my wearable, I was taking 31 - 32 cycles at the beginning, and 34 - 35 cycles at the end per 50 m length, while my stroke rate remained mostly the same. I was swimming at around 59" / 50 m in the 2nd to 4th lengths, then deteriorated to around 62" / 50 m in the middle, and about 65" / 50 m by the end.
The cumulative time as recorded by my wearable was follows:
250 m: 4'52"
500 m: 9'59"
750 m: 15'19"
1000 m: 20'31"
1250 m: 25'56"
1500 m: 31'14"
I'm very disappointed that, even after a few months of intense training, I still haven't reached 30' / 1500 m in long course yet. I'm taking a very expensive 1-1 professional analysis tomorrow, and hope that afterwards I can know all my technique problems and target them in the coming month in my own training, and get a jump in my speed.
TBH, you need to get some perspective. Have you even interacted with people who are swimming at an elite level? Seen the way they train and compete and their mindset in person? Have you even quantified what you consider to be "an elite standard?"
The standard I'm talking about is the national championship qualifying time in my country (9'50.29" for 800 LCM), and the one I met in his 40s did 9'30.23" in the FINA world master champ. He is the CEO of a telecommunication company and his training is insane (like 80 km a week). He trains in a 25-yard pool in a recreation club (a place which is considered the sign of the upper class) starting at 5:30 a.m. We have chatted for a while and find him so harsh that I dare not talk with him anymore.
TBH, you need to get some perspective. Have you even interacted with people who are swimming at an elite level? Seen the way they train and compete and their mindset in person? Have you even quantified what you consider to be "an elite standard?"
The standard I'm talking about is the national championship qualifying time in my country (9'50.29" for 800 LCM), and the one I met in his 40s did 9'30.23" in the FINA world master champ. He is the CEO of a telecommunication company and his training is insane (like 80 km a week). He trains in a 25-yard pool in a recreation club (a place which is considered the sign of the upper class) starting at 5:30 a.m. We have chatted for a while and find him so harsh that I dare not talk with him anymore.
