Hi everyone, I'm hoping you might be able to help or point me in the right direction: I've been in the pool consistently training since Feb. Did the Chesa Bay Mile on Sunday, nice conditions. I'm very comfortable at this distance, in rough water. I'm at about 3k yards in the pool. I train about 3x per week in the pool. Here's my question -- there's a 3-mile ocean race I'd like to do in July -- about 7 weeks. I've never completed that distance. Is there enough time to increase my yardage w/o overtraining? If so, can you point me in the direction of a good plan? I honestly just get in the pool, swim whatever feels good and challenging to me, increasing yardage each week by about 10%. I don't think I can get away with this loosey-goosey style at 3 miles! Let me know what you think. Thanks!!!
I'll tell you what I did before my first 5K. I just swam the open water workouts in these forums. If your'e a USMS member, you can access them. If not, follow a plan like Swim Smooth or some other program you can find.
I don't think I ever did a 5K in the pool prior to my first 5K in open water. I just got my shoulder used to doing lots of stroking. I didn't worry about speed, but still did interval workouts, but did "longer" ones, like 500s. I knew I had the mental stamina to do the 5K, I just wanted to make sure my body could take that much time (I guessed 1:45) horizontal. In the end, the swim was no problem. I completed it in 1:48 or something like that. The problem I had was navigation. I wish I had a gps, because I probably really swam 5.5K or more.
Bottom line, search around in these forums and the marathon swimmers forums and you'll find lots of advice.
Good luck. What is the race, btw? If you're in the DC area, don't forget WaveOne's 5K and 10K in September at National Harbor. Very nice race; only problem is you have to do so many loops (4 per 5K) so you gotta remember what lap you're on!
I'll tell you what I did before my first 5K. I just swam the open water workouts in these forums. If your'e a USMS member, you can access them. If not, follow a plan like Swim Smooth or some other program you can find.
I don't think I ever did a 5K in the pool prior to my first 5K in open water. I just got my shoulder used to doing lots of stroking. I didn't worry about speed, but still did interval workouts, but did "longer" ones, like 500s. I knew I had the mental stamina to do the 5K, I just wanted to make sure my body could take that much time (I guessed 1:45) horizontal. In the end, the swim was no problem. I completed it in 1:48 or something like that. The problem I had was navigation. I wish I had a gps, because I probably really swam 5.5K or more.
Bottom line, search around in these forums and the marathon swimmers forums and you'll find lots of advice.
Good luck. What is the race, btw? If you're in the DC area, don't forget WaveOne's 5K and 10K in September at National Harbor. Very nice race; only problem is you have to do so many loops (4 per 5K) so you gotta remember what lap you're on!
