10km training schedule - 3 months out
Kane
Member
Hey guys,
I am completing in my first 10km swim in December. I would like some ideas/suggestion on what other swimmers do in regards to a more formal training schedule leading into the last 3 months.
I am a beginner swimmer who swims about 10-15km a week comprising of a variety of 500m, 1000m, 2500m and 5000m sets. I have trained hard for 9 months doing lots of technique and strength work (about 400km worth) and feel now is a perfect time to tackle this distance. I am not a fast swimmer and like most newbies I still stuggle mentally with the longer distance sets (thank god for my ipod and the ever shifting shapes of sand at the bottom of the pool).
My goals are to 1. complete the event in sub 3hours 10min (21min per 1km) and 2. prove to myself that i can mentally swim this far.
Any suggestions on set structure per week that could assist me in achieing my goals for the next 12 weeks would be very much appriciated.
Cheers
I am completing in my first 10km swim in December. I would like some ideas/suggestion on what other swimmers do in regards to a more formal training schedule leading into the last 3 months.
I am a beginner swimmer who swims about 10-15km a week comprising of a variety of 500m, 1000m, 2500m and 5000m sets. I have trained hard for 9 months doing lots of technique and strength work (about 400km worth) and feel now is a perfect time to tackle this distance. I am not a fast swimmer and like most newbies I still stuggle mentally with the longer distance sets (thank god for my ipod and the ever shifting shapes of sand at the bottom of the pool).
My goals are to 1. complete the event in sub 3hours 10min (21min per 1km) and 2. prove to myself that i can mentally swim this far.
Any suggestions on set structure per week that could assist me in achieing my goals for the next 12 weeks would be very much appriciated.
Cheers
Tagged:
Comments
http://www.markswims.com/2011/02/guest-post-ned-denison.html
13 week training plan here
http://www.outdoorswimmingsociety.com/documents/dart10k-training-manual.pdf
best of luck with it, and make sure to write up a report for us !!
ps - unfortuneately 21min per 1km will give you a time of 3hours 30min rather than 3hrs10
I tried to convince myself, but, orange flavour electrolyte, mixed with hot chocolate,
tastes nothing like Terry's Chocolate Orange ....
If the race won't have kayak escorts, then work on navigation and swimming straight. I'm a steady 3K per hour swimmer, but when in open water, that drops to about 2.8K per. I lose almost 10% solely from not being able to swim straight.
Good luck. It is fun!
We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams
We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams
Glad to hear i am not the only zig zagger out there IronMike!
I've recently taken to closing my eyes when I swim in the pool (I open them only to flip turn.) It encourages me to sight even in the pool.
We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams
With all the info i got from this post and the links provided i have put together my 13 week swimming plan. Here is a link to it: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ar3lxM1eONRfdEZWLTdObkZuMnVLX1B3eGxqVjlIVkE
This is very much tailored to my life in the next 13 weeks. i tried to get a mixture of short and long swims and increase the distances in the 8-12th week.
Feel free to comment, take it, etc.
I'm certainly no expert, having only done one OW 10K, one pool 10K (horrible), and a bunch of 5Ks. But these are questions that came to mind while reading your plan.
One thing I will say: For your open water practices, I would worry less about distance and more on practicing those skills that, at least for me, I find hard: navigation, peeing, drinking, fixing goggles, etc.
We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams
Timsroot - 25km WOW that is huge...i am probably well out of my depth here to comment but for what it is worth: i like 500s as a base distances with reletively quick turn arounds; 500m is short enough to see the stats (lots of sets to view), this particularly helps me with mental motivation. 500m is also long enough for me get into your grove especially if i am working on something.
Are you doing the Bale of Tortuga? I'll be there as well - hoping to use it as a qualifier for Rottnest.
http://notdrowningswimming.com - open water adventures of a very ordinary swimmer
I am. I swam their 5k this past April, and am swimming the one in October, too. The race was pretty well run, and the race director seems like a pretty good guy.
So my questions are;
1. how long does it normal take you guys to get back to 100% swimming fitness and
2. should i stick to my original training program and jump right into the scheduled 5km, 7km and 10km swims or alter it to build up my base again and then try get one or two longer swim in when i am feeling closer to 100% i.e. closer to the event?
I have just under 420km under my belt this year so mentally i know i have done the work; its now about that all important last few weeks! I am very excited about the swim!
Thanks guys, as a newbie to long distance swimming i really appreciate your advice.
Kane
We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams
The training schedule, and revised schedule after the flu was more than sufficient and I am pleased to say i had at least another 5km in the tank! I think the secret for me was lots and lots of 1km sets then breaking the actual swim into 1km sets.
Now to start training to double the distance, I am hooked!!!
Thx for the advice along he way guys!
Kane
We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams
Awesome job!! I know it's been a while since you've done this swim, but I'm 3 weeks out from doing my first 7.5km swim. I've also been swimming about 10 - 15km a week, like you did before this one. What advice do you have for the last 3 weeks before the first swim?
Did you end up feeding on the day? I've done a couple of cold miles in the past, but what should I expect from doing 5 of them at once?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks.
I have a 10k in precisely one month and I'm now going flat out prior to tapering. 4x 3.5 or 4k swims a week with 2x gym sessions on non swimming days. I'd like fit in a couple of runs as well but I'm listening to my body and if I don't have the energy, I don't run.
I've found that fitness isn't enough with MS, you need strength as well hence the weight sessions.
Thanks Kane.
Excellence is born of preparation, dedication, focus and tenacity; compromise on any of these and you become average.
- keep it dead simple...don't complicate your training, preparations, etc.
- your output is so dependant on what you eat. Eat well and drink lots of water.
- determine what you are going to eat during the race early on and practise eating that at ""every"" long swim thereafter.
- swim in a masters squad...speeds sets are essential to distance swimming and if you are anything like me i don't like completing them by myself.
- The most important part of your squad sets are the few kms after everyone has gone home. Practise swimming tired...alot!
- One day per week swim a double session. The morning set is a long anaerobic swim designed to tire you (i was doing 8km) whilst the afternoon swim is an aerobic squad style swim...short speed sets (4km).
- do 3 weeks of training then 1 week at one third to half the normal distance (aerobic swims only).
- don't forget your mental training...positive affirmations are gold during those dark moments in the middle of the sea...mine are: "Nothing Great comes easy", "pain is temporary", "long, strong, complete", and my favourite..."swimming is just like walking"
- And lastly
HAVE FUN
thats why you are swimming after all!!!!!
Other way around. Long sets are aerobic, speed sets are anaerobic.
@Quigley, only swimming three times a week for a 10 mile? You should be swimming five times a week. The weekly long swim won't really compensate for regular swimming.
loneswimmer.com
@warmwater - the first few weeks of double sessions are tough but it get easier as you go. I actually find the early morning swims before work very invigorating...i wish i had the up-and-go to do it everyday.
@Kane
Hi Kane,I loved your tips. Can you provide a bit more information on what you consumed during the long swims in the pool and what constituted a long swim when you were training for the 20k?
Also, what was the longest training swim you did for the 20k and how far in advance of the 20k did you do it?
I'm training for a 20k now. About six weeks out and just hitting my max swim of 15k this weekend.
Thank you!
Nikki