Why are training swims so long??
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2009-04-03 2:49 PM |
Extreme Veteran 582 Denver, CO | Subject: Why are training swims so long?? I will be starting my HIM training in a couple of weeks and I was looking at the plan and was wondering about the swim workouts. Why are they so long? More specifically, if the race distance is only 2112yards, why are some of the swim workout in the 3000yd range? I guess I'm confused b/c the bike and run workouts aren't that much higher than the actual race distances. I know it's wise to train at distances above the actual race distance to build endurance, but is it really necessary to swim that much over the actual race distance?? |
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2009-04-03 3:00 PM in reply to: #2061236 |
Cycling Guru 15134 Fulton, MD | Subject: RE: Why are training swims so long?? A typical swim workout is in the 45 - 60 minute range. It allows you to get in a warm up, some main set work that may be focusing on endurance or speed or stroke, and then a cool down. Because swimming is "no impact" you are able to get more work down with less stress on the joints. The best way to know that you can "do the distance" is to have over-distance training under your belt. But with the cost of recovery for longer runs and even some rides, it is not always possible. With that said though, I will almost always have ridden close a 100 or so a few times before a HIM and will have run almost if not more than 13 in my typical long runs. It all depends on your abilities and background/base. |
2009-04-03 3:08 PM in reply to: #2061236 |
Expert 773 northern, ky | Subject: RE: Why are training swims so long?? Swimming is fairly easy on your joints and stuff being non impact. Plus your training swims probably aren't non-stop, so with interval training you'll want to add some more yardage to make up for the fact that you are stopping for 5-10sec every hundred. Follow the plan and I'm sure you'll see big improvements. |
2009-04-03 3:09 PM in reply to: #2061236 |
Champion 7595 Columbia, South Carolina | Subject: RE: Why are training swims so long?? I can't say from a physiological perspective, but I can say that for me personally, I am OK with not having done the full distance (for longer races such as marathon) before the race in run and bike. But no way on earth would I get in the water and swim a distance in a race that I hadn't done before, (and even exceeded). That's probably due to lack of experience on my part, but for me the psychological difference between swim and the other two disciplines is huge on this point. |
2009-04-03 3:22 PM in reply to: #2061236 |
Alpharetta, Georgia | Subject: RE: Why are training swims so long?? Agree with everyone so far, but had to add this. When I was looking for a new HIM training plan, I glanced at the 16-week Intermediate plan on this site (silver level) and saw that on Day 1, it had a 4750yd swim. That just seemed silly to me.
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2009-04-03 3:23 PM in reply to: #2061236 |
Champion 7553 Albuquerque, New Mexico | Subject: RE: Why are training swims so long?? I rarely swim less than 2000 yards (about 40 minutes), so I either skip the swim workout altogether or stretch it to 2000 (sometimes longer). Impact and recover are part of the equation, but so is the fact that the swim portion of the race is so much shorter that it's hard to train and not exceed the race distance. Swim distances in the various training plans do not scale directly with race distance. You'll probably find that OLY plans are also in the 3000 yard range for their longest swims even though the race is 1500 meters. Similarly, my IM training plan calls for my longest swim to be 4500 yards (107% of race distance). I do have considerably more 3000+ yard swims planned than I did for my HIM. |
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2009-04-03 3:28 PM in reply to: #2061236 |
Extreme Veteran 582 Denver, CO | Subject: RE: Why are training swims so long?? Thanks everyone for your responses. Swimming is my weakest link (but it's getting better!) and I'm very nervous about swimming the HIM distance (but it's not until Sept...so I have lots of time!) I actually can't wait for May to roll around so I can get some OWS practice in instead of just swimming laps at the gym. Don't get me wrong, I will definitely train for the full distance and slightly above. I guess my question stems from the fact that I have 2 young boys and with my schedule, I have to swim in the early AM which puts time constraints on how long I can actually swim for. I was just wondering if swimming THAT much over the actual distance is really necessary. Thanks again for your input! |
2009-04-03 3:30 PM in reply to: #2061236 |
Subject: RE: Why are training swims so long?? I only train for sprints (and Olys this year) and always swim at least 2500 yards in practice - I've done as many as 3200 in one session. Sure, you could go and swim the race distance just straight each time you get in the pool, and yeah, you'll get better eventually. But doing sets and drills, etc, is more effective, I feel. Last night at tri team practice, our swim workout had us do a 1000 straight swim. Then a bunch of speed sets. So we all know we can swim 1000 straight. Some days, we do longer sets, some days we do lots of shorter sets, of varying degrees of exertion. |
2009-04-03 5:16 PM in reply to: #2061236 |
Expert 1187 Ontario | Subject: RE: Why are training swims so long?? Looking at your planned training you have one of the 3200 yard swim workouts on May 3, but this is also a 1 hour swim session so the average is 1:52minutes/100 yards. If you can swim at this speed then it's only a 1 hour session but if you are slower it will be longer. I think you need to look at the goal of the particular swim workout and decide if you will do the total yardage or stop at the 1 hour mark. For most of us I think we like to finish the distance even if we go over the time allotted in the plan. |
2009-04-03 5:33 PM in reply to: #2061236 |
Champion 19812 MA | Subject: RE: Why are training swims so long?? I have quite a few friends training for their first HIM using one of the two BT plans. Both seems to have huge swim volume and the beginner one is relatively low on run/bike volume especially if you are a women or slower person. I have suggested to others to do the swims from the beginner HIM plan and the run/bikes from the other plan. I'm training for HIM in 14 weeks and IM about 10 weeks later and those doing same race and following BT plan are swimming longer than I am currently. |
2009-04-03 5:37 PM in reply to: #2061236 |
Subject: RE: Why are training swims so long?? Accdg to your logs, you can get about 2K in 45 mintues or so, we're only talking another 20-25 or so minutes. I am a FIRM believer at the HIM/IM distance to train the swim HARD. Yes, it is a smaller percentage of the race but (1) as others have said, you can go overdistance without the same strains as bike and esp. run and (2) there is a huge difference in the rest of your day between "surviving" the swim and getting through the swim feeling as if it's an easy warmup. |
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2009-04-03 5:48 PM in reply to: #2061555 |
Elite 2608 Denver, Colorado | Subject: RE: Why are training swims so long?? And the correct answer is: ChrisM - 2009-04-03 5:37 PM there is a huge difference in the rest of your day between "surviving" the swim and getting through the swim feeling as if it's an easy warmup. For my second tri, the swim was only 500m (Rattlesnake Sprint; I recommend as a warm up to your HIM) but each workout I swam at least 1500, and had a few workouts of 2000 and 2500. Overkill? Maybe, but that 500m swim felt like a warm up. Made the day much more enjoyable. BTW, are you doing the Harvest Moon? |
2009-04-03 6:12 PM in reply to: #2061236 |
Extreme Veteran 582 Denver, CO | Subject: RE: Why are training swims so long?? Thanks again everyone...you all make perfect sense! I guess I'll just suck it up and get up a little earlier so I can get the distances in! |
2009-04-03 7:13 PM in reply to: #2061299 |
Expert 958 Mississippi | Subject: RE: Why are training swims so long?? lisac957 - 2009-04-03 3:22 PM Agree with everyone so far, but had to add this. When I was looking for a new HIM training plan, I glanced at the 16-week Intermediate plan on this site (silver level) and saw that on Day 1, it had a 4750yd swim. That just seemed silly to me.
Yea, I started to go with that plan last year. Realized it was a bit more than my definition of intermediate. |
2009-04-03 9:31 PM in reply to: #2061236 |
Expert 608 St. Louis | Subject: RE: Why are training swims so long?? The Swim is so short it makes it worthwhile to go long. If you double a 2000 you can still get it in 1hr 30min. That's probably faster than your 13 mile time and maybe an 1hr 30min longer than your bike. So instead of doubling your swim my advice is doubling your bike. |
2009-04-03 9:41 PM in reply to: #2061987 |
Champion 7233 | Subject: RE: Why are training swims so long?? from a non-swimmer that got into swimming for tris, and only last season started really training more for the swim, i can tell you for me, siwmming a lot more has done wonders for all my race distances. triathletes as a whole WAY under train the swim, and coming out of the swim where you want, and having that not kill you is only going to help you and make your day a lot more fun. in addition to that, while not running/cycling specific is a good way to get the HR up for more time without the pounding. |
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2009-04-04 8:18 AM in reply to: #2061995 |
Coach 10487 Boston, MA | Subject: RE: Why are training swims so long?? newbz - 2009-04-03 9:41 PM from a non-swimmer that got into swimming for tris, and only last season started really training more for the swim, i can tell you for me, siwmming a lot more has done wonders for all my race distances. triathletes as a whole WAY under train the swim, and coming out of the swim where you want, and having that not kill you is only going to help you and make your day a lot more fun. in addition to that, while not running/cycling specific is a good way to get the HR up for more time without the pounding. x2Many athletes failt to realize the benefits you can get from swimming more. We are not talking about crazy swim improvements; yes usually by swimming more you get a bit faster in the water but the aerobic benefit we get from swimming helps us improve our bike and run times: 1) it allows us to swim either faster or easier conserving energy 2) low impact exercise; it allows us to get 1+ hr doses of exercise with relatively low fatigue impact 3) upper body resistance training. |