For instance, if you are focusing on the 5k is your base workout 5,000 M?
How much of the distance comes from the main set?
I've pretty much settled in on the 2000-2500 distance three times a week during the pool season and then switch to longer sets for the summer.
Yesterday I got up to a 2800 yard set consisting of 2x200 on 3:20 and 1x 400 on 6:40, repeat, trying to maintain my goal 1:30/100 pace for a mile. I'm curious how far I away I am from the training I need for a 2 mile or even 5k. Obviously, I'm not trying to win or anything. I'm thinking I could possibly even do it now if I relaxed and went easy, but I don't know. I've never been able to get myself to just do a straight swim, unless I am in a lake (which I haven't been able to do yet this year).
Without knowing your background and typical training regimen it would be difficult to provide you a specific training guide. Unfortunately I don't think simple proportions work when training for this type of race. Our training this year for the 10K was about 60% more than our usual summer training for Big Shoulders (5K) in Chicago, not twice. By that correlation you can assume that we would train 11-14K/week for a 5K race if you want to use that as a guide.
Generally, I would recommend swimming around 3K a few times per week working a lot of aerobic sets into each workout but forget to mix in sprints, kick sets, and other strokes. A "test" practice of 4K may be worthwhile to boost your confidence heading into the race. Depending on how far out you are from the race, try to take every fourth week easy to allow for some rest and recovery. I backtrack from the target race allowing one week of taper preceding with three weeks of training. Continue that progression working backwards. The taper the week prior to the race is a true taper (I swam once for 1500m in the six days prior to this year's 10K.)
That should get you ready to complete the race and not be miserable during the race or during training. Good luck!
Without knowing your background and typical training regimen it would be difficult to provide you a specific training guide. Unfortunately I don't think simple proportions work when training for this type of race. Our training this year for the 10K was about 60% more than our usual summer training for Big Shoulders (5K) in Chicago, not twice. By that correlation you can assume that we would train 11-14K/week for a 5K race if you want to use that as a guide.
Generally, I would recommend swimming around 3K a few times per week working a lot of aerobic sets into each workout but forget to mix in sprints, kick sets, and other strokes. A "test" practice of 4K may be worthwhile to boost your confidence heading into the race. Depending on how far out you are from the race, try to take every fourth week easy to allow for some rest and recovery. I backtrack from the target race allowing one week of taper preceding with three weeks of training. Continue that progression working backwards. The taper the week prior to the race is a true taper (I swam once for 1500m in the six days prior to this year's 10K.)
That should get you ready to complete the race and not be miserable during the race or during training. Good luck!
