What is your base workout vs. race distance?

RE: What is your base workout vs. race distance?

Former Member — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 15:07:52 GMT

The first time I swam 10K was when I forgot to stop at the 5K turn-around on my favorite swim. I got a little hungry. Not well planned out. I think if you want to race a 10K a bit more focused training would be in order.

RE: What is your base workout vs. race distance?

Former Member — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 14:57:16 GMT

slacker I was looking forward to your response. something like "average workout 17 miles, average race 31 miles"

RE: What is your base workout vs. race distance?

Former Member — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 14:29:22 GMT

I'm doing a 10 mile race in mid-October. Currently doing 17k p/wk which includes a 2 mile OW swim on each Saturday. The plan is to increase p/wk yardage by roughly 10% each week, until I hit 33k. I don't plan to go over 33k p/wk. However, the plan is to do a series of 2 hr, 3 hr and 3.5 hr OW swims as training progresses. In addition, I am incorporating light weight training (mainly for my shoulders) and some core work into my weekly regimen. I feel comfortable with all this for the 10 mile but am interested in thoughts. Depending on how the 10 mile race turns out, I have my eye on Tampa in April. Not sure whether I'll try for the full 24 or split a relay 12/12 or 18/6. Any thoughts on the weekly yardage volume necessary for pulling off the full 24? Any advice is much appreciated.

RE: What is your base workout vs. race distance?

Former Member — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 06:25:17 GMT

slacker it turns out that wasn't a very successful training plan. Back to the drawing board.

RE: What is your base workout vs. race distance?

ViveBene — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 02:53:57 GMT

it turns out that wasn't a very successful training plan. Back to the drawing board. Maybe your plan could include getting a nanny, and moving closer to the lake? I had to up my conditioning to do the 3-mile Kingdom Swim; did 3+ miles in pool a few times before, not quite 3 miles in lake a few times. Other things need work, LOL! Added, with major distaste, some drylands. :agree:

RE: What is your base workout vs. race distance?

orca1946 — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 12:18:42 GMT

5 x 500 in a pool or find open water & do 1 mile repeats on the 30 - 35 min.

RE: What is your base workout vs. race distance?

Jeff Maydak — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 10:32:32 GMT

Mistos, if you're training 35K/week then you're more than ready to attack a 10K race. I just posted a 2:30 in a 10K - in calm, warm water - and never trained more than 23K in a week. I started the year with 6K in January and 20K in February so I didn't start the year with much base conditioning either. Two years ago while training for a 25K swim I only eclipsed your weekly average once. You should have plenty of base under you for a 10K.

RE: What is your base workout vs. race distance?

Former Member — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 10:50:45 GMT

Hello to all ! I really love OWS and my training is always in sea (lakes and swimming pools are too far away from the small town I live !). Sea temperature allows me to train 6-7 months a year. So, my base daily workout is 4-6 km (depending on weather, because it's often windy here) ... 7 days a week, it's about a 35 km weekly distance. I am 37 yrs old, I can swim 5 km in 90 minutes approximately. Unfortunately, although I train since 1994, I have not participated in a race yet ... I believe that I could try a 10 km race, is it true ? I would like to ask some more experienced members, is there a suggested ideal base workout/race distance ratio ? Thanks a lot !

RE: What is your base workout vs. race distance?

Former Member — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 14:01:27 GMT

Thanks a lot Jeff! 25km would be waaay out of my range, and 10km is definitely too. But if I'm looking to train for 5km, maybe halving what you did for the 10km would be an approximate start? Most of my summer swimming has been outdoors, just working on building up endurance. Do you think if I progress to a long swim of 4km (ie 1km repeats with small rests in between) that will be good or should I work on getting in several 5km swims? I'm just looking to complete it and have fun! Thanks again!

RE: What is your base workout vs. race distance?

Jeff Maydak — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 10:29:43 GMT

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!

RE: What is your base workout vs. race distance?

Former Member — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 13:14:37 GMT

Does anyone know of any training plans to follow to prepare for a 2-5km Open Water Swim? Many thanks! :-)

RE: What is your base workout vs. race distance?

Jeff Maydak — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 09:45:49 GMT

A little background: I'm more a SCY swimmer than anything but have gotten increasingly into open water swimming over the past five years. I've participated in numerous races from 1 mile to a 25K. I just competed in the 10K National Championship last Saturday in Indiana; our team hosted the event and we had 10 swimmers complete the 10K. Although each of our training varied somewhat, we generally trained about 20K or so each week spread out over 4 practices usually spending 1 day each weekend completing the 5K course (with some stops along the way). The rest was in a 50m pool. I never exceeded 6500m in a day but routinely swam 5-6K in a 2 hour practice. A lot of the pool practices varied with descending intervals and or distances. We rarely swam anything longer than 500m at a time. I was happy with my performance finishing seconds under 2:30. Two years ago while training for the 25K (which we also hosted), I swam six days each week slowly building my yardage between short course pools, a long course pool, and open water training. The last month of training I was over 30K each week peaking at 43K two weeks out from the event. That race was more mind over matter and I was simply out to finish the event which I was able to do but my body felt like I was in a car wreck. Should I have trained more? Perhaps, but I was in the water 8-12 hours per week as it was. I'm not sure when I would have found more time to train.

RE: What is your base workout vs. race distance?

Former Member — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 13:52:17 GMT

I swim a wide range of freestyle events from the 50 free to 4.5 mile OW swims. So it really depends on what event I'm prepping for. By nature I'm mid-dist to distance swimmer so I do a combination of "quality" sets and "distance" type sets. By "quality" I mean anaerobic stuff. I believe its also good to mix things up no matter what your specialty. I will still train some IM and some Fly just to break things up. My age group coaches (Olympic coaches) always believed that it can only help you specialty to train some other strokes....IM and Fly always gets my HR up and gives some muscle confusion. Swimming cross training! Occasionally a KICK set may be my main set....not fun walking afterwards! My distance usually doesn't vary that much (4000-6000 a session), but what I emphasize will. Some of the hardest practices can be the shortest and vice versa.

RE: What is your base workout vs. race distance?

Former Member — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 14:11:28 GMT

My base for the 10 mile Kingdom swim this year will be 2000-3000m. slacker

RE: What is your base workout vs. race distance?

Former Member — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 13:38:22 GMT

My base for the 10 mile Kingdom swim this year will be 2000-3000m. Fortunately, they give a prize for last place.

RE: What is your base workout vs. race distance?

Former Member — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 16:07:11 GMT

Allright, I've now logged 3 lake swims of 60-70 minutes. I'm thinking I can make a 5k which I think will take me roughly 90 minutes in normal conditions. Does that sound about right if I just swam a 1500M in 25 minutes? I'm at a 3000M pool set and think I need to bump it up to 4000 within the next 5 weeks. The yardage in the lake actually seems easier than a pool without the flip turns and a pace clock. I almost feel like I can go forever at the right pace but never tested it. I'll do 1-2 aneorobic and 1-2 yardage sets per week. Does this sound reasonable?

RE: What is your base workout vs. race distance?

srcoyote — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 10:27:04 GMT

What you're doing is very reasonable. I have done a few 5K's training very similarly to you (although I never got a shot at the lake training). I do workouts of 3600y occasionally mixing them in with longer workouts of about 5500y. In the month leading to the 5K swim, I tend to mix more of those in. You're way ahead of me on mixing in the an-aerobic stuff. Every now and then I get the hankering to go faster so I mix some of those in, but that lasts about 2 weeks before I revert. I swim at a similar pace per 1500m and finish my 5K's in about 75-80 minutes (I'm sure I've had current assistance in some way). I'm with you. Lake swimming is much easier for me than pool swimming. I don't handle breath exchanges well in and around turns.

RE: What is your base workout vs. race distance?

mjtyson — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 12:02:21 GMT

I swim a wide range of distances, all depending upon how early I've gotten up and how early I have to get to work. The range is 3000-5000. I manage 15-20K a week, when I'm not out for work or sick (currently suffering otitis externa, stupid swimmer's ear). My OW experience is limited; I completed the Jim McDonald Lake Swim (1-mile) in May and will compete in the Swim Super Series 1500 in London. My longest this year will either be the Christianborg Round in Copenhagen (2K) or the Hellespont Europe-to-Asia swim (3-4K current-assisted). Bottom line: my daily yardage exceeds my race distance.

RE: What is your base workout vs. race distance?

srcoyote — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 09:27:54 GMT

I typically train at about 3500 yards 4-5 times per week with once or twice a week going up to 4500-5500 yards if prepping for a 5K. My target per 100 time is about 1:25. So I think you could actually prep for a 5K without too much extra yardage added on.

RE: What is your base workout vs. race distance?

Former Member — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 10:23:40 GMT

That's good data ChrisM. It looks like with a couple of lake swims of 45-1hr I would be in shape for a 2 mile. Then if I want to get crazy and do a 5k I've got to do 10x500 and/or get an MP3 player and give up flip turns. I will stick to finding a 2 mile for now.

RE: What is your base workout vs. race distance?

Former Member — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 07:28:23 GMT

I've only done 2 to 2.4 miles, but that is based on normal weeks of 2 x 3000 yds in masters plus 1.5 - 2 miles OW (so approx 26-3200), with a max of 4000-4500. If I were swimming 5Ks, I'd probably go 4000 per with a bump to 5K in the big weeks