Can you Help me swim the 500 scy in the 5:50s? Workout tips please.
Former Member
Hi, I've been reading a lot of what you guys have to say and some of the people on this forum are really helpful.
First off, I'd like to say that I have TREMENDOUS respect for good long distance swimmers. I know what it feels like when I do a hard fast 29-33 second 50, and I can't imagine keeping that pace up for a 500...much less a 1650.
I was wondering if somebody could give me some workout tips for the 500 free (SCY). I'd really appreciate any insight.
Times (SCY):
I set a personal practice best last week with a 6:18 off the wall. I think I split (rough estimate from glances at the pace clock) 1:09 1:14 1:19 1:19 1:17.
My PB in 2001 was something like 1:05 1:14 1:17 1:18 1:15.
How do I reduce my fatigued race pace to anything around 1:10-1:12? Even when I try to take out the first 100 really easy, I still have terrible 3rd-5th 100s. Is it all mental, do I just need to bring it home tougher and sooner?
I've been working out 4 days a week about 3000-4000 yards doing things like 10 x 100s on 1:45 coming in on 1:15ish. I can sprint 50s off the wall in 28 or 29 on the 3:00 and I sprinted a 100 in 1:04 at the end of a hard grueling practice.
I can complete a set of 10 x 50 frees on the :55 coming in on 34-35 every time. Should I just keep trying to complete the same set with less rest?
I also tried 5x75 on the 1:30 followed by a 125 and I held a 36 second 50 pace the whole time which would equate to a 6:00 500 free.
I'll reiterate that I have tremendous respect for those people who can hold such fast long distance paces.
Thoughts?
Hey Chris, way back when I started swimming high school in Greece (the town not the country), my 500 time improved by 30 seconds in the first 2 months of practices (before the first meet), so you can see a lot of improvement from the right training.
As part of your workout, you should also try swimming 5x200s and 10x100s. Not necessarily at the pace you want to go for the 500, but still at a hard effort. You aim to keep your stroke efficient (even as you get tired), and to maintain the same (or faster) pace for the repeats. If you condition yourself to be able to handle a thousand set in practice, you will be able to handle a 500 on race day more easily.
Hey Chris, way back when I started swimming high school in Greece (the town not the country), my 500 time improved by 30 seconds in the first 2 months of practices (before the first meet), so you can see a lot of improvement from the right training.
As part of your workout, you should also try swimming 5x200s and 10x100s. Not necessarily at the pace you want to go for the 500, but still at a hard effort. You aim to keep your stroke efficient (even as you get tired), and to maintain the same (or faster) pace for the repeats. If you condition yourself to be able to handle a thousand set in practice, you will be able to handle a 500 on race day more easily.
