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.
Parents
Former Member
Sounds great, let's both do the Sept. Splash! It would be great to see you there. As long as my daughter doesn't have some important event that Sat., (I'll know by early Sept.) I should be able to get away (I'd have to stay overnight before the race because it's about a 5 hour from here drive each way).
We're about the same in the body fat department, so it's good to know that you were OK without a wetsuit. At about 68 degrees it felt cooold at first but then it felt all right and up until near the end, when I felt the cold again, it wasn't too bad. Someone (sorry I don't remember who or on what thread; I'm new here and have been gradually reading past posts) said that wearing a neoprene cap without a wetsuit worked because a lot of heat is lost through the head. Maybe I'll try that. And I'm close enough to the beach that (hopefully) I can get there once a week to swim and get more acclimated to cold water.
If I'm going for the two mile, I need to pick up the training. Given the start times for the races, looks like this one allows for a 45 minute mile pace, but I don't know what my two mile pace is because in the pool I space out and lose track of time and how many laps I've done. But this looks doable. One mile or two, we'll have a great time. Maybe I'll make it two for two on finishing dead last :) which would be OK - my ultra long term goal is to be like the 82 year old man who did the 1 mile ocean swim. Now that is amazing. Not surprisingly, he got the loudest and longest applause for winning the 80+ age group!
Sounds great, let's both do the Sept. Splash! It would be great to see you there. As long as my daughter doesn't have some important event that Sat., (I'll know by early Sept.) I should be able to get away (I'd have to stay overnight before the race because it's about a 5 hour from here drive each way).
We're about the same in the body fat department, so it's good to know that you were OK without a wetsuit. At about 68 degrees it felt cooold at first but then it felt all right and up until near the end, when I felt the cold again, it wasn't too bad. Someone (sorry I don't remember who or on what thread; I'm new here and have been gradually reading past posts) said that wearing a neoprene cap without a wetsuit worked because a lot of heat is lost through the head. Maybe I'll try that. And I'm close enough to the beach that (hopefully) I can get there once a week to swim and get more acclimated to cold water.
If I'm going for the two mile, I need to pick up the training. Given the start times for the races, looks like this one allows for a 45 minute mile pace, but I don't know what my two mile pace is because in the pool I space out and lose track of time and how many laps I've done. But this looks doable. One mile or two, we'll have a great time. Maybe I'll make it two for two on finishing dead last :) which would be OK - my ultra long term goal is to be like the 82 year old man who did the 1 mile ocean swim. Now that is amazing. Not surprisingly, he got the loudest and longest applause for winning the 80+ age group!
