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training for a distance

Scott Seibert

So, I know for marathons and some other long distance events you don't actually run the distance during training. At least if your goal is just to finish. So what is it for swimming? I'm doing a 5 mile swim in August. Do I need to do several 5 mile swims prior to this event? I have no illusions of finishing top half or even top of my age group or anything. I'd like to not be the last finisher though. So, I'll repeat myself, during training do I need to have swum 5 miles prior to the actual event? 

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  • I concur with you on the distances of training runs for a ‘foot race’ marathon. When in a training cycle for a full marathon I would generally build up to a distance of about 22-24 miles a few weeks before the actual race, and then begin to taper. But, with regard to marathon swims (10k or more), I tend to do more long swims during my build-up, and actually like to do the full race distance at least once…at least ‘weeks’ prior to the actual race. But I’d do pretty much the same with a shorter swim (like your 5-miler).
    One of the things that is of more importance to me is doing a long swim (not necessarily actual race distance) in conditions similar to what race conditions will be in the actual event. If the event is in a lake with calm waters, no currents/tides, mostly protected from the wind, etc…then you don’t have much to worry about. But if it will be choppy, wavy, large swells, headwind, tides or currents…then I like to have experienced that going into the event.
    Dan
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  • I concur with you on the distances of training runs for a ‘foot race’ marathon. When in a training cycle for a full marathon I would generally build up to a distance of about 22-24 miles a few weeks before the actual race, and then begin to taper. But, with regard to marathon swims (10k or more), I tend to do more long swims during my build-up, and actually like to do the full race distance at least once…at least ‘weeks’ prior to the actual race. But I’d do pretty much the same with a shorter swim (like your 5-miler).
    One of the things that is of more importance to me is doing a long swim (not necessarily actual race distance) in conditions similar to what race conditions will be in the actual event. If the event is in a lake with calm waters, no currents/tides, mostly protected from the wind, etc…then you don’t have much to worry about. But if it will be choppy, wavy, large swells, headwind, tides or currents…then I like to have experienced that going into the event.
    Dan
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