Hi friends,
I am trying to get information from any of you who have done some very long ocean swims. I have one planned that will be 18 miles. I am reasonably confident at the training required, although any suggestions for that would also be welcome.
I plan on swimming upwards of 40 to 50 miles a week for it, regularly. I also plan on a long swim once a month (10 miles) and two weeks for recovery from that distance until my body understands that this will be a regular thing. On the 10 mile swims, one way will be with current, the return will be against it (can't wait!!).
My biggest question comes to the tapering for the 18 miler. How soon, what distances, etc., etc.
Any advice, other than seeing a mental counselor for my "temporary insanity" at choosing something like this at age 60, would be helpful!!!
Donna
Parents
Former Member
Great then !!!
Please keep us posted.
I can't wait to post some clips on dropshots (my You-Tube). Do you think you're going to have digital images?
As for the original question, in your case I would definitely favor work capacity over freshness, given that performance isn't really your number1 priority.
Say your potential best time at the moment (race fit, and rested) over
200m = 1.47m/s
400m = 1.35m/s
800m = 1.28m/s
3.2k = 1.18m/s
and so on...
This is what I call a speed/duration curve.
Most pool events belong to VO2Max energy system or even faster. In preparation for such an event, you need a sharp (steep) speed/duration curve. The speed for shorter events (left hand side of the curve) needs to be very high, with the side effect of lowering the performance level of longer events (right hand side of the curve). After all, what's the point of being able to book the 3.2k at 1.21, if you're preparing for a 400m...
But a marathon belong to the other extreme of the speed/duration curve. You need what we call a flat speed/duration curve. That means that as a marathon swimmer, you don't care about your performance over 50-100-200-400 (the left hand side of the speed/duration curve). Not at all in fact. You care about the extreme right hand side. The curve is solid. If you develop one side, the other will tip down. If you taper for the right hand side, the left hand side tip down, and vice versa.
You need tune yourself to become a "diesel" swimming machine. Reliable, no cramp, no energy bonk (running out of glucose/glycogen), no stomach issue. Not ultra-fast, but reliable and constant over extra-long distances. You need to stay away from chronical injuries too.
I'm not saying you have to perform the marathon with residual fatigue from past workouts. But rather than you should cut your volume enough to get rid of this fatigue, but so that you end up sharpening this speed/duration curve too much, as it may increase the risk of lacking ressources in the last half of the event.
Great then !!!
Please keep us posted.
I can't wait to post some clips on dropshots (my You-Tube). Do you think you're going to have digital images?
As for the original question, in your case I would definitely favor work capacity over freshness, given that performance isn't really your number1 priority.
Say your potential best time at the moment (race fit, and rested) over
200m = 1.47m/s
400m = 1.35m/s
800m = 1.28m/s
3.2k = 1.18m/s
and so on...
This is what I call a speed/duration curve.
Most pool events belong to VO2Max energy system or even faster. In preparation for such an event, you need a sharp (steep) speed/duration curve. The speed for shorter events (left hand side of the curve) needs to be very high, with the side effect of lowering the performance level of longer events (right hand side of the curve). After all, what's the point of being able to book the 3.2k at 1.21, if you're preparing for a 400m...
But a marathon belong to the other extreme of the speed/duration curve. You need what we call a flat speed/duration curve. That means that as a marathon swimmer, you don't care about your performance over 50-100-200-400 (the left hand side of the speed/duration curve). Not at all in fact. You care about the extreme right hand side. The curve is solid. If you develop one side, the other will tip down. If you taper for the right hand side, the left hand side tip down, and vice versa.
You need tune yourself to become a "diesel" swimming machine. Reliable, no cramp, no energy bonk (running out of glucose/glycogen), no stomach issue. Not ultra-fast, but reliable and constant over extra-long distances. You need to stay away from chronical injuries too.
I'm not saying you have to perform the marathon with residual fatigue from past workouts. But rather than you should cut your volume enough to get rid of this fatigue, but so that you end up sharpening this speed/duration curve too much, as it may increase the risk of lacking ressources in the last half of the event.
