what does it take to swim big distance?

Former Member
Former Member
I have been swimming for some time now. I usually do about 4000 yards four days per week. I have never done a long distance swim. I'm not sure why but I have been tossing the idea around in my head to swim a 30-38 mile Fresh water swim at the end of August. I'm not concerned about the time it takes. I'm thinking I would need a support crew, nutrition while underway, lights etc. etc. I would appreciate any feedback and insight you could lend regarding workouts to build up, experiences, recommended suit, food, etc. etc. Lets hear it.
Parents
  • 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
Reply
  • 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
Children
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