How to Train For OW 10K

My $0.02, for what little it's worth... Since you can do 5k, you CAN do 10k. However... 1) Dave's comments about feeding are spot on. 2 hours is about the limit for anyone. You CAN finish a 10k without feeding - been there, done that - but it is miserable. 2) Get familiar with doing some longer swims at race EFFORT, not pace. You are trying to figure out the effort you can sustain since pace varies so much in the pool to OW transition. 3) Assuming that you aren't trying to set any world records, there are 4 physiological abilities that you will need to consider as part of your training plan: a) The ability to go from a stop up to race speed at the beginning of the race. b) The ability to maintain a decent pace for a long time in the middle of the race. c) The ability to increase your effort for relatively brief periods of time in the middle of the race to overcome conditions or competitors. d) The ability to finish strongly at the end of the race. It's b & c that you will be most interested in since that is where you will be spending most of your race. Since exercise/stress adaptation is fairly specific, a reasonable training program will include the type of things that help train those abilities. IMHO, longer paced swims (per Dave above and any number of variations), longer intervals (or shorter intervals with less rest) and the like are good for b. For c, I like doing longer swims where I throw in bursts every once in awhile. For example, 1 hour, sprinting 50-100 yards on every 5 minute mark. Or 2 hours, sprinting 200-300 on every 10 minute mark. Another trick I've used is to get to the pool about 30-60 minutes before master's practice, fill that time with a fairly hard continuous per one of the above and then do the master's workout, too. Rotator cuff injury prevention lifting is good, as is core strength exercises. Work your technique relentlessly - I always suggest watching the FIRST "Karate Kid" movie for this - the part where the old man has the kid paint his fence, wax his car and sand the floor is pretty much all you need to know about practicing technique and why. Plan ahead and BUILD towards the race. There are no awards for being in the best shape of your life in February only to be injured/sick/burhed-out by summer. I would guess that a 1:27 5k ability, with proper training and some feeding support during the race will get you in the 3:00 - 3:10 range; perhaps better. You CAN do it! Don't let the pool ballerinas tell you otherwise. -LBJ

My $0.02, for what little it's worth... Since you can do 5k, you CAN do 10k. However... 1) Dave's comments about feeding are spot on. 2 hours is about the limit for anyone. You CAN finish a 10k without feeding - been there, done that - but it is miserable. 2) Get familiar with doing some longer swims at race EFFORT, not pace. You are trying to figure out the effort you can sustain since pace varies so much in the pool to OW transition. 3) Assuming that you aren't trying to set any world records, there are 4 physiological abilities that you will need to consider as part of your training plan: a) The ability to go from a stop up to race speed at the beginning of the race. b) The ability to maintain a decent pace for a long time in the middle of the race. c) The ability to increase your effort for relatively brief periods of time in the middle of the race to overcome conditions or competitors. d) The ability to finish strongly at the end of the race. It's b & c that you will be most interested in since that is where you will be spending most of your race. Since exercise/stress adaptation is fairly specific, a reasonable training program will include the type of things that help train those abilities. IMHO, longer paced swims (per Dave above and any number of variations), longer intervals (or shorter intervals with less rest) and the like are good for b. For c, I like doing longer swims where I throw in bursts every once in awhile. For example, 1 hour, sprinting 50-100 yards on every 5 minute mark. Or 2 hours, sprinting 200-300 on every 10 minute mark. Another trick I've used is to get to the pool about 30-60 minutes before master's practice, fill that time with a fairly hard continuous per one of the above and then do the master's workout, too. Rotator cuff injury prevention lifting is good, as is core strength exercises. Work your technique relentlessly - I always suggest watching the FIRST "Karate Kid" movie for this - the part where the old man has the kid paint his fence, wax his car and sand the floor is pretty much all you need to know about practicing technique and why. Plan ahead and BUILD towards the race. There are no awards for being in the best shape of your life in February only to be injured/sick/burhed-out by summer. I would guess that a 1:27 5k ability, with proper training and some feeding support during the race will get you in the 3:00 - 3:10 range; perhaps better. You CAN do it! Don't let the pool ballerinas tell you otherwise. -LBJ