Hi all. I am about 8 weeks out from a 5K Lake Swim. I am a strong pool swimmer but never done this distance in "open" water - pretty new here. I am convinced I can muscle though it if need be, but would like to make a competitive age group showing.
I am training almost exclusively in pool, so looking for advice, links, or books on workouts, distances, pace, taper (?), etc. Thanks for any advice.
Do you have any experience at all in open water? Try to get some. If you include your location, others in the area can help you with places to practice. If you list where you intend to swim, others can tell you their experience (i.e., cold, jellyfish, choppy, easy).
forums.usms.org/showthread.php
I'm not sure what a "strong pool swimmer" is.
You need first to finish 3.2 miles. Practice going long in OW.
You are then interested in making a showing (which will depend partly on how many other ppl show up). Do some quality sprint work and quality kicking (intensity) 2-3x per week between then and now.
Look at 10kswimmer site, doversolo site.
Two years ago I took the plunge into some open water races thinking that I was strong enough from pool training throughout the season. I quickly found out that there is no substitute for training in open water. Now into my third open water season I still find myself spending probably too much time in the pool, but in the local lakes at least once or twice a week. I've learned some lessons, the first being that pool strength does not necessarily equate to a "good showing" on open water race day. If this is your first attempt at this distance, go in with a mindset of swimming your best, learning some valuable lessons and enjoying the event. Meanwhile find a partner and get in the lakes to figure out what 5K without walls is going to feel like. :2cents:
I haven't got this all figured out yet either, and now I'm also staring down the barrel of my first 5K in September at Big Shoulders.
I did a 5 mile open water swim ( La Jolla ) and had never swam more than 2.5 miles. I trained by swimming in the Ocean 2 to 3 times a week, and doing at least 2.5 miles each time. I got to a point where I could swim 2.5 @ a 34 minute pace and not be exhausted when I finished. My 5 mile race was fine,..up to 3.5 miles when I was nit exhausted, but tired and sort of depressed. Now....I have no fear of trying 6 miles.
you might try to search through the results of some recent open water events in the same area. this may help you identify other likely swimmers in your age group... your competition.
it would also be beneficial to do some open water sessions, practicing specific skills like sighting, drafting and passing.
good luck and have fun
For me, most of my open water training comes from the pool. I am lucky to train open water once a month from May to Sept. I went 1 hour 13 minutes plus last year at La Jolla Rough Water 3 mile swim (Gatorman) after swimming the mile an hour before. Most of my sets are long swims of 500s, 600s, 800s and 1000s on a given interval. What I did, on August 13th was 5 X 800 on the 12:00 descend 1 to 5. That is a usual set at least once a week and likely twice a week. I try to swim 6 times a week with weekly yardage goals of 25,000 to 27,000 yards. For me that works well. I also lift weights 3 times a week. Hope this helps.
My friend won the woman's division in the same race as Ron referred to (see above post) and swims 4 days a week. Three of those days are about 3-4,000 yds, one day is 5,000 yds. She only swims in the ocean during her races (except for the occasional jaunt), although she has done many OW races.
She said her workouts consist of some distance work (500's), yes, but one HARD kicking with fins set, as well as a set such as 10 x 100's, pace.
Nothing new, nothing excessive (IMO), but she can still kick bootie in long OW and pool races at 40. As far as I know she does no weight training.
Her comments gave me confidence that I can still finish a long distance OW race without special workouts (she and I are old teammates, both long distance swimmers).
I do a number of core exercises first to warm-up. These include doing a wood chop with a 14 lb medicine ball, 3 sets of 75 bicycle crunches, lifting 10 lb weights on a swiss ball. Bench press, pull over and curls are included on the swiss ball. I then move to a machine and do sitting rows, where you pull a fixed weight towards yourself while sitting. I do 2 sets of 15, next I go and use the rope that you grab in each hand and work the tris. I next go and to climbing with 17.5 pounds weights. Then I do hammer curls. Followed by lat pull downs 2 X 15. Next, is 45 degree leg press, again 2 X 15. Followed by leg curls, followed by leg extensions. Finishing with a seating calf raises. I have only seen this machine in one place I really like it. Hope this helps.
Do not go out with the masses, that is very good advice. One there will be less hitting, kicking and goggle losing by following the herd. Also, justing by holding a steady pace you should be able to kick it in at the end as those around you are falling away.
Three days to recover from anything greater than a 1000 meters is not unusal for those of us greater than 36 years of age. If you can get a massage after the race that will help the recovery but let nature take its course with your body and rest.
Old Navy, what race are you doing this weekend? Thanks in advance.
Not Old Navy, but Lake Monona, Madison, WI, is August 23rd. You can swim the 2.4 miles as USMS Championship competition swim or as non-Championship swim.
www.usms.org/.../
