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?
Parents
Former Member
Great a 50 yr can whoop me, heh. Another rochester native Mattson?
Ok, last "practice" I did 3 x 5 x 100s on the 1:30 (and an extra minute rest between each set of 5), holding 1:12-1:16 for all. After that set I did 10 x 50 on the :50 holding :33-36 (this follow up set was really tough for me and I had huge urges to just stop and quit).
So it looks like the limit of my 100 pace time as rest approaches zero is about 1:18 right now. My 6:18 off the wall last week was a quick easy first 100 followed by 4 of these. Hmmm, I'm not feeling very fast!
EDIT: The FOLLOWING practice I tried all long distance to get a feel for my slowest maintainable pace and swam a 1650 in 23:00 (6:45 7:00 7:10 2:05 sloooow) followed by a 500 in 6:45, a 500 in 6:36, then a 500 in 6:40. I took them all out with moderate effort.
Great a 50 yr can whoop me, heh. Another rochester native Mattson?
Ok, last "practice" I did 3 x 5 x 100s on the 1:30 (and an extra minute rest between each set of 5), holding 1:12-1:16 for all. After that set I did 10 x 50 on the :50 holding :33-36 (this follow up set was really tough for me and I had huge urges to just stop and quit).
So it looks like the limit of my 100 pace time as rest approaches zero is about 1:18 right now. My 6:18 off the wall last week was a quick easy first 100 followed by 4 of these. Hmmm, I'm not feeling very fast!
EDIT: The FOLLOWING practice I tried all long distance to get a feel for my slowest maintainable pace and swam a 1650 in 23:00 (6:45 7:00 7:10 2:05 sloooow) followed by a 500 in 6:45, a 500 in 6:36, then a 500 in 6:40. I took them all out with moderate effort.
