There may be a new 10K OWS in my area next year and it's a swim I'd like to do if it actually materializes. However, I need to train for that. THe longest open water swim I have done is a 2 mile cable swim this past August. I've since swum 2.5 miles in a pool. (mentally boring but a good mental training for that very reason). I'm also planning on a 5K swim next spring as the next step in increasing how far I am going to swim in open water.
Come next spring, I can do longer swims in the Hudson with my husband accompanying me on his paddleboard. I haven't done that yet because I just learned about place where one can do that. Now that it is getting colder, I am restricted to the pool. Any suggestions how one can train for a 10K in a pool and then what is recommended in open water once it is warm enough again?
Any advice on feeds in a 10K would be great too. I can swim 45 minutes before I start bonking unless I've had a Hammer gel before a workout (then I'm good for longer than that.)
Thanks all for any tips, advice or other words of wisdom! :)
In 2008 I set myself a goal of swimming the St Croix 5 mi Coral Reef Swim in 2009, and found Penny Dean's book "Open Water Swimming" (Human Kinetics, Pub.) to be very helpful. The key was to build up to the ultimate distance in 1/2-mi / month increments, matching the race distance one month prior to the race. That is, if swimming 10 k in Dec, complete a continuous 10k pool (or ow) swim in Nov., a 9k in Oct, an 8k in Sept, etc.. I swam the 5 mi in 2009, and again in 2010 (not fast, I am now 63), and will be swimming again this October. My training after that first year has been to swim 2-3 two-mile continuous swims every week, plus a 30 x 100 or 15 x 200 interspersed for a changeup, and another day of kicking for a mile. I no longer find it boring, but rather meditative, zen-like (always been a daydreamer).
As far as feeding, the OW swims (> 1 mi) I've participated in always have water boats every mile; so I stick gel packs (1 for each mile) in the legs of my suit (w/a little pre-cut from fingernail clippers at the tear point for easy opening when wet), and when I get water, I take the gel and wash it down w/water, putting trash in water bottle and throwing back to boat.
Where is the 10 k you are planning on swimming?
Have fun, and I hope this helps...the Penny Dean book is pretty good for the mental prep as well...
In 2008 I set myself a goal of swimming the St Croix 5 mi Coral Reef Swim in 2009, and found Penny Dean's book "Open Water Swimming" (Human Kinetics, Pub.) to be very helpful. The key was to build up to the ultimate distance in 1/2-mi / month increments, matching the race distance one month prior to the race. That is, if swimming 10 k in Dec, complete a continuous 10k pool (or ow) swim in Nov., a 9k in Oct, an 8k in Sept, etc.. I swam the 5 mi in 2009, and again in 2010 (not fast, I am now 63), and will be swimming again this October. My training after that first year has been to swim 2-3 two-mile continuous swims every week, plus a 30 x 100 or 15 x 200 interspersed for a changeup, and another day of kicking for a mile. I no longer find it boring, but rather meditative, zen-like (always been a daydreamer).
As far as feeding, the OW swims (> 1 mi) I've participated in always have water boats every mile; so I stick gel packs (1 for each mile) in the legs of my suit (w/a little pre-cut from fingernail clippers at the tear point for easy opening when wet), and when I get water, I take the gel and wash it down w/water, putting trash in water bottle and throwing back to boat.
Where is the 10 k you are planning on swimming?
Have fun, and I hope this helps...the Penny Dean book is pretty good for the mental prep as well...
