Hi folk,
First off, anyone here familiar with the Great South Bay Swim?
Obviously, this year would be out even if the entries weren't closed, since my swimming distance lately is pretty modest. I swim about 3-4 days/week, but not far (1000-2000 yards or if feeling ambitious and have time, up to maybe 2200-2300).
I've done one mile open water swims in bays and oceans, not fast (38ish mins. was fastest). This swim is 5.25 miles, so I suspect it would be a reach to be able to swim this next year... but out of the question? Or would it be better to plan for two years? I also run regularly--about five days/week, including two interval workouts, long run of abt. 2.5 hrs--so I'm generally fit, if not speedy.
So, first question: do you recommend making this a two years from now goal or do you think next year is doable? Second, can you suggest some good training plans?
Note: although I'm currently swimming on my own, I expect to return to the masters' group I swam with during the winter/spring. (They change their location/time in the summer...doesn't fit my schedule). As for type of workout, I'm more or less winging it, depending on how much time I have to swim on any given day. The USMS site has yielded some helpful workouts, and my coach also e-mailed me a bunch of practices of different distances, but I suspect I'll need a more organized month-by-month plan to get from here to a 5.25 mile swim next year or the year after.
Sharkbait,
I'm trying to make the same decision re. the Sept. Splash. The two mile swim seems as if it might be a push (I think I could finish it but it wouldn't be pretty--hmmm... but actually my mile swim's not all that photogenic either, ha ha). Yet then I'd get a feel for something longer before the outdoor swimming season ends. The Sept. Splash, as I remember (been a few years) was a sort of circular course... can't remember that the current was a huge factor... I don't remember ever feeling I was fighting a current, nor can I remember feeling pushed along by one. I do remember the distinct difference in the out and back mile of the RBC.
As for lakes, I did a swim/run at a lake last year. The swim was 1/4 mile and the run was 5k. (Same event is tonight but I can't get there this year.) I'd done some lake swimming (not extensive, just "fun swimming") prior to this.
A few lake/ocean differences:
--Bouyancy: less of it in lakes--but if you swim in pools, it's not a big deal. Might feel odd going from salt water to lake swimming.
--No worry about breakers and tides... in a large lake, though, you might get choppy water. (Did a canoe trip in Maine/NH lakes which mostly were pretty calm but not always... but never got as rough as I've seen bays and oceans. Not familiar w/ swimming in the Great Lakes, but I'm told they have oceanlike conditions.)
--Visibility underwater. My experience with lakes is that they're more murky underwater than oceans/bays. A friend of mine HATES lake swimming for that reason... she'll take oceans any day. But for me it depends on the lake... if it's a fairly clean body of water, I can live with some murkiness... The ones I encountered during the canoe trip were lovely... very clean and enjoyable to swim in.
So, I guess it's the usual "six of one, half dozen of the other" idea, depending on what conditions you're more comfortable with. For me, saltwater bays give me the best of both worlds... the bouyancy, a little help (sometimes!) from currents, plus some visibility...but w/out the nervewracking aspects of ocean swimming. But it's a very individual thing, I think.
Hope I see you at the September Splash! If I can only do one, that one seems to best fit my schedule.
And, hey folk... those who have done longer distance swims, what kind of training plan did you follow?
Sharkbait,
I'm trying to make the same decision re. the Sept. Splash. The two mile swim seems as if it might be a push (I think I could finish it but it wouldn't be pretty--hmmm... but actually my mile swim's not all that photogenic either, ha ha). Yet then I'd get a feel for something longer before the outdoor swimming season ends. The Sept. Splash, as I remember (been a few years) was a sort of circular course... can't remember that the current was a huge factor... I don't remember ever feeling I was fighting a current, nor can I remember feeling pushed along by one. I do remember the distinct difference in the out and back mile of the RBC.
As for lakes, I did a swim/run at a lake last year. The swim was 1/4 mile and the run was 5k. (Same event is tonight but I can't get there this year.) I'd done some lake swimming (not extensive, just "fun swimming") prior to this.
A few lake/ocean differences:
--Bouyancy: less of it in lakes--but if you swim in pools, it's not a big deal. Might feel odd going from salt water to lake swimming.
--No worry about breakers and tides... in a large lake, though, you might get choppy water. (Did a canoe trip in Maine/NH lakes which mostly were pretty calm but not always... but never got as rough as I've seen bays and oceans. Not familiar w/ swimming in the Great Lakes, but I'm told they have oceanlike conditions.)
--Visibility underwater. My experience with lakes is that they're more murky underwater than oceans/bays. A friend of mine HATES lake swimming for that reason... she'll take oceans any day. But for me it depends on the lake... if it's a fairly clean body of water, I can live with some murkiness... The ones I encountered during the canoe trip were lovely... very clean and enjoyable to swim in.
So, I guess it's the usual "six of one, half dozen of the other" idea, depending on what conditions you're more comfortable with. For me, saltwater bays give me the best of both worlds... the bouyancy, a little help (sometimes!) from currents, plus some visibility...but w/out the nervewracking aspects of ocean swimming. But it's a very individual thing, I think.
Hope I see you at the September Splash! If I can only do one, that one seems to best fit my schedule.
And, hey folk... those who have done longer distance swims, what kind of training plan did you follow?
