what does it take to swim big distance?

Based on your username, I'll take a wild guess that you're aiming to swim the length of Seneca Lake? You might want to get in touch with Dave Barra (username chaos) who (I think) will be swimming a few of the Finger Lakes this summer. A reasonable rule-of-thumb is to aim to swim your target distance every week for at least several months. For a 35-mile swim, that's about 61,000 yards per week. That's a lot of swimming; but then, a 35-mile swim is a very long swim. It's certainly possible to do a marathon swim on less than the rule of thumb. I've done it myself. However, I'd say it's generally a bad idea unless you're a very experienced long-distance swimmer or have very efficient and technically sound stroke technique, resistant to injury. A cold-turkey 35-mile swim is pretty ambitious. Why not try a 10-mile swim first and see how it goes? Or turn the 35 miles into a 3-4 day stage swim? -------- www.freshwaterswimmer.com

When I look up distance swimmers, or at least a few, I get perplexed at the mix of findings. The "Big Man" in the river Martin Strel, Diana Nyad etc. etc. It is amazing to me to see the differences in body, age, work out routines. Pay no attention to the "big river man." I'm not sure what sort of "training" is required to swim down a river in a wetsuit, but it's probably not relevant to a 35-mile lake crossing.

If you want to drive east a few hours, several swims of different lengths are planned in the vicinity of Lake Memphremagog, VT, on Canadian border: www.kingdomswim.org Marcia Cleveland's book Dover Solo, available for purchase on the website of the same name or on amazon, details some of the training and planning that go into long swims. Mallory Mead, the USMS online open water swim coach, has an exemplary record. You might get some tips on the type of pool work to do by following her daily workouts (requires USMS registration to view).

what are nutritional options while underway? Almost infinite. Different strategies work for different people. But there are a few best practices - e.g., liquids generally better than solids, maltodextrins generally better than simple sugars, too many calories generally a bigger problem than too few. Find out what has worked for others and adapt it to yourself. Google is your friend. For instance, if you search for "marathon swimming nutrition," the first four results lead to articles I've recently written on this subject. Personally, I like Maxim (or equivalent unflavored maltodextrin) spiked with fruit juice. Whatever you decide, the important thing is to practice it well beforehand, preferably multiple times on long swims. If you intend to do a 38-mile swim in 6 months, it's already pretty late in the game. Many people spend years preparing for even a 20-mile swim, much less 38. ------- www.freshwaterswimmer.com

The short answer: TRAINING There are lots of different ideas about this, so... to be clear these are my opinions only. I averaged 35,000 - 40,000 yds per week for a year and a half to prepare for a marathon swim season. I know others who have had success with much less, and I know some who do a bit more. Everyone I know includes long swim sessions in their training so they may experiment with feeds, recovery, mental fatigue, etc. I would want at least a 15 hour swim in the bank and probably a "broken swim weekend" (2 consecutive days with the total being equal to the number of hours I expect the swim to take. ex: saturday 9 hours, sunday 9 hours) before attempting Seneca Lake... work up to it. I've done a little research on the Finger Lakes myself, so I can say I don't think there will be any assistance from wind or currents... at least not anything to count on. Train in colder water than you expect to encounter. Nights can be cool, even in the summer. Air temp can cool down a swimmer more than you think. Have hot/warm feeds available. You will need an easy system for your crew to follow. Read Blogs of Marathon Swimmers. Find training buddies. PM me... I know a couple of people in your area (I think) Yes you will need lights; for yourself and your crew (kayakers? boaters?). For the swimmer I recommend adventure lights... green. www.adventurelights.com/.../products.asp one on the head and one on the tail. Practice night swimming WITH YOUR CREW... include feeds, communication, etc. Decide how you want to do the swim... Traditional Channel Rules, or wetsuit Make sure your crew is up for the task... add a few hours to your anticipated swim time and consider that they will be on a slow moving boat for the duration. Lots more to consider, but SAFETY PLAN PERMITS INSURANCE SANCTION

Hmmmm...simple math just doesn't add up. 4000 x 4 days a week = 16000 yards 16000 / 1760 yards (mile) = 9.09 miles per week And you're planning to attempt a 30+ mile swim at one time in 6 months from now?? Honestly, you either need to change this goal swim, or you have to have a serious increase in pool/OW practice time. I've never done a long distance swim like that, but I can tell you that 4000 yard practices a few days a week won't cut it for a 30 miler swim. 4000 yard practices will barely get you ready for long distance pool swims. Need to up your swimming distances, and get time training in the outdoor OWs as well. Ya this is the problem. My work schedule is difficult to get around. It can be a challenge just getting the 4 days in. What kind of practice numbers do you think would be inline with a swim of this magnitude? 20 miles per wk? Do you use a equation to derive this?....i.e: if your goal is X you should swim Y? As stated above I'm not concerned with the time in which this is completed rather the endurance to complete the swim. The practices that I do now are a typicall mix - like a highschool practice...sprints, distance, etc. etc. I have done a few days of 3 hour swims. Typically I end these due to time constraints rather than fatigue. When I look up distance swimmers, or at least a few, I get perplexed at the mix of findings. The "Big Man" in the river Martin Strel, Diana Nyad etc. etc. It is amazing to me to see the differences in body, age, work out routines...... I don't know a lot about distance. Thats why I'm asking......

Ya this is the problem. My work schedule is difficult to get around. It can be a challenge just getting the 4 days in. What kind of practice numbers do you think would be inline with a swim of this magnitude? 20 miles per wk? Do you use a equation to derive this?....i.e: if your goal is X you should swim Y? Your practice goals should be to eliminate all variables. Your statement "I don't care how long it takes" is good attitude, but should not be considered a substitution for being "prepared" for how long it might take. There is no such thing as a leisurely 38 mile swim. If you can't schedule the training volume, I would consider some shorter swims this season. There are quite a few organized events available. In the 4-10 hour range... here are 7 www.8bridges.org ... or other Finger Lakes (non-events) SKANEATELES - 16 miles OWASCO - 11 miles CAYUGA - 40 miles SENECA - 38 miles KEUKA - 20 miles CANANDAIGUA - 15.5 miles

Thanks for all the input. I should have clarified... 38 miles is ambitious for sure! No question I will def. begin with shorter attempts. "should not be considered a substitution for being "prepared" for how long it might take". SO true. One of my concerns especially in the Finger lakes is the window of opp.. Depending on the spring it can take the water a while to warm up. not to mention the current/chop etc. etc. For any great distance I imagine sustaining core temp is crucial. Opinions regarding water temp, type of suit, etc. etc. Also,not to jump the gun here but I am curious, what are nutritional options while underway? Thanks again for all the info, Keep it coming!

Hmmmm...simple math just doesn't add up. 4000 x 4 days a week = 16000 yards 16000 / 1760 yards (mile) = 9.09 miles per week And you're planning to attempt a 30+ mile swim at one time in 6 months from now?? Honestly, you either need to change this goal swim, or you have to have a serious increase in pool/OW practice time. I've never done a long distance swim like that, but I can tell you that 4000 yard practices a few days a week won't cut it for a 30 miler swim. 4000 yard practices will barely get you ready for long distance pool swims. Need to up your swimming distances, and get time training in the outdoor OWs as well.

Opinions regarding water temp, type of suit, etc. etc. Most marathon swimmers adhere to the rules established by the CSA and CS&PF... One textile suit, cap, goggles, grease. My opinion is mostly in line with that of Mr Zoring's on page 4 of the latest Swimmer Magazine. Train (whenever possible) at or below the temperature you are likely to encounter for your swim. Increase exposure incrementally. Get a crew that knows what hypothermia looks like and knows what to do if they have to pull you.