Help in pacing longer swims

[whitestivo]

I have been coached, been focussing on my 200m and 500m sprints, which are 1.46 and 10.50 respectively

But every time I swim 1000m, I always come back to 24 minutes something, 24.41, 24.37, 24.51, 24.35. No kidding it's that close.

It's like I have this autopilot switch on longer distances that tells me to swim that speed. It has been the same for last 3 months despite swimming 50km+ in training.

I need help. I got pounded at GC on weekend, as everyone swam past and over me.

And with Noosa 6 weeks away, I really want to get that time much lower.

Anyone got any suggestions?

[tripstobaltimore]

I am by no means an expert, but here's my opinion anyway

Firstly - what are your times based on - flat out sprint for 200m, or could you swim those on 2minutes (i.e 1.50min swim, 10 sec recovery)? If so how many could you do?

It seems strange your 200m time is 1.46, but your 500m time is 10.46 - 1.46 is quite a good time for 200m, but 500m is... well how do I put this... not very good .

Doesn't your coach have any advice on this?

[whitestivo]

100m sprint is 1.46

200m sprint 4.05

500m sprint 10.50

1000m spritng 24.07

they are my times. they aren't pretty I know.

My squad wants me to swim more, but after 50km in three months going nowhere, i'm a bit gutted and tired of being swum past at the pool.

whitestivo

[tripstobaltimore]

have you had much coaching on your technique? I found this single handidly helped me the most with my swimming - going from a pretty average (read terrible) swimmer to being kind of handy in the pool.

[pine]

I have been coached, been focussing on my 200m and 500m sprints, which are 1.46 and 10.50 respectively

But every time I swim 1000m, I always come back to 24 minutes something, 24.41, 24.37, 24.51, 24.35. No kidding it's that close.

It's like I have this autopilot switch on longer distances that tells me to swim that speed. It has been the same for last 3 months despite swimming 50km+ in training.

I need help. I got pounded at GC on weekend, as everyone swam past and over me.

And with Noosa 6 weeks away, I really want to get that time much lower.

Anyone got any suggestions?

I stink in the water, made up for it on the bike and if you are a good runner, you will win the race. My best leg was the bike, run was ok no records broken so the swimmers passed me again on the run.
I am the same as you in the water, had private lessons for 3 years, attended squad 3 times a week, but my times never changed. To my sham for a half Ironman my swim time was 48min – 56min (and you thought you were bad). I spent the whole bike leg chasing.

[heinrich]

G'Day,
This might help:
- Firstly, 50km in 3 months is on average 4km per week (eg sessions would be 2km, 1km, 1km). This is not enough, i too did GC worlds averaging 8-10km per week minimum and there would have been other guys doing 15km+ to put things in perspective. It looks like you would have plateaued after the first month of training.
- Your pb times also indicate that you dont stay the same but drop your speed alot over the longer distances
- To improve you need to increase your time in the pool gradually to 10km per week (3km, 3km, 2km, 2km sessions)
- You need to focus on a nice long stroke with heaps of drills and include the following sets into your schedule:
* 4-10 x 100m repeats with 10sec rest (flat out) to get initial speed up)
* 5x 200m with 15sec rest (AT) 90% of max
* 4x 400m with 20sec rest (AT) 85% of max which will greatly improve your endurance

You should do at least 2 of either the 100, 200 or 400m sets each week which form your hard sets (3km) and 2x 2km sets the day after the hard ones for recovery and focus on drills. So keep with the squad if there doing something hard like that, improvements arent made by pussying around. If you keep it up and put in the hard yards you should be able to get down to sub 23min swim in an olympic distance race like Noosa.

Alex

[whitestivo]

Swam 1500m last night in 35.37, including the first 500m in 11.30, and the first km in 23.30 - so I was stoked with the progress

8-10km per week, that is huge. I average about 5km a week at the moment, two or three visits.

If anyone is brisbane based and knows someone to give me some technique help, i would certainly appreciate it.

BTW, I'm going to have a go at 8-10km next week, with these super sets in them, three weeks out, I'm pushing to the hilt.

Thank you for the advice

whitestivo

[whitestivo]

body rotation

Times have been coming down as i improve my body rotation. I'm posting as I had absolutely no idea you were supposed to rotate your body when you were not on your breathing side. The difference is amazing. i swam very flat belly down for the majority of my stroke.

So now I'm working on getting to a 3 stroke breathe, to help rotation even more.

Just a question, is it possible to over rotate to much?

whitestivo

[tripstobaltimore]

yes, but I can guarantee if you are going from not rotating much, you won't be over rotating. Have you heard of swim smooth? It's a little animation of a guy in the 'ideal' swim stroke. Worth checking out.

[whitestivo]

TTB Swim smooth is great, i reckon i've watched that little guy for over a couple of hours in total. Despite that, i just did not see the body rotation as the head always stayed down. Now I look again, it's so obvious.

New swim trainer picked it up in 50m, and when i was asked to swim 100m to my non preferred side, I only lasted 50m. So now I'm really sore after swimming, right down my back and my middle.

whitestivo

[tripstobaltimore]

Its good that your sore in your back (lats I assume) as that means your using them.

[tripstobaltimore]

yeah and swim smooth is awesome, everytime I wonder if I am doing something wrong, and go and check him out. god bless his little heart.

[whitestivo]

Firstly

1km time is down to 22.37, i surprised myself with that one. That is 1.5 minute improvement. Been focussing on more sprints and getting to pool 3 times a week.

My question is, I have a FINIS tempo trainer to help me pace better. I find when I swim breathing to one side, I have a lot more trouble keeping the pace 58spm, then if I breathe every third stroke. Currently I can't keep three beat breathe going for more than 100m, but I was wondering why I find 58spm so much easier with 3 stroke breath and if this is normal

I'm still not ready for 60spm, but I started at 52spm intially, so I'm much happier in the water.

whitestivo

[tripstobaltimore]

no idea, but you should put the effort in to swim bilaterally.

[louella]

ooo thanks for swim smooth!! always wondered what the hand should look like under the water

[pine]

Due to my back surgery, I am back swimming and to my surprise, I am enjoying it. I am doing swim squad twice a week. Best way to improve your times is swim with a group in squad.You even get stroke correction