Swim Q - Can I go from 100m to 750m in 3 weeks?

doozer16

First Tri hopefully in 3 weeks time, sprint distance.
I can swim 100m in a pool at the moment possibly 150m, If I do 3 weeks training, lets say 4 times a week will it be enough to build stamina to complete the 700 swim or am I mad?


Also, can anyone tell me how to make the title of my thread 'bold'?

Topps

doozer16 wrote: »

First Tri hopefully in 3 weeks time, sprint distance.
I can swim 100m in a pool at the moment possibly 150m, If I do 3 weeks training, lets say 4 times a week will it be enough to build stamina to complete the 700 swim or am I mad?


Also, can anyone tell me how to make the title of my thread 'bold'?

Is it possible? yes. Will it be easy? NO. Ok i was at the same sage as you about 4 months ago. I could only swim 100m at a time and found 3x100m near to impossible. I trained up kept increasing the distance pushing myself day in day out without any coach. Id say within 3 weeks I was up to the 700m mark. I did the Joe Hannon on the 28th of April and completed the swim part in 14.30. So is it possible of course it is if you put in the work. Good luck with it. Also if you find out you can't do it all in the front-stroke you can use breaststroke for parts. Your first tri is all about completing it.

griffin100

Which race is it?

mloc123

Can you swim 100m straight in the pool? Or is the 100m single lengths with a rest? If 100m straight you can probably swim 750.

doozer16

mloc123 wrote: »

Can you swim 100m straight in the pool? Or is the 100m single lengths with a rest? If 100m straight you can probably swim 750.

No rest for the 100,
I can prob swim about 40/50 lengths with rests.

doozer16

griffin100 wrote: »

Which race is it?

Fenit

doozer16

Topps wrote: »

Is it possible? yes. Will it be easy? NO. Also if you find out you can't do it all in the front-stroke you can use breaststroke for parts. Your first tri is all about completing it.

Thanks Topps, I'm gonna give it holly. Was speaking to an experienced triathlete today and like you she reckons it's well doable but again gotta put the effort in, Heading away to a hotel tomorrow for 4 days, they have a 25 m pool :-)
Gonna put 4 straight heavy days in and then swim every second day for the following 2 weeks but taper off on race week, hopefully that will get me there.
Bit of bike run block training thrown in and I should manage it.
All talk now of course but that's the plan!

Kurt Godel

doozer16 wrote: »

Thanks Topps, I'm gonna give it holly. Was speaking to an experienced triathlete today and like you she reckons it's well doable but again gotta put the effort in, Heading away to a hotel tomorrow for 4 days, they have a 25 m pool :-)
Gonna put 4 straight heavy days in and then swim every second day for the following 2 weeks but taper off on race week, hopefully that will get me there.
Bit of bike run block training thrown in and I should manage it.
All talk now of course but that's the plan!

It's a semi-sheltered sea swim, if you can swim 40 lengths you can probably complete the distance. However, its a very different thing between having a pool wall to rest at, versus dealing with waves out of your depth. The best thing you can do between now and the race is to practice sea swims (in company).

It'll be wave starts, so go with the slowest wave- you don't want to be panicking in a scrum of faster swimmers. Your wetsuit will give you bouyancy too, so you won't be able to sink. Best of luck, thinking of doing this one myself.

doozer16

Cheers Kurt,
Ya, I plan on doing a few ocean swims this week and then a couple more on race week, I'll defo go with the last wave, good advice all round, Thanks

Mr.Fred

You've set yourself a high target there. Keep in mind that 750M in a pool doesn't compare with the same in open water imo.

Next time you're in the pool see how many lengths you can actually do without stopping mix it up with the breast stroke if needs be that'll give you a good starting point. Also no pushing off the wall at the end of a lap just turn and set off again no point cheating yourself out of 5-10M on each length.

I'd be one of the unpolished entrants you talk about. :cool:

Have you got a wet suit that's probably one of the more expensive out lays you can rent a bike.

Either way you'll get around but I'd focus on the swim the most, If you get tired running you can walk and if you get tired cycling you can coast, if you get tired swimming.... well.. onto your back and a nice manly scream...

tunney

Kurt Godel wrote: »

It's a semi-sheltered sea swim, if you can swim 40 lengths you can probably complete the distance. However, its a very different thing between having a pool wall to rest at, versus dealing with waves out of your depth. The best thing you can do between now and the race is to practice sea swims (in company).

It'll be wave starts, so go with the slowest wave- you don't want to be panicking in a scrum of faster swimmers. Your wetsuit will give you bouyancy too, so you won't be able to sink. Best of luck, thinking of doing this one myself.

Thinking back to another OW related thread....................

Kurt Godel

tunney wrote: »

Thinking back to another OW related thread....................

If it was a NS event I'd bite my tongue or suggest newbie swimmers don't turn up at all- if you are unsure of your swim ability you shouldn't be let near an OW event. But this is a stand-alone event, and there will be swim waves, so hopefully back-of-the-pack ability won't affect competent swimmers (ie it should be feasible for the organizers to cancel the swim after the first wave has departed, if they don't trust the seaworthiness of slower swimmers, and not have back-packers whining to Joe Duffy looking for their NS points...).

tunney

Kurt Godel wrote: »

If it was a NS event I'd bite my tongue or suggest newbie swimmers don't turn up at all- if you are unsure of your swim ability you shouldn't be let near an OW event. But this is a stand-alone event, and there will be swim waves, so hopefully back-of-the-pack ability won't affect competent swimmers (ie it should be feasible for the organizers to cancel the swim after the first wave has departed, if they don't trust the seaworthiness of slower swimmers, and not have back-packers whining to Joe Duffy looking for their NS points...).

If the swim is binned for one wave it will be binned for all.

Go on reconcile your post with the previous ones.

Kurt Godel

tunney wrote: »

If the swim is binned for one wave it will be binned for all.

Go on reconcile your post with the previous ones.

Nope, I can't, hands up I'm being inconsistent

I still think there should be a swim competency cert for anyone entering any OW event. I guess after seeing so much blatant rule-breaking this year (drafting), versus stupid rule-enforcing (nudity), I just care less about rules in general. The OP is going to do this swim whether I think its a good idea or not, he's doing it in a race that won't effect me (unless I'm holidaying there its too far to travel at risk of swim cancellation), so he'd be better prepared by doing sea swims beforehand instead of trying 750m in the pool.

Chartsengrafs

I sometimes get calls from friends re: 10ks, adventure races etc asking how much training they should do, "have I enough time to get to standard x in y amount of time?" etc.
This forum is great and supportive and all but if you were a mate of mine asked me if they should do a 750m sea swim in 3 weeks when they currently can only do 100m in a pool I would say no, don't do it. Don't even think about it in fact. Just being honest. If you do decide to do it however, best of luck, I genuinely hope it goes well.

stevire

Does the type of swim never come into question? River/Lake/Sea...

River with a moderate flow - I say go for it assuming the upstream length (if any) is less than the downstream
Lake - avoid it
Sheltered sea swim - keep up the pool work and do a couple of OW sessions
Unsheltered sea swim - avoid it, you need experience to deal with swell and conditions. Can't predict how it will be on the day.

Above is just my view.

Oryx

Why would you avoid a lake?

j0hn1

Oryx wrote: »

Why would you avoid a lake?

Monsters and stuff

griffin100

Oryx wrote: »

Why would you avoid a lake?

Because there's no current to take away the p!ss from the 200 faster swimmers in front of you

Oryx

griffin100 wrote: »

Because there's no current to take away the p!ss from the 200 faster swimmers in front of you

Warm, though.

griffin100

Oryx wrote: »

Warm, though.

........and salty.

Oldlegs

doozer16 wrote: »

Thanks Topps, I'm gonna give it holly. Was speaking to an experienced triathlete today and like you she reckons it's well doable but again gotta put the effort in, Heading away to a hotel tomorrow for 4 days, they have a 25 m pool :-)
Gonna put 4 straight heavy days in and then swim every second day for the following 2 weeks but taper off on race week, hopefully that will get me there.
Bit of bike run block training thrown in and I should manage it.
All talk now of course but that's the plan!

A few pointers from my experience at the back of the pack ...

If you can, try to get some sessions (even if only 1) with the swim coach in your local pool. Explain your short lead time and ask for a few tips which might help relax your breathing, keep your elbows high and give you a (slightly) improved kick. They won't transform you, but you should start to feel more comfortable in the water.
It would also be useful to use your short time in the pool to try to get slight improvements in your stroke rather than just focusing on extending your distance (which you also need to do).
If you can, try to swim most days - even if it is only a short session doing a few drills for 1-2 lengths at a time. You can also use this to stretch the muscles if you have done a hard run/cycle the previous day.

(Also, if you get a salty taste when you breath, try to ingest less 'water' from the guys in front :eek: :P )

doozer16

Thanks guys, alot of constructive advice coming in.
To keep myself motivated I'm going to post my progress here, feel free to abuse me if I'm not working hard enough!

In response to the argument about 'beginners' entering OW events for the first time - I wouldn't go near it if I thought I would be a danger to myself or others and until there is level of competency needed then how else are newcomers supposed to enter the sport that you enjoy so much. It comes down to common sense and the individuals own desire and understanding of what they are and and what they are not capable of.
I really don't want to open a can of worms on that one so let#s all just leave it for another thread.

Moving on :-)
Had a good session yesterday and managed 200m w/o stopping, gonna try for 250/300 today.

j0hn1

In all seriousness...
If you can swim 200m without stopping then 750m in the pool will be no bother.
Just. Slow. Down.
Next time when you get to 300m, just tack on another 100, but don't tell yourself you're gonna do it until you're almost at the 300. When you get the 400, you might even squeeze out another 50?

Transferring it to OW will be your biggest challenge, there's no black line to follow on the bottom of the sea.

You're going to have to sign a swim proficiency declaration before the race, that is probably why people are a little slow to be all like "yeah go for it, easy!!"

It won't be easy in the sea, but you are well able to swim 750m in the pool

doozer16

j0hn1 wrote: »

In all seriousness...
If you can swim 200m without stopping then 750m in the pool will be no bother.
Just. Slow. Down.

In all seriousness It's NOT no bother, I know when I'm at my limit and it's about the 200 mark now, I managed 250 yesterday but that was a first,
I couldn't go another length...NO WAY and I'm not afraid to push it but when you're gassed you're gassed.

Oryx

doozer16 wrote: »

In all seriousness It's NOT no bother, I know when I'm at my limit and it's about the 200 mark now, I managed 250 yesterday but that was a first,
I couldn't go another length...NO WAY and I'm not afraid to push it but when you're gassed you're gassed.

Which is why he said slow down. Relax. Get your breathing under control. Once you do that, you'll keep going.

Chartsengrafs

doozer16 wrote: »

In all seriousness It's NOT no bother, I know when I'm at my limit and it's about the 200 mark now, I managed 250 yesterday but that was a first,
I couldn't go another length...NO WAY and I'm not afraid to push it but when you're gassed you're gassed.

The reason I was so cautious earlier is that I guessed that breathing ability may be an issue. As someone who learned to swim 4 or so years ago, fitness etc wasn't a major limiting factor initially. Getting the air in was, and it's the same with most people going from a few lengths to 750m. A lot of the stronger swimmers might forget that but I certainly don't!

I recall going from 5 lengths at a max to 40 one night becasue my breathing suddenly 'clicked', and I wasn't finishing 125m gasping for once.

When you're at your limit at 200m, are you finishing completely out of breath, or is it the actual exertion of swimming that's tiring you? I know... it can be hard to differentiate but I'm just wondering if you're breathing effectively..getting enough air in?

j0hn1

@ doozer
I spent about 5/6 months a few years ago trying to string a 100m swim together
The reason I couldn't do it was that I was trying to get to the wall too quickly and couldn't get my breathing right
The most important lesson I learned was to slow down, take it easy, be confident that I wouldn't slowly sink down to the floor of the pool, blowing bubbles on my way

I still think it's the most important thing for someone to do is slow down
You cant run 10k at the same pace you'd run 200m, swimming is the same
As you get fitter and develop better technique you will get faster, but until then just concentrate on getting there, and the best way to do that is slow down
If you go out too hard on a 5k or 10k running race and start running our of steam after 1 or 2 k, you ease off and finish the rest of the race at a slower pace, you should be confident that you can ease off in your swimming as well and go longer at an easier pace

By swimming 250m you've proven that you can swim
The reason you can't get past this is either because you're swimming too fast or else that it's just in your head (or maybe you're bored? I get bored after too many lengths)

Anyway, have confidence that you can actually swim, and then just go out and tack on a few extra lengths
Concentrate on the sound you make as you exhale under the water, make a little song out of it, say "bubble, bubble, breath" in your head, count your strokes - do whatever, just distract yourself a little from the swimming and it will all fall in together

Good luck

Mr Tango

doozer16 wrote: »

In all seriousness It's NOT no bother, I know when I'm at my limit and it's about the 200 mark now, I managed 250 yesterday but that was a first,
I couldn't go another length...NO WAY and I'm not afraid to push it but when you're gassed you're gassed.

My 2 cents on this. And ill put my cards on the table up front. I am a front of the pack swimmer and it infuriates me when swims are cut short or cancelled to cater for weak swimmers.

Anyhow - if you can swim 250m now and are wrecked there is no way I would let you into one of my races (if I was an organiser). It is just too dangerous for you and others around you. If you panick you will grab the nearest person whether that be someone trying to rescue you or some other swimmer.

From your own perspective you do not need this - it might put you off for good and that is not goo for the sport.

Some solutions though as I don't just want to put up barriers:
- get some swimming lessons off someone that knows what they are talking about and practise - you will come on quickly if you are committed.
- Do some duathlons -will get the race practise in.
- Do a pool triathlon first - I don't think there are any left this year as they are normally at the start of the year but something to aim for.
- I think there is (or used to be) a race in Blackrock, CO Louth were it was a sea swim but you could stand all the way.

Good luck though but if you haven't managed 750m (preferably 1000m) in the pool without stopping do not even think about getting in the sea.

Don't forget you have to sign a waiver before you get in confirming you have swum the distance in open water before.

I'm sure you wont do this but never go out in open water unless you are with someone who is a strong swimmer.

doozer16

@ Basster So you went from 100m to 1000m at one sitting? I can't imagine that but if you did fairplay!


@ John01 , Oryx, Basster
I breath bilaterally and find after about 6 lengths I have to breath to one side for a while to get more air in so I feel more relaxed. This only lasts half a length before I'm goosed again so maybe you are all right, maybe it is the breathing, I'll slow it down a bit next time and see how I go.
I feel as if I breath quite well but maybe not!
Cheers lads

mistermatthew

doozer16 wrote: »

@ Basster So you went from 100m to 1000m at one sitting? I can't imagine that but if you did fairplay!


@ John01 , Oryx, Basster
I breath bilaterally and find after about 6 lengths I have to breath to one side for a while to get more air in so I feel more relaxed. This only lasts half a length before I'm goosed again so maybe you are all right, maybe it is the breathing, I'll slow it down a bit next time and see how I go.
I feel as if I breath quite well but maybe not!
Cheers lads

Swim 25m at around 50 seconds a length And If you are gassed doing this then its breathing I'd imagine, if not keep going for 750m and ur time will be around 25min.

Not fast but u will now if u can do the distance. Also I know its hated by swimmers but as ur in a rush it is likely a nose clip would help u if ur snorting water into ur nose, it did with me.