Gull mentioned the one hour postal swim in the Elite vs. Fitness thread and rather than go further off topic over there I decided to create a new thread.
So one thing I've been wondering about is what is the best way to swim it? The obvious strategy is to just start out with a pace you think you can hold for an hour and go for it. Past experience has told me this isn't always easy, though! Has anyone tried it using repeats? For example, to swim 5,000 yards you need to hold a 1:12 pace per 100. What if instead of trying to swim straight you did 100s on the 1:12? Maybe I'm crazy, but I feel like maybe I could hold 100s on the 1:12, going probably 1:07-1:08 the entire time easier than I could swim for an hour straight at a 1:12 pace.
Another strategy might be to have a goal pace in mind and keep swimming until you fall off the pace, then rest some amount of time and continue. The question is whether this approach would actually allow you to swim farther over the course of an hour. It seems a little counterintuitive, but maybe it would work.
Parents
Former Member
Well I am not in ya'lls league but... Last year I entered and did 50 and 100 repeats for the entire hour alternating between each. All 50's were on the minute and the 100's were on two minutes. This approach had several benefits for me. My counter (my sweet wife) had a preset interval for each distance and I got plenty of rest. All she had to do was to keep me honest and count off each set as I went.
This year I have been experimenting and probably will try doing 500's by doing 100 free alternating with 50 back and split the odd 50. At the end of the 500 I will kick 50 back and repeat until 60 minutes has passed. From my practice in the pool this gains 2:30 on every 500 or another 100 yards or so based on last years repeats. The active rest does make a difference.
Paul
Well I am not in ya'lls league but... Last year I entered and did 50 and 100 repeats for the entire hour alternating between each. All 50's were on the minute and the 100's were on two minutes. This approach had several benefits for me. My counter (my sweet wife) had a preset interval for each distance and I got plenty of rest. All she had to do was to keep me honest and count off each set as I went.
This year I have been experimenting and probably will try doing 500's by doing 100 free alternating with 50 back and split the odd 50. At the end of the 500 I will kick 50 back and repeat until 60 minutes has passed. From my practice in the pool this gains 2:30 on every 500 or another 100 yards or so based on last years repeats. The active rest does make a difference.
Paul
