Training for the 1500/1650: Suggestions?

This thread is very technical and intimidating, but to throw in my two cents ... I do a lot of long sets because I am usually training for distance and open water. These can get pretty boring (and I tend to zone out and slow down), so I pretty regularly do the following (mixed in with some 100's and 50's): It's a continuous 1500, but I break it down (in my head) into: 1x500, sprint the last 50 1x400, sprint the last 50 1x300, sprint the last 50 1x200, sprint the last 50 1x100, sprint the last 50 (all of this without stopping) This way you never have to think about the fact that you are swimming a 1500. The beginning of the set is spread out enough that I have to keep my focus and keep my speed up, and the end is compressed enough that I have to really work on my speed and endurance. You can get a lot of distance out of the way quickly, and it gets more fun as the sprints get closer together. As a side benefit for those interested in open water, this set also gives me a lot of confidence for unpredictable races, because I know that I can sprint through any currents I encounter and then get back into a comfortable distance groove. Sorry for not using any acronyms in this post :)

Acronyms and codes are not necessary, learn to use the clock and know how your body feels. These codes were developed by triathlete coaches in order to cash in on the suckers. I read this info 15 years and filed it in file thirteen. If you don't know what file 13 is - it is the garbage pail.

What about active rest sets? In Janet Evans' book, the entire section on anaerobic threshold training seems to be based on sets of varied intensity and active rest - sets like 1x100 at 80% effort with little rest, followed by 1x50 at low effort. There seems to be very little mention of this type of training in Mag's book, although I haven't read through all 10,000 pages yet.

DNF. That's what the final results will record for my first 1500 in three decades. Here's what happened. I was tapered and wearing a B70. I had planned to split it 5:15, 10:35 (5:20), 15:55 (5:20), 19:55. My first 400 was a 5:12 and felt easy, like a warm up. I was breathing every third and taking one SDK off of the wall on every turn. I was in lane 3; the guy in lane 2 was way out in front in 5:01, but the girl in lane 4 was even with me. The second 400 felt very good, and I established a significant lead over lane 4. I lost track of lane 2 but found out later that I was reeling him in (he finished in 19:20). I thought lane 4 had faded, but actually I had begun splitting 1:16s for a 5:06 for the second 400. Too fast. At the 900 I realized it was over, that I could not swim another 600, and I stopped at the 1000. My time, 12:52, converts to 11:35 (5:51/5:44) in yards, a Masters best, nearly 20 seconds faster than my planned pace. While the three hour drive to Dallas, the late start for the event (6:30 pm), and only one decent meal (breakfast) beforehand didn't help, my biggest problem was inexperience with this event. I have only swum the 1500 once before in competition, and that was back in the summer of 1978. On Saturday I swam the 400 free and went 4:47.14, a Master best by 0.6 seconds, splitting :34, :36, :36, :36, :36, :36, :36, :34 (2:23/2:24), finishing second overall and getting touched out by the 35 year old who had been in lane 2 for the 1500. The over distance training I have been doing definitely helped; I was able to sprint the last 50 and swam the whole race breathing every third. I plan to swim at least one 1650/week in practice and continue the anaerobic threshold training. Next time I will pace the mile correctly.

...my biggest problem was inexperience with this event. I have only swum the 1500 once before in competition Funny how your targeted threshold pace feels incredibly easy early in the event. Especially when well rested. I can't help but thinking that by slowing down the pace, you could have done a solid overall performance over 1500 but I also understand your reaction. When you write that you didn't think it would have been possible to sustain this effort for 600 more meters. What happened exactly. Your O2 accumulated deficit was too high? Question. Are you sure breathing every 3 early in this event is a good strategy for you? Again, it's possible that an uncontrollable accumulated o2 deficit be the cause of your problem. If it's the case then there's even a chance that you could have sustain this aggressive pace throughout the event. The great feelings you experimented early in the race suggest that your training had allowed you to handle lactate level very well. On Saturday I swam the 400 free and went 4:47.14, a Master best by 0.6 seconds, splitting :34, :36, :36, :36, :36, :36, :36, :34 (2:23/2:24), finishing second overall and getting touched out by the 35 year old who had been in lane 2 for the 1500. Very well done. Given your 4:47.14 and the fact that you train specifically for distance, I think you could have done U20 for sure. You may have expected to go as low as 19:30 (1:18). But keep in mind that elevated acidosis is one thing you want to stay away from since it can slow you down. You train to improve this. But high accumulated o2 deficit is also a major show stopper. It gets you to panic. So be very careful with your breathing strategies.

DNF. That's what the final results will record for my first 1500 in three decades. Here's what happened. I was tapered and wearing a B70. I had planned to split it 5:15, 10:35 (5:20), 15:55 (5:20), 19:55. My first 400 was a 5:12 and felt easy, like a warm up. I was breathing every third and taking one SDK off of the wall on every turn. I was in lane 3; the guy in lane 2 was way out in front in 5:01, but the girl in lane 4 was even with me. The second 400 felt very good, and I established a significant lead over lane 4. I lost track of lane 2 but found out later that I was reeling him in (he finished in 19:20). I thought lane 4 had faded, but actually I had begun splitting 1:16s for a 5:06 for the second 400. Too fast. At the 900 I realized it was over, that I could not swim another 600, and I stopped at the 1000. My time, 12:52, converts to 11:35 (5:51/5:44) in yards, a Masters best, nearly 20 seconds faster than my planned pace. While the three hour drive to Dallas, the late start for the event (6:30 pm), and only one decent meal (breakfast) beforehand didn't help, my biggest problem was inexperience with this event. I have only swum the 1500 once before in competition, and that was back in the summer of 1978. On Saturday I swam the 400 free and went 4:47.14, a Master best by 0.6 seconds, splitting :34, :36, :36, :36, :36, :36, :36, :34 (2:23/2:24), finishing second overall and getting touched out by the 35 year old who had been in lane 2 for the 1500. The over distance training I have been doing definitely helped; I was able to sprint the last 50 and swam the whole race breathing every third. I plan to swim at least one 1650/week in practice and continue the anaerobic threshold training. Next time I will pace the mile correctly. Nice 400 Gull, sorry to hear the reasoning behind the early departure from the 1500. There was a lot of speculation on deck about why you got out early, but I had no idea it was you swimming. You were having a very good swim up to that point.

I have been breathing every third in training so that it now feels more natural than every other, and my stroke is more symmetric with better rotation. But perhaps that pattern contributed to an oxygen debt. how often do you swim a 1500 or 1650 in training? try a breathing pattern of 2x right - 2x left.... a small difference (2 breaths per 5 strokes compared to 2 breaths per 6 strokes) but might do the trick.

how often do you swim a 1500 or 1650 in training? try a breathing pattern of 2x right - 2x left.... a small difference (2 breaths per 5 strokes compared to 2 breaths per 6 strokes) but might do the trick. Good idea. I played with that pattern a bit today. I never swim 1500s in practice. I think I need to change that.

In a 1500/1650 I breathe on the left side every stroke but rotate enough so my stroke is balanced. Why go short of breath? The shoulders rotate the head follows. If it is in a pool I glance at the right side of the pool during the rotation.

I never swim 1500s in practice. I think I need to change that. i never want to be surprised on race day, so for me that means lots of 1000's, 2000's, 2 miles, 5k's etc in practice. ignore all those shouts of "garbage yardage".....(sprinters can be so cruel)