I always thought it would be cool to be able to break 5:00 in the 500. While it would be a bit of a stretch I feel like it's potentially within reach and given enough of the right kind of training I could do it. That said I also feel like every second between me and the 5 minute mark is going to get harder and harder to knock off.
I've always been, and continue to be, more of a breaststroker than a freestyler. I have no ankle flexibility so I pretty much always need to deal with dragging two brakes through the water. I've never really trained seriously for free events even though I do try hard and consider the longer frees to be my secondary events.
To give you an idea I swim about 3000-4000 a day, probably realistically average 4-5 times a week. I can and will increase that over the winter as we head into the meets starting in January. Intervals average in the 1:15-1:20 range, sometimes dipping to 1:10. I can pretty comfortably hold 1:10-1:15 pace depending on the set. Doing a 1:00 100 from a push is hard but not impossible.
So far my fastest masters times in the 200 are 1:55 and the 500 a 5:18. I know I can go much faster in both, in that 200 I took water instead of air on the turn at the 100 and was choking and coughing for the last 100 and still somehow managed a best time. The 500 was the last event of a long weekend of swimming and I was exhausted. I bet I could have done a 1:53 and a 5:14 given better circumstances.
Anyway, any training tips or things to work on? Ideal way to split it? Is the 5:00 500 going to be ridiculously difficult or given enough training reachable?
Thanks guys. That and the :50 100 (I'll save that one for later) are two swimming marks I always wanted to check off my list.
Keep the suggestions coming!
I should've made another comment on technique beyond your question on kicking. If you can, get your stroke videotaped and analyzed by a strong, technique-oriented coach. This will apply to both your 500 and your 100. While masters does allow us years and we can still hit the weights, I think many of us can benefit greatly from technique work.
After watching myself swim (both above and below the water), I've been making a number of changes to my stroke with an aim to increase my stroke length and reduce inefficiences / slippages in my pull. There are loads of great videos out there to watch, too, of the pros and a number of technique-oriented videos. The more efficient you can get your stroke, the less energy you use and the more effective / powerful you can be.
Keep the suggestions coming!
I should've made another comment on technique beyond your question on kicking. If you can, get your stroke videotaped and analyzed by a strong, technique-oriented coach. This will apply to both your 500 and your 100. While masters does allow us years and we can still hit the weights, I think many of us can benefit greatly from technique work.
After watching myself swim (both above and below the water), I've been making a number of changes to my stroke with an aim to increase my stroke length and reduce inefficiences / slippages in my pull. There are loads of great videos out there to watch, too, of the pros and a number of technique-oriented videos. The more efficient you can get your stroke, the less energy you use and the more effective / powerful you can be.