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.
Well I went 9:31 last summer so hot damn, you can classify me as "an elite standard."
Jeff, what's your 800 time?
I think I've only done maybe 1 or 2 800s in my swimming career and probably both before the age of 18 so I'm going to go out on a limb and say my 9:13 according to USA Swimming probably isn't relevant anymore :P
I think I've only done maybe 1 or 2 800s in my swimming career and probably both before the age of 18 so I'm going to go out on a limb and say my 9:13 according to USA Swimming probably isn't relevant anymore :P
Following USA-S rules regarding Sectional qualifying times: If it wasn't done in the past 24 months, we ain't counting it!
but I need to know if I am better or worse than before after all those squad training!
Actually, no you don't need to know that before entering the 5K.
If I am training properly I expect to get to elite standard in 5 years
Tough love coming: Just because you're an elite orienteer doesn't necessarily mean you're going to be an elite swimmer. Good on you for having a goal, but goodness...
I'll stick to what I've been telling you in this and the other forum: Just sign up for the dang 5k already and go enjoy yourself. Push yourself the hardest you can. (And buy some goggles.) See how far you can go in the time limit. You might surprise yourself.
Following USA-S rules regarding Sectional qualifying times: If it wasn't done in the past 24 months, we ain't counting it!
I don't have anything official longer than a 200 then! Oh, wait, I did splash around a 500 at Ozark SCY Champs this time last year... let's not talk about that though.
Actually, no you don't need to know that before entering the 5K.
I have signed up for 3 races in the remaining of the year now - that 5K with 1 hour 45 minutes cut-off, a long lake swim in Europe, and a cross-harbour race from Asia to Europe. Speed isn't an issue for the other two races, but I need to build up my endurance for the long lake swim.
I should be doing speed training now for the 5 km and really doing so in the last two weeks, but I have trouble now - the pool I use becomes too hot (29°C / 84°F). I can no longer swim at the speed / intensity I was doing before, and my speed has dropped by 15% - and cannot sustain long. For race intensity the best temperature for me is about 19°C / 66°F. The sea is still good for swimming now, but I don't know how I can do speed training in OW without the existence of exact distance. Can anyone tell me how I should do my training?
I don't compete in open water, so I may not be the best person to answer, but if I have a chance to train in the ocean I will take it. I go intervals by stroke count. I know how many strokes it takes to go a set distance at a set race pace so i use that. As an example, 30 strokes at 100 pace, then 15 at recovery pace, repeat. Like Fartlek for swimmers.