Hi all,
Wanted to run my training plan by you guys and see if you think this is possible.
Entering the 12 mile "Dam" Swim Sept. 23. River swim in Alabama. Water temp and conditions not an issue. It's USMS sanctioned.
Been a swimmer since age 6 and am now 33. Swam USMS since 2002. Am considered a strong swimmer (placed in top 10 nationally as high up as multiple 2nd and 3rd place in all strokes and events.) Done some open water 5K swims and enjoyed them and placed in top 1 to 2 of women.
This summer, focused on triathlons (sprint and olympic distance) and there was little focus on swimming. Have been training 2 to 2.5 hrs/ day 5 to 6 days a week among the three sports.
I've got 2 months to train. Was thinking of swimming 6x/ week for 1.5 to 3 hrs per session at moderate pace (usually, I train at a very high intensity but my races are short - like 400 yds and less). I will be cutting out all the tri training to train for this race. Goal is to finish. If I DNF, I'll not be thrilled, but I'll be more disappointed if I don't even try the race. I'm someone who will wake up one day and say, "I've got to do this - whether it be compete and win a tri/ swim a 400 IM/ try a 12 mile swim, whatever. . ." And I always get up and at least try it.
Do you feel this is a good plan and reasonable to try?
Also, was planning on hydrating 6 to 8 oz of sports drink every 30 minutes during the 5.5 to 6 hr swim along w/ eathing some gu packets every hour or so. I've not done a swim this long. Should be very interesting to see if I can hack it. Just want to be safe though and stay hydrated and nourished. Will have own personal motorized escort.
Thanks!! I've loved lurking here for the past several years.
Parents
Former Member
One more thing: Let your kayaker or boat do the navigation for you. It is exhausting to try to keep looking up/forward to either see where you are going or to see your kayaker/boat. For example, for me it works best to have the kayaker/boat on my right side (my preferred breathing side although I can easily breathe to the left if needed), have them 3-5 yards away and have the middle of the boat/kayak centered on my head. In that way, when I roll to breathe I only have to see where they are to know if I'm going straight or not. If they are ahead, you have to look up and if they are behind you, you'll have to do all the navigating. I go over this with the kayaker/boater at least twice before the race.
Keep in mind that you are mostly only going to be seeing out of one eye and have no real depth perception, so if you can just see the entire boat/kayak, you can use any apparent changes to tell if you are wandering a bit or not. i.e. If in one breath you can just see the boat and then on the next breath you can only see part of it, then either you are getting closer (wandering) or they are trying to turn you.
If you have some sort of agreement like this in place ahead of time, it usually only takes a little time (maybe 15-30 minutes) for you to get in synch with your boater/kayaker and saves a lot of strain on your neck and shoulders.
Good Luck,
LBJ
One more thing: Let your kayaker or boat do the navigation for you. It is exhausting to try to keep looking up/forward to either see where you are going or to see your kayaker/boat. For example, for me it works best to have the kayaker/boat on my right side (my preferred breathing side although I can easily breathe to the left if needed), have them 3-5 yards away and have the middle of the boat/kayak centered on my head. In that way, when I roll to breathe I only have to see where they are to know if I'm going straight or not. If they are ahead, you have to look up and if they are behind you, you'll have to do all the navigating. I go over this with the kayaker/boater at least twice before the race.
Keep in mind that you are mostly only going to be seeing out of one eye and have no real depth perception, so if you can just see the entire boat/kayak, you can use any apparent changes to tell if you are wandering a bit or not. i.e. If in one breath you can just see the boat and then on the next breath you can only see part of it, then either you are getting closer (wandering) or they are trying to turn you.
If you have some sort of agreement like this in place ahead of time, it usually only takes a little time (maybe 15-30 minutes) for you to get in synch with your boater/kayaker and saves a lot of strain on your neck and shoulders.
Good Luck,
LBJ
