Bay Bridge Swim Plan

Is this the SF-Oakland Bay Bridge?

Personally, and I'm no swimming expert, but I expect they will give you similar advice.  I would swim more.  5 to 6 times a week, the frequency helps with form, and you'll get more yards in.  You're plan should work, but if this is an 'A' event for you, I would swim more.  

Sounds interesting, looking forward to the report.

Reason for pull buoy?

1) It simulates wetsuit swimming.  Minimal kicking/body position

2) I like it better than "real swimming"

Bay Bridge swim in Maryland.

I would aim to peak at 12-15k/week.  Not sure if that means 4 or 6 hrs/week for you.  I don't think it matters how you get there, though for swimming I prefer higher intensities to lower, longer swims.  I have done very well getting into the 12k/week range when I have done my two 3.3 milers.

Oh, HTFU and put yourself into the bareback category.  Who needs wetsuits?

I did the race this year on minimal training.  I swam 3x week in February for 45 minutes, barely swam at all in March and April (probably 1x week on average).  I was all set to skip the race, then I got selected in the Kona lottery and realized that I needed to ramp up all my training.  I swam 3x week from April 20 through the race, for 45 min to an hour twice a week, and a long pool swim on the weekend (6x1000 yards, for example) and one open water swim in a flooded quarry in Virginia that was about 2.5 hours long.  I also did a 1 mile and a 2 mile swim race on the same day in late May.  My time was very slow (about 2:45 or 2:50), but I finished comfortably. 

The water was very warm this year, and I didn't wear a wetsuit.  I really didn't want to overheat, but part of my reasoning was that I can't wear one at Kona, so I'd better get used to a long OWS without one.

Too much long and slow and pull buoy.

I do a LOT of long distance open water swim race training.  I rarely swim slow.  I do typical warmup/drills/main/cd formats for every swim.  The main set just gets longer with longer intervals.  Like last week I had 4x1k (which almost gets my coach lynched...seriously...I HATE the 1k!) at steady race pace (where race pace here isn't exactly blazing speed). Today was 9x300 steady.  "Steady" is essentially my "I can go forever but I'm not being lazy at all" pace.  I do a LOT of swimming at steady pace.

1k is the longest I have done in a stretch.  Okay, maybe ONE workout had ONE 1500.  Otherwise, longer main sets with long-ish intervals.

And ditch the pull buoy.  I'm not buying the "it simulates wetsuit swimming".  How about just train like you normally train and then be "pleasantly surprised" when it's easier in the wetsuit...

My goal for the race is to not drown.

My goal for training is for my shoulders to look awesome.

I normally train with a lot of pull buoy time.  I don't kick.  I swam an effortless (aside from getting punched in the teeth) 1:11 at IM CdA in 56 F water.

How bizarre ... I answered earlier but apparently it never posted.

Well, Pengy, you could bang out 4.4mi tomorrow and be just fine (provided you've done some maintenance swimming since CDA. Actually, probably even if you haven't.).

So if getting faster/more efficient isn't one of your goals, then train however you like and enjoy best.

As for your shoulders? Okay, then you're going to have to swim a LOT more and a LOT harder. Or spend a fraction of that time on specific strength/weight training.

My two cents:

1. That plan will get you to your goal of finishing.

2. If you like using the pull buoy, use it. A happy swimmer is less likely to burn out

...ok... I lied... my third cent:

3. Do some intervals, mix it up to keep it interesting, but become very familiar with that pace at which you could swim forever.

Good luck!

You were supposed to say, "How could they look any better?"

This thread is worthless without pics.

I'll need to hit the "nair" unless you like your shoulders looking like they belong on a Kodiak Bear. 

But here is a decent one from IM Spud!

One more for Yaya!

1. Okay, really, your shoulders couldn't look any better.

2. You couldn't look much better either.

3. Pull buoy, long/slow, frickin' doggypaddle train if you like ... you'll be in a wetsuit and you can't drown, and having nailed 2.4mi at CDA you'll be totally fine for 4.4mi as long as you don't gas yourself out of the gate, which, with all the long/slow training, I don't imagine you would.