I have entered the Swim Around Lido Key event for April 14th. It is about a 7mile swim. The longest I’ve done previous is 3 miles, and that’s sorta like a long workout - took me 74 minutes. Seven miles is a bit longer and I’m wishing for some friendly advice.
Would anyone like to help me in my training for this? I’m wondering about the last week, or “taper week”.
I don’t think I should cut back to much less than 5-6000/day, but maybe I’m wrong here. I’m getting in 8-10,000 on Saturdays now, and have to limit my weekday swims to 5-6000 as it is. I just figure I want to be rested, but don’t want to over do the resting.
Thanks in advance!
Hi Celestial -
Good Luck and hope for calm conditions for the swim. You have only 2+ weeks to go. IMO, your current volume is ok and, even if it wasn't, it does not sound like you can increase it anyway, so don't change that aspect. You don't indicate the intensity level of your swims though which is the key part of any taper program - backing down on the intensity, so the body can rest. You also did not indicate if the practices include long, non-stop swims.
Having done a few swims of this length, this is what I would suggest for the next 2+ weeks:
a) Today - April 6: Keep the same training routine you have been doing. If you have not been doing any 1-2 hour non-stop swims, I would make 2-3 of these practices that kind of thing.
b) April 7: don't do 8-10,000 on this Saturday. Maybe drop back to 5-6,000.
c) April 8 - 11: I suggest keeping the volume about where you are at. if you have been doing some intensity training, reduce that amount by 50%. I would swim so your heart rate is in the "comfortable" aerobic zone - a pace you can maintain "forever."
d) April 12-13: Keep your volume up and only 800-1000 yards that is intense (less if you have not been doing that much). Use these two days to try the suit and googles you plan to use.
If you are wearing a wetsuit, chafing could be an issue (back of your neck), so you will want to have Glide or another equally nice lubricant. If you are not wearing a wetsuit, same thing applies to shoulder straps and suit underarm sections.
For swims like this, I never wanted to drop the volume like I would for pool races. BUT, I did drop the intensity and focused on smooth swimming. It is NOT the volume that will make you tired during these 2+ weeks, it is the intensity - especially legs.
Oh - almost forgot - if you are doing weights, dryland, bicycling, etc., cut all of that out for the final week. If your legs feel really tired from dryland/bicycling, you can drop that stuff even now. It takes legs a long time to recover from hard non-swim training.
Hope this helps.
Paul
Hi Celestial -
Good Luck and hope for calm conditions for the swim. You have only 2+ weeks to go. IMO, your current volume is ok and, even if it wasn't, it does not sound like you can increase it anyway, so don't change that aspect. You don't indicate the intensity level of your swims though which is the key part of any taper program - backing down on the intensity, so the body can rest. You also did not indicate if the practices include long, non-stop swims.
Having done a few swims of this length, this is what I would suggest for the next 2+ weeks:
a) Today - April 6: Keep the same training routine you have been doing. If you have not been doing any 1-2 hour non-stop swims, I would make 2-3 of these practices that kind of thing.
b) April 7: don't do 8-10,000 on this Saturday. Maybe drop back to 5-6,000.
c) April 8 - 11: I suggest keeping the volume about where you are at. if you have been doing some intensity training, reduce that amount by 50%. I would swim so your heart rate is in the "comfortable" aerobic zone - a pace you can maintain "forever."
d) April 12-13: Keep your volume up and only 800-1000 yards that is intense (less if you have not been doing that much). Use these two days to try the suit and googles you plan to use.
If you are wearing a wetsuit, chafing could be an issue (back of your neck), so you will want to have Glide or another equally nice lubricant. If you are not wearing a wetsuit, same thing applies to shoulder straps and suit underarm sections.
For swims like this, I never wanted to drop the volume like I would for pool races. BUT, I did drop the intensity and focused on smooth swimming. It is NOT the volume that will make you tired during these 2+ weeks, it is the intensity - especially legs.
Oh - almost forgot - if you are doing weights, dryland, bicycling, etc., cut all of that out for the final week. If your legs feel really tired from dryland/bicycling, you can drop that stuff even now. It takes legs a long time to recover from hard non-swim training.
Hope this helps.
Paul
