New to this forum, so hello!
I want to enter my first 1 mile open water swim event on July 9th, but I'm not sure if I'm ready. I've been swimming recreationally all my life but only recently have decided to get into this, so I've been training seriously for 2 and a half weeks. I can definitely do 25 laps nonstop in a 25 meter pool, and pushing myself can do 30.
Any opinions on if this is enough time? Am I fit enough or should I wait for a later event?
I'm going to train as if I'm going to enter and then see how I feel. Any recommendations for workouts in the three weeks till the event? If do three workouts a week, that gives me nine workouts.
At what point in those three weeks should I be able to do the necessary 70 or so laps?
Any recommendations on wetsuits?
Thank you so much,
Manny
Congratulations!! It is a great feeling.
I can say that sighting does become easier, the more you swim. I do practice sighting even in pool work outs. Usually I'll swim an 800 or 1000 and sight once per length. I work those swims in a week or two before the open water swim.
Another thing to practice is swimming straight. Try swimming some with your eyes closed to see which way you tend to veer. The smoother and more even your stroke becomes, the less you'll move off line. While I still have a slight push to the right, it is much less pronounced. The straighter you swim, the less often you have to sight. In the last three years, I've gone from the need to sight every 10 strokes to now where I sight every 30 or 40 strokes.
Finally, if you really want to read discussion on pool vs. open water stroke, open up this thread:
Stroke Rate & Stroke Length in OW - U.S. Masters Swimming Discussion Forums
If nothing else, this thread is proof that there isn't agreement on the subject. I can tell you that I've been working on some of the drills chaos shared, and it continues to improve my open water and distance stroke.
Congratulations!! It is a great feeling.
I can say that sighting does become easier, the more you swim. I do practice sighting even in pool work outs. Usually I'll swim an 800 or 1000 and sight once per length. I work those swims in a week or two before the open water swim.
Another thing to practice is swimming straight. Try swimming some with your eyes closed to see which way you tend to veer. The smoother and more even your stroke becomes, the less you'll move off line. While I still have a slight push to the right, it is much less pronounced. The straighter you swim, the less often you have to sight. In the last three years, I've gone from the need to sight every 10 strokes to now where I sight every 30 or 40 strokes.
Finally, if you really want to read discussion on pool vs. open water stroke, open up this thread:
Stroke Rate & Stroke Length in OW - U.S. Masters Swimming Discussion Forums
If nothing else, this thread is proof that there isn't agreement on the subject. I can tell you that I've been working on some of the drills chaos shared, and it continues to improve my open water and distance stroke.
