I've been training for my first open-water swim in a lap pool. The event is only one mile and I've been swimming it in about 29 minutes. Is that fast or not? I'm not entirely sure. Also, how does lap pool swimming translate to open water in terms of time. I know I need to take into consideration the sighting, temperature and not having walls to stop at/push off, but should I expect to swim it in 29 minutes? Or is that unrealistic?:cane:
i'd say you'll swim slower. But I don't think anyone can say to 100% either way.
it depends on currents too. a down stream river swim would be much faster. an up stream river swim would be much slower.
my best 1500m pool time is 20:00 and my best ow 3km is 36:40. it's really had to imagine trying to swim another 1500 after my frist but 4 min faster.
if the race allows wetsuits, then you will swim faster, but not sure if the total time will be faster.
then there is the race factor. do you train as fast as you can? if not then maybe you could swim faster in a race. I swam 2km out in the lake wednesday in 28:45 a nice an easy evening swim. i'll probably go out for a 3km swim sunday and it will take 43-46 minutes.
29 minute pool miles will mean you definitely won't finish last, and will likely finish in the top half of the field depending on that field.
My open water times often translate faster than pool times for a number of reasons including inaccurately set courses, currents, and the sheer joy of swimming outdoors in open water.
However, there are occasions when my open water times are much slower than pool times due to rough water and adverse currents.
Another immutable law of open water swimming: You will arrive at the event, and you will notice a bunch of chiseled young people looking ripped and ready to go. You will be intimidated by them. You will also not notice some squat guy built like an emperor penguin. When you finish your race you will sip on a beverage and laugh to yourself as many of the chiseled young people exit the water well after you. Then you will notice the emperor penguin being called to the awards stand.
LOL Coyote! 30 minutes is about my time for the mile, I am not fast by any means, but do finish in the middle (usually). To say if you will be faster or not depends on how accurately they measured the course, and your ability to stay on track....which is a skill I lack. YouTube - ‪IMG_0005.MOV‬
Dont be intimidated tho.... at my very first open water swim, a cable swim, a few years ago I remember this pretty young thing, about as big as ONE of my legs, running to the front of the pack before the start. Looking at her I thought "Wow, bet she is fast!" I will never forget the sight of her hanging onto the cable, sucking air as I swam by her 200 yards into the swim. Just hang loose and have a good time.:)
I've been training for my first open-water swim in a lap pool. The event is only one mile and I've been swimming it in about 29 minutes. Is that fast or not? I'm not entirely sure. Also, how does lap pool swimming translate to open water in terms of time. I know I need to take into consideration the sighting, temperature and not having walls to stop at/push off, but should I expect to swim it in 29 minutes? Or is that unrealistic?:cane:
I have only done the one OW swim round a very calm lake about 80F, more like a large pond really. It was 1500m and I finished in a little over 23 mins, which was about the same as I had swum a 1650yds in the pool in training earlier that week. I was a bit put off by the skinny minnies and muscular guys to begin with, but followed the lead kayak and was first out of the water! Sound's like you'll do fine - enjoy it - its a new and different experience:)
Which reminds me, I need to enter this year's race.
I've been training for my first open-water swim in a lap pool. The event is only one mile and I've been swimming it in about 29 minutes. Is that fast or not? I'm not entirely sure. Also, how does lap pool swimming translate to open water in terms of time. I know I need to take into consideration the sighting, temperature and not having walls to stop at/push off, but should I expect to swim it in 29 minutes? Or is that unrealistic?:cane:
What do you mean by a mile in the lap pool? In the pool, most people refer to 1,650 yards or 1,500 meters as a mile, but in open water they'll be using 1,764 yards. If you're swimming 1650 yards in 29 minutes, it would take you about 31 minutes to swim an actual mile.
I find it very hard to predict times for open water. Conditions make a big difference. Even on a lake, high winds can slow me down by 1-2 minutes per 1,000m. Also, there's no guarantee that the course is measured accurately.
I'm about the same speed as you, maybe a minute slower. I'm always thrilled to finish in the middle of the pack, but it depends on who shows up on race day. If the water is a little chilly, the slower swimmers tend to switch to the wetsuit division, leaving me at the back of a pack of penguins, mermaids, dolphins, sharks and every other variety of fast sea creature.
Good luck, and have fun.
LMAO.....I resemeble that remark ;)
I'm built more like a beer barrel on walking sticks. :)
I developed and proved that immutable law at nearly every open water swim I've entered when I would get psyched out over all of the buff looking youngsters preparing to enter the water. I almost always climb out of the water well ahead of them. It's the men and women built like penguins that I never noticed before the race who kick my ass.
Another immutable law of open water swimming: You will arrive at the event, and you will notice a bunch of chiseled young people looking ripped and ready to go. You will be intimidated by them. You will also not notice some squat guy built like an emperor penguin. When you finish your race you will sip on a beverage and laugh to yourself as many of the chiseled young people exit the water well after you. Then you will notice the emperor penguin being called to the awards stand.
LMAO.....I resemeble that remark ;)
emperor penguin that gives me en idea for a future tattoo. Can't say next tattoo since I've just got the designed finished for it. But maybe the one after that. I'll have to start looking at penguin pics.
