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2013-02-14 10:24 AM

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Subject: Masters swimming has put distances into perspective

While I have done a lot of swimming, I still always felt like 1500 was an average distance workout, 2000 was long, and 2500 was really pushing it.  After a month, 2 days a week of masters classes, it's amazing how that's changed.  1000 has become a warm up, 1500 is when drills end and the main set begins, and 3000 always feels like the new average.  I almost feel like i'm cheating if I only do 2500.  

To the new swimmers, I am ABSOLUTELY not knocking distances less than that, as even a month ago 1500 felt like a good distance to me and I"ve been at this for 6 years now.  It's just crazy how the masters workouts which average 3000 really change your perspective on distance.

Anyone else gone through this?



2013-02-14 10:28 AM
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Subject: RE: Masters swimming has put distances into perspective
I'm not going through this but I want to!  It's interesting how my minimum runs now are 10k's which is a stretch for some people.  I need to get there on my swimming...congrats to you for already being there.
2013-02-14 10:34 AM
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Subject: RE: Masters swimming has put distances into perspective

Yea, I went through the same thing with running when I did my first marathon, before ever having been a runner.  Of course, I still do short runs, but where at one time 3 miles was my goal, it's not my typical minimum. It's pretty cool thinking back to those days  

Thanks, and by the way, it really didn't take long.  I couldn't have made myself do these distances, but you really feel peer pressure to stick with the workouts in these groups.  And it doesn't seem as long because there are so many intervals, rather than one massively long swim.

2013-02-14 10:40 AM
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Subject: RE: Masters swimming has put distances into perspective

Same here. 

Started swimming with a masters group in January and my workouts (with the group) are running between 2000-3000 plus warmup/cooldown.  That's not straight swimming.  Some of its drill work with fins, some of its swimming with a pull buoy and some of its straight swimming.  I swim with the "beginners" so the more advanced swimmers are going longer. 

In December, anything over 1500 yds was a loooong workout.  Two weeks ago, I swam my first 2000 yd straight swim...whoohoo!  Persistence, 3+ workouts a week, drill work are paying off.  I'm still slow and need to work on my technique but the endurance portion of the equation is coming together.

2013-02-14 10:57 AM
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Subject: RE: Masters swimming has put distances into perspective
So how long does it take to get in a typical 3,000 yard workout with a Masters group? 
2013-02-14 10:58 AM
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Subject: RE: Masters swimming has put distances into perspective
So true. Yesterday was my longest pool swim ever, 2800m. I'm hoping a month from now I feel like you do. Right now at the speed I swim  I feel like I'm in the pool forever! I've only been swimming for a little over a year, so it's got to get better.


2013-02-14 11:00 AM
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Subject: RE: Masters swimming has put distances into perspective

popsracer - 2013-02-14 11:57 AM So how long does it take to get in a typical 3,000 yard workout with a Masters group? 

It usually takes me about an hour or slightly less.  This isn't an intense masters group and I'm in the "slow" lane, which could possibly be called the "social" lane.  That's not to say the others that I normally share with are slow, but they do seem like the chat quite a bit, while the only time i spend not swimming is watching the seconds till the next interval starts.  

2013-02-14 11:03 AM
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Subject: RE: Masters swimming has put distances into perspective

BrianRunsPhilly - 2013-02-14 11:58 AM So true. Yesterday was my longest pool swim ever, 2800m. I'm hoping a month from now I feel like you do. Right now at the speed I swim  I feel like I'm in the pool forever! I've only been swimming for a little over a year, so it's got to get better.

I was there too, frankly as recently as a month ago, literally. And even now, if I set out to do 2800 without stopping it would seem like forever. However, when the coach lays out a 2800 yard workout I'm happy cause it feels short.  I like the masters because of the interval sets, but they're more intense.  I really look forward to summer again for the long swims since you can get to open water. I can't stand staring at that blue line endlessly.  And yea, it'll get better. I don't have a swimming background but have been at this for about 5 years on and off, the last 3 have been pretty consistent.  

2013-02-14 11:04 AM
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Subject: RE: Masters swimming has put distances into perspective
I'm not doing masters, but occasionally do 3,000m sets on my own.

Mine are normally 2000-2500 right now.  I do have a swim coach, and we usually get in 2200-2500 in.

We are pushing more technique now and endurance later ( summer ) as I get closer to Challenge Penticton.  I can already comfortably do my half iron distance as a main set with warm-up and cool down on top of that.

A while back 1,000 was good for me, then 1500 was normal.  1500 would feel like I was cheating now :p

I suspect that I'll get closer to 3,000 as a norm pretty quickly here.
2013-02-14 11:05 AM
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Subject: RE: Masters swimming has put distances into perspective

popsracer - 2013-02-14 10:57 AM So how long does it take to get in a typical 3,000 yard workout with a Masters group? 

That's about an hour. The one I'm with has the pool for an hour and the coach will put together a set that *should* take us near the whole time to complete. We'll do the warm-up, then get an overview of the technique work and main set from the coach, and then off we go. Everything is done on a send-off interval, so it's rather predictable. The exact distance may vary some, depending on the workout, but all of the ones I've seen are over 2,500 in that time. Sunday night is 1 1/2 hrs, and the workout goes up to 4,000-4,700.

2013-02-14 11:09 AM
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Subject: RE: Masters swimming has put distances into perspective

popsracer - 2013-02-14 10:57 AM So how long does it take to get in a typical 3,000 yard workout with a Masters group? 

Last night, we did the following...it took my group about 1:05-1:10 plus warmup/cool down:

With fins...6x25 kicking on side then 4x25 swim...done 2x so a total of 500 yds.

Done 2x...3x200 pull then 3x100 swim...total of 1800 yds. 

Done 1x...3x200 pull then all out 100 swim...total of 700 yds. 

Warm up and cool down was about 250 yds so the total came in at 3250 yds.

 



2013-02-14 11:15 AM
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Subject: RE: Masters swimming has put distances into perspective
RookieIM - 2013-02-14 10:24 AM

While I have done a lot of swimming, I still always felt like 1500 was an average distance workout, 2000 was long, and 2500 was really pushing it.  After a month, 2 days a week of masters classes, it's amazing how that's changed.  1000 has become a warm up, 1500 is when drills end and the main set begins, and 3000 always feels like the new average.  I almost feel like i'm cheating if I only do 2500.  

To the new swimmers, I am ABSOLUTELY not knocking distances less than that, as even a month ago 1500 felt like a good distance to me and I"ve been at this for 6 years now.  It's just crazy how the masters workouts which average 3000 really change your perspective on distance.

Anyone else gone through this?

For a couple months this past summer, I was doing loads of swimming. Sets were generally 2,500-5,000 or so. Most always made of smaller intervals maybe a few hundred yards. Not that different from a Masters setup. But in joining one group, I have noticed a difference. The size of the sets do feel smaller now even though I was already used to them. Even though I'm fairly self-motivated, it is easier to go harder with the others around. I stay on the schedule better with the send-off times (you ARE going or you're sitting out that one). I can get more feedback on what I'm doing sooner as there is a swimmer right next to me. I'll be pulling ahead if it's going well or falling behind if not.

2013-02-14 11:21 AM
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Subject: RE: Masters swimming has put distances into perspective
Last 2,000m swim I did, I was in the water for 37 minutes.  I was really surprised at how much quicker they were getting when I did an easy 1500m warm-up, a 10x100m on 1:45 R.I. set, then 500m cool-down.

As you get more efficient at your work-outs it's easier to get more distance in for your time in the water :p
2013-02-14 11:30 AM
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Subject: RE: Masters swimming has put distances into perspective
3400-4000 is pretty standard for a swim practice, the time goes by much faster and if you're in the appropriate lane (interval send offs) you'll be gassed when done.

Our main set last night was 2400 worth of IM and I was toast when done.

2013-02-14 11:33 AM
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Subject: RE: Masters swimming has put distances into perspective
After taking years of classes that were supposedly similar to a Master's swim class then taking a couple of Masters classes I would agree.  My other gym workouts averaged 2000 yards max.  The Master's class is generally 2400+ every week.
2013-02-14 2:27 PM
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Subject: RE: Masters swimming has put distances into perspective

This makes me miss my older master's classes.

My gym did 3x a week, 0500-0630, and the workouts were generally 3800-4300yrds depending on the goal. I loved being able to knock that out and feel good about it.

The funny part was that there were additional workouts for those folks that had a full 2hrs of time.

Just amazing.... oh and soon, once you've been at it a bit, you'll start seeing your times drop too!



2013-02-14 2:43 PM
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Subject: RE: Masters swimming has put distances into perspective
I wish I could spend an hour in the pool. I can only squeeze in 30 minutes. Maybe one day when the kids get older I can get an hour in.
2013-02-14 4:00 PM
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Subject: RE: Masters swimming has put distances into perspective
RookieIM - 2013-02-15 3:24 AM

While I have done a lot of swimming, I still always felt like 1500 was an average distance workout, 2000 was long, and 2500 was really pushing it.  After a month, 2 days a week of masters classes, it's amazing how that's changed.  1000 has become a warm up, 1500 is when drills end and the main set begins, and 3000 always feels like the new average.  I almost feel like i'm cheating if I only do 2500.  

To the new swimmers, I am ABSOLUTELY not knocking distances less than that, as even a month ago 1500 felt like a good distance to me and I"ve been at this for 6 years now.  It's just crazy how the masters workouts which average 3000 really change your perspective on distance.

Anyone else gone through this?

2013-02-14 4:00 PM
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Subject: RE: Masters swimming has put distances into perspective

DP



Edited by jobaxas 2013-02-14 4:08 PM
2013-02-14 4:02 PM
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Subject: RE: Masters swimming has put distances into perspective
RookieIM - 2013-02-15 3:24 AM

While I have done a lot of swimming, I still always felt like 1500 was an average distance workout, 2000 was long, and 2500 was really pushing it.  After a month, 2 days a week of masters classes, it's amazing how that's changed.  1000 has become a warm up, 1500 is when drills end and the main set begins, and 3000 always feels like the new average.  I almost feel like i'm cheating if I only do 2500.  

To the new swimmers, I am ABSOLUTELY not knocking distances less than that, as even a month ago 1500 felt like a good distance to me and I"ve been at this for 6 years now.  It's just crazy how the masters workouts which average 3000 really change your perspective on distance.

Anyone else gone through this?

Absolutely!  We do 600-800 warm up drills with fins, usually a 2km main set then a cool down for 3km - that's the slow lane....the fast lane with the Channel swimmers and distance guys, they can knock out 4km in the same time.

2013-02-14 4:42 PM
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Subject: RE: Masters swimming has put distances into perspective
I did my first 90 minute swim workout of the year last week (my normal workout is a 40 min lunchtime swim and if I can swing it, a 60-70 min weekend swim) and it felt like FOREVER...


2013-02-14 4:49 PM
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Subject: RE: Masters swimming has put distances into perspective

running2far - 2013-02-14 9:30 AM 3400-4000 is pretty standard for a swim practice, the time goes by much faster and if you're in the appropriate lane (interval send offs) you'll be gassed when done. Our main set last night was 2400 worth of IM and I was toast when done.

Holy cow!

And to the OP, yup, and it's all relative.  I am used to 3K yard sets as the norm.  Last year I did a 10K swim, the training for that made a 3K yard workout seem like a bit more than a warmup.  Of course, now 3K is the norm again

2013-02-14 4:59 PM
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Subject: RE: Masters swimming has put distances into perspective
3K yard workout is the norm with my masters group.  It averages 3K because we have the pool for an hour.  On Saturdays there's a workout that goes for 90 minutes, they probably do 4K.  I've done that one a couple of times.  And then there's the annual April Fools day 100x100 on 100 workout :P  That's coming up here pretty quick.
2013-02-14 5:03 PM
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Subject: RE: Masters swimming has put distances into perspective
I'm there with you.  Training on my own, I used to get 2000y in a workout with the occasional long swim to mimic IM.  Now we do the IM distance 3x per week!  My swim endurance and tri swim times are both improving dramatically.
2013-02-14 5:10 PM
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Subject: RE: Masters swimming has put distances into perspective
reecealan - 2013-02-14 4:59 PM 3K yard workout is the norm with my masters group.  It averages 3K because we have the pool for an hour.  On Saturdays there's a workout that goes for 90 minutes, they probably do 4K.  I've done that one a couple of times.  And then there's the annual April Fools day 100x100 on 100 workout :P  That's coming up here pretty quick.



100x100 on 100.....

Being in a METER pool, I'm not sure how long I'd be able to keep up those return intervals :p
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