Swim/Bike layoff

What's your background?  Were you a high school/collegiate swimmer or a Cat 3 or better roadie?  Maybe not so much a problem taking a long break from S & B.  Unfortuatenly for me, I always feel the need to constantly maintain my form in the pool and some strength and conditioning on the bike.  Like you this winter, I've also focussed on the run, but I am still in the pool twice a week with masters and on the trainer twice a week in addition to marathon training (February race). 


I should add something specific to your question about minimums.  I've read somewhere that it takes about three months for well-conditioned athletes to lose half of their aerobic conditioning.  However, you are still running so that doesn't apply to you so much.  The question then is, how much of your run conditioning will cross-over to the swim and bike?  I don't know so I always do something in all three disciplines. 

Edited by Gritty 2010-01-06 2:08 PM

That is a great question.  Perhaps I will do a TT on my normal TT course and see how much is gone.  I can do the same thing in the pool.

The TT is a good idea and you've probably recorded your swim time for something like a 1650 yard or 1500 meter swim.  I just suggest the long swim distance because it would seem to be a good measure of your swim conditioning at this point.

The swim is the easiest of the three sports to regain fitness since it is low impact. The run is the hardest to regain. However, the main factor in all this is age. The older you get the harder it becomes to regain that fitness. Believe me, I know. :-)

Why would you do a TT after a lay off. Your asking for injuries and will learn nothing from it other than what not to do after a break. Just start slowly building back up. Both will come back with consistant weeks.

Really a TT??? (In response to the poster after you)

Dude hop in the water for about 1500-2k of mixed bag stuff.
(Again 1500 straight in the water is pointless- esp right now)
200 Swim
2*100 Kick :15 Rest
6*50 D/S @1:00-1:15

4*100 SKDS :10-:15 R/ or swim even skds odds. whichever you prefer
200-300 Kick with fins for ankle flexibility.

4*50 cd

And thats a wrap, and a starting point for your swimming.

Edited by KeepOnTriN 2010-01-08 8:27 PM