I hope no one minds, but I could use your input. And if I repeat myself, it is for the benefit of any new people to this forum.
I am training for what I call an epic swim; a swim from the island of Roatan to Utila in August of 2008, the year I turn 60. The distance is about 19 miles. After months of not swimming by choice, I started re-training this past January 15th. Due to previous swimming injuries, I decided to not leap into it but to train smart so I don't have any downtime due to injury flareups.
In January, I only swam Monday-Wed-Fridays and the yardage started small. My total from Jan 15 to the 31st was 8,800 yds.
In February, I added a fourth swim day, Saturdays. I decided to make Mondays and Fridays drill and sprint days, and Wednesdays and Saturdays are distance days, many times I time them to see progress. My total yardage from Feb 1 to Feb 24th is 26,980 yds. There were 6 days in there the ocean was angry and the swims were of short duration.
Two weeks ago, I timed my 2nd 2 mile swim and it is down from a 54:07 to a 51:02 so I see progress, and not just in time but how trashed I felt hours after it. Last Wednesday, I timed a 1 mile swim and it was a 27:01 so that is rather slow compared to the 2 mile, but hey, we all have off days.
Since that time, I have been extremely fatigued, I actually did not swim this past Saturday because I needed the rest. It is difficult doing a load of laundry. Now, I do not take vitamins because there aren't any here but I plan on getting a suitcase full when I go home to Texas in April. Also, it is hard to hydrate during training because the little island kids steal my gatorade and water off a chair on the beach. But I am not sure how important hydration is for a mile or 2 mile swim, but when I get into the 4 milers and I am about ready to break into those, I guess I'll have to figure a way like wear them around my neck or something.
My questions are: do I need to incorporate periodization into my training routine (periodization is where you swim so many weeks on, and so many days off on a regular basis); what vitamins or replacement products would benefit me as I move upward into more mileage? The reason I am asking these questions is when I go home the end of April for a visit, I will be able to buy anything that may help my body regulate the training I am incurring. The only thing here is Gatorade and my problem with that is it may take so much of it, that my stomach will be sloshing around full of liquid; not a good thing.
Sorry this is long, but wanted to layout the groundwork. So, periodization, pros and cons? Replacement products? Vitamins?
Donna
Parents
Former Member
Okay, well...I am kinda inexperienced in this topic as well, and actually when I first came here it was in regards to a distance swim I was planning. My swim is not for distance but time. I have a undisclosed # of hours I plan to swim straight in August 2008 as well actually.
I suggest firstly that you post this question on the open water forum...they were very helpful to me...they also reccomended a real good book that I went out and bought and loved...
Open Water Swimming by Dean and actually Swimming to Antarctica by Lynne Cox was really good as well.
On to my knowledge...I was told that in long swims you need to hydrate/refuel every 30minutes. They suggested using the gels by I believe Hammer? They have a website where you can order bulk gels. These are light weight and you could easily swim with a few...they suggested if you swim in circut/lap...attaching it to buoys along your swim so that you can just grab one every time you reach that point and eat it while kicking on ur back...but I'm sure you could also attach it to yourself some way. (the gels are more solid so there isnt any slooshing around liquids in ur stomach)
I am just starting to take more vitamins and replacement products...but I don't know which would be good for your purposes...Id actually be interested to hear what everyone else has to say on that. I take a multi-vitamin, B6 and trying to get into Whey Protein...but so far all it's effected is my gag reflex...I also take joint vitamins actually.
And haven't heard anything of periodization.
Wish I could train out there in Honduras though...your definatly living the swimming dream:-) Good Luck!
Okay, well...I am kinda inexperienced in this topic as well, and actually when I first came here it was in regards to a distance swim I was planning. My swim is not for distance but time. I have a undisclosed # of hours I plan to swim straight in August 2008 as well actually.
I suggest firstly that you post this question on the open water forum...they were very helpful to me...they also reccomended a real good book that I went out and bought and loved...
Open Water Swimming by Dean and actually Swimming to Antarctica by Lynne Cox was really good as well.
On to my knowledge...I was told that in long swims you need to hydrate/refuel every 30minutes. They suggested using the gels by I believe Hammer? They have a website where you can order bulk gels. These are light weight and you could easily swim with a few...they suggested if you swim in circut/lap...attaching it to buoys along your swim so that you can just grab one every time you reach that point and eat it while kicking on ur back...but I'm sure you could also attach it to yourself some way. (the gels are more solid so there isnt any slooshing around liquids in ur stomach)
I am just starting to take more vitamins and replacement products...but I don't know which would be good for your purposes...Id actually be interested to hear what everyone else has to say on that. I take a multi-vitamin, B6 and trying to get into Whey Protein...but so far all it's effected is my gag reflex...I also take joint vitamins actually.
And haven't heard anything of periodization.
Wish I could train out there in Honduras though...your definatly living the swimming dream:-) Good Luck!
