Great Chesapeake Bay Swim 2008

I'm still reading with interest here. I've decided to do the swim "sans rubber" for a variety of reasons and figure that if the water will be above 62F I'll be fine. Regarding workouts??? I switched from distance running to swimming about 2 years ago when the knees and ankels started to protest beyond reasonable pain. Swimming is the perfect endurance substitute for me because I can do it every day - pain free! So for the Bay Swim, my question for the group is more along the lines of gaining a better understanding of what I would gain from interval training vs. the long smooth workouts I've been doing for the past two years. I know I can improve my speed and form with intervals, but I'm wondering how much I'll need to change the 15K yard/week I've been holding as a base fitness level. I get in the long course pool about once/week and do 3K or 4K meters freestyle continuously. I also have a nice course I've been doing off the beach at Grandview Island - about 2.5K, but can't touch it this time of year due to water temp icecream headache/brain freeze. I'm really not worked up about going faster, but rather more concerned about making the distance. In my prior fitness existance I was a sub 3 hour marathon runner and have been applying the same principles of training (10 percent per week build with alternating hard/easy weeks), only I've left out the intervals - equivalant to track workouts for a runner, and am wondering what I might be missing in the way of endurance and ability to make the 4.4 mi without bonking. I guess I could develop/borrow a training sched... So there it is - a long litany of pontificating to maybe get some experienced swim fit folks to encourage another wannabe with some good advice on how best to plan for the event.

applying the same principles of training (10 percent per week build with alternating hard/easy weeks) Greg, Explain this to me in little more detail. 10% build/week interms of length or speed? Give me a schedule of what you would do and how far out to plan for the June 8 event. Because, frankly, I plan on doing exactly what I am doing now until 6 weeks prior. Then I plan on ramping up the yardage to 20K/week for 5 weeks with a 1 week taper--(5 days really). What are your thoughts? Paul

Paul, Sounds like your plan is similar to mine. I'm planning my ramp up at the 2 month point. I'm currently doing 15K yards/week as base. At 2 months prior, I'll up the yards by 1,500 over the course of the week topping out at something that gets me close to 5K yrds on two consecutive Saturdays ending 2 weeks prior with a one week taper at the end. Likely I'll add 250 to my Monday, Wed, and Sat (my long slow day) and keep Tue and Thur for some interval work. For alternating hard and easy weeks I'm planning on adjusting the type of intervals on Tues and Thur. Paul you need to keep in mind I'm new to swimming (only been doing this 2 years) and am attempting to use my runner's marathon training formula for this one. I'm pretty confident the training principles are the same. However, I'm here on this forum to glean all the advice that the more experienced folks have to offer. When I ran marathons, I NEVER trained at the 26.2 distance. My longest runs were 19 -21 miles and I only did 2-3 of those during the build up period. I ran them all under 3 hours and never had a problem with hitting any walls (doesn't mean I didn't learn that lesson during training runs though). I gotta say that this is new ground and a different sport so if you learn something or hear something intriguing, please share. My most important goal is to conquer this sucker. My biggest fear is having to be pulled out.

Scott, Where do you train up in Arlington? I'm moving up that way next week and will be living in Rosslyn. I'll still have access to my favorite places down in Hampton on weekends, so it is weekday morning/eves I'm looking for a place to train. Check out the Potomac Valley LMSC Website for places to train. Lots of options, and lots of fellow forumites to swim with. Plus some groups out in Annapolis who go out on the rivers during the spring. Congrats on the move!

My issue with continuing the GCBS is staying injury free. last 2 years I've had neck issues from the movement repetition. I also get a stiff neck every time I surf. I'm 56 and would like to keep it up. Any suggestions on neck stretches or workouts? One tip I'll share is that I've seen folks get cut feet from walking at the end. Swim it all the way In!

Scott, Where do you train up in Arlington? I'm moving up that way next week and will be living in Rosslyn. I'll still have access to my favorite places down in Hampton on weekends, so it is weekday morning/eves I'm looking for a place to train.

Where and when do folks start training in the bay? Is it even worth doing?

Salty, I just moved to the area as well. I'm hoping to find a pool within walking distance of Chrystal City. I used to sswim in Harford Conty, MD and swam in the Bay 3-4 times before each swim. Good to get rid of the black line and clear visibility. Good Luck, Scott

Treebx, Thanks for the information. I work just off 23rd/Clark St and will check it out tomorrow. (That is a lot closer than the Pentagon.) Now is the time to get back in the water for GCBS. Where in the Severn do you go? Any safety problems with boats? Scbe

SCBE- I work in CC also. There is a SCY pool at a health club at 23rd street on Crystal Drive. I don't know much about the hours though. I swim early AM prior to taking the train down from Baltimore. I start OW training in late May in the Severn River. Tree