I have to tell somebody since I work out alone. I swam my first non stop mile today and I am proud as hell.
I did it with leg floats though. 35 25yd laps in 34 minutes.
What should my goal be for a good open water time for training. I am not competing, I just want to complete a 5 mile swim.
First, Congratulations on your first non-stop mile!!!
Barry makes some good points about open water training. Being comfortable and relaxed in the swim are important factors in having fun and finishing.
As for training for a 5-miler, keep up the distance swimming, working up to swimming the mile without the pull buoy (leg floats). To accomplish this, you may want to find a masters coach to help your stroke technique. Swimming with a pull buoy can improve your body position (raising the hips and legs) which is great as long as you can retain that position once you shed the pull buoy. I suggest you keep the pull buoy as a training aid, while working towards swimming a comfortable mile without it.
Also, swimming a 34 minute pace for 5 miles will have you finishing 5 miles in about 2 hours and 50 minutes. Make sure the race has fluids for the swimmers along the course. If possible try to drink at around the 2, 3, and 4 mile marks.
And good luck.
First, Congratulations on your first non-stop mile!!!
Barry makes some good points about open water training. Being comfortable and relaxed in the swim are important factors in having fun and finishing.
As for training for a 5-miler, keep up the distance swimming, working up to swimming the mile without the pull buoy (leg floats). To accomplish this, you may want to find a masters coach to help your stroke technique. Swimming with a pull buoy can improve your body position (raising the hips and legs) which is great as long as you can retain that position once you shed the pull buoy. I suggest you keep the pull buoy as a training aid, while working towards swimming a comfortable mile without it.
Also, swimming a 34 minute pace for 5 miles will have you finishing 5 miles in about 2 hours and 50 minutes. Make sure the race has fluids for the swimmers along the course. If possible try to drink at around the 2, 3, and 4 mile marks.
And good luck.
