Distance

Micheal Artindale said:

Currently I am averageing about 1-1.25 km per hr when i swim lengths. This
is whe I combine front crawl, back crawl, breast stroke, elemantary
backstroke, and a bit of fly.

How much, doing equal distsnce of all, but fly, is a decent distance. I know
i will be getting faster. I am just trying to get a bal park.

Would 3km an hr be about max?

Thanks,

Micheal
Track my progress -- www.geocities.com/swimmer_spe

Hi Michael

Based on my experience with various groups, and as a sweeping
generalisation, in 1 hour "slower" swimmers would get through about
1.5-2.0km, "medium paced" swimmers about 2.0-2.5km (I'm generally in
this group) and "faster" swimmers about 2.5-3.0km. The distances will
vary according to the type of workout - more "off" strokes
(non-freestyle), drills or shorter faster sets requiring more rest will
tend towards the lower end, mostly longer distance freestyle sets with
minimal rest will tend towards the upper end.

As an example, here is a workout of 2.0km which I have just done, it
took me about 45 mins in total.

Warm up:
5 x 100m easy
- #1,3,5 free
- #2,4 backstroke

Main set:
2 x 200m free medium pace on 3:45 interval

3 x 100m med/fast on 2:00 interval
- #1, 2 Free
- #3 backstroke

4 x 50m fast on 1:00 interval
- #1,2,3 free
- #4 backstroke

2 x (4 x 25m) on 30s interval
- #1,2,3 free
- #4 backstroke

200m backstroke kick with fins
- I use this to work on my flip turns & streamlining off the walls

Loosen:
2 x 100m drills easy
- #1 backstroke with fins
- #2 free

Total: 2000m

HTH

Regards

Liz D

Micheal Artindale said:

Currently I am averageing about 1-1.25 km per hr when i swim lengths. This
is whe I combine front crawl, back crawl, breast stroke, elemantary
backstroke, and a bit of fly.

How much, doing equal distsnce of all, but fly, is a decent distance. I know
i will be getting faster. I am just trying to get a bal park.

Would 3km an hr be about max?

Thanks,

Micheal
Track my progress -- www.geocities.com/swimmer_spe

Hi Michael

Based on my experience with various groups, and as a sweeping
generalisation, in 1 hour "slower" swimmers would get through about
1.5-2.0km, "medium paced" swimmers about 2.0-2.5km (I'm generally in
this group) and "faster" swimmers about 2.5-3.0km. The distances will
vary according to the type of workout - more "off" strokes
(non-freestyle), drills or shorter faster sets requiring more rest will
tend towards the lower end, mostly longer distance freestyle sets with
minimal rest will tend towards the upper end.

As an example, here is a workout of 2.0km which I have just done, it
took me about 45 mins in total.

Warm up:
5 x 100m easy
- #1,3,5 free
- #2,4 backstroke

Main set:
2 x 200m free medium pace on 3:45 interval

3 x 100m med/fast on 2:00 interval
- #1, 2 Free
- #3 backstroke

4 x 50m fast on 1:00 interval
- #1,2,3 free
- #4 backstroke

2 x (4 x 25m) on 30s interval
- #1,2,3 free
- #4 backstroke

200m backstroke kick with fins
- I use this to work on my flip turns & streamlining off the walls

Loosen:
2 x 100m drills easy
- #1 backstroke with fins
- #2 free

Total: 2000m

HTH

Regards

Liz D

After seeing your workout, mine seems slow in comparison.

What it is:
50 x free, breast, back, Elementary back, and fly
100 x free, breast, back, Elementary back
150 x free, breast, back, Elementary back
100 x free, breast, back, Elementary back
75 x free, breast, back, Elementary back
50 x free, breast, back, Elementary back
25 x free, breast, back, Elementary back

This works out to be about 2.25 Km in 1.5 hrs

Besides lessening the slower strokes, anything I can do to more. I work
after this for 8 hrs, so I do not want to burn myself out.

Thanks,

Micheal

"Liz D" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Micheal Artindale said:

Currently I am averageing about 1-1.25 km per hr when i swim lengths.

This

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

is whe I combine front crawl, back crawl, breast stroke, elemantary
backstroke, and a bit of fly.

How much, doing equal distsnce of all, but fly, is a decent distance. I

know

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

i will be getting faster. I am just trying to get a bal park.

Would 3km an hr be about max?

Thanks,

Micheal
Track my progress -- www.geocities.com/swimmer_spe

Hi Michael

Based on my experience with various groups, and as a sweeping
generalisation, in 1 hour "slower" swimmers would get through about
1.5-2.0km, "medium paced" swimmers about 2.0-2.5km (I'm generally in
this group) and "faster" swimmers about 2.5-3.0km. The distances will
vary according to the type of workout - more "off" strokes
(non-freestyle), drills or shorter faster sets requiring more rest will
tend towards the lower end, mostly longer distance freestyle sets with
minimal rest will tend towards the upper end.

As an example, here is a workout of 2.0km which I have just done, it
took me about 45 mins in total.

Warm up:
5 x 100m easy
- #1,3,5 free
- #2,4 backstroke

Main set:
2 x 200m free medium pace on 3:45 interval

3 x 100m med/fast on 2:00 interval
- #1, 2 Free
- #3 backstroke

4 x 50m fast on 1:00 interval
- #1,2,3 free
- #4 backstroke

2 x (4 x 25m) on 30s interval
- #1,2,3 free
- #4 backstroke

200m backstroke kick with fins
- I use this to work on my flip turns & streamlining off the walls

Loosen:
2 x 100m drills easy
- #1 backstroke with fins
- #2 free

Total: 2000m

HTH

Regards

Liz D

Micheal Artindale said:

After seeing your workout, mine seems slow in comparison.

What it is:
50 x free, breast, back, Elementary back, and fly
100 x free, breast, back, Elementary back
150 x free, breast, back, Elementary back
100 x free, breast, back, Elementary back
75 x free, breast, back, Elementary back
50 x free, breast, back, Elementary back
25 x free, breast, back, Elementary back

This works out to be about 2.25 Km in 1.5 hrs

Besides lessening the slower strokes, anything I can do to more. I work
after this for 8 hrs, so I do not want to burn myself out.

Thanks,

Micheal

It really depends what your goals are.

If you just want to swim more distance then I would do longer sets of
freestyle with less rest in between, eg sets of 200m-500m repeats, or
even just a long straight swim of 800m+. Another good workout is a
"ladder", eg 100m-200m-300m-400m-500m or v.v.

Generally, the reason for incorporating shorter intervals into a
workout is to allow you to swim them at a higher speed and intensity
than you could sustain for a long swim. The shorter the distance, the
greater the speed and intensity and therefore the longer recovery
between repeats is required. You are working different energy systems,
ie anaerobic instead of aerobic.

So if you are swimming all your sets at pretty much the same speed
(which I suspect you could be doing) then you are not really gaining
much out of an "interval" style workout and would maybe be better doing
more "long slow distance" which will at least give you a greater total
distance swum.

Similarly it depends also on why you want to swim much of your workouts
in the "off" strokes. It's good to work different muscle groups but
unless you are specifically training to compete in those strokes then
they could be better used just as "recovery" strokes and for some
variety. A friend of mine is a very good backstroker and would do
about 1/2 to 2/3 of every workout as backstroke, both longer and
shorter sets. Another guy at my masters club is a good breaststroker
and does similarly with breaststroke. But most fitness swimmers that I
have seen & swum with will do most of their workout as freestyle.

You might want to have a look at Ruth Kazez's website:
http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/e/x/exk7/PreviousSwimWorkouts.html
and in particulare her "Zero to 1650" plan:
http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/e/x/exk7/SwimWorkouts.html/ZeroTo1mile.html
which would be a good way to build up some distance into your workouts.

These are just some suggestions from my experience with swimming, I'm
not a coach or elite swimmer so feel free to disagree with any or all
of this.

HTH

Liz D

"Liz D" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Micheal Artindale said:

After seeing your workout, mine seems slow in comparison.

What it is:
50 x free, breast, back, Elementary back, and fly
100 x free, breast, back, Elementary back
150 x free, breast, back, Elementary back
100 x free, breast, back, Elementary back
75 x free, breast, back, Elementary back
50 x free, breast, back, Elementary back
25 x free, breast, back, Elementary back

This works out to be about 2.25 Km in 1.5 hrs

Besides lessening the slower strokes, anything I can do to more. I work

after this for 8 hrs, so I do not want to burn myself out.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Thanks,

Micheal

It really depends what your goals are.

To be able to swim 4km with equal distance of the 5 strokes with in a 2 hr
time frame

Quoted message said:

If you just want to swim more distance then I would do longer sets of

freestyle with less rest in between, eg sets of 200m-500m repeats, or even
just a long straight swim of 800m+. Another good workout is a "ladder", eg
100m-200m-300m-400m-500m or v.v.

I am doing that, but with all strokes. I want all strokes to be strong,
instead of just one or 2

I would also like to be able to do 200m IM at a masters race, and not be
last.

Quoted message said:

Generally, the reason for incorporating shorter intervals into a workout

is to allow you to swim them at a higher speed and intensity than you could
sustain for a long swim. The shorter the distance, the greater the speed
and intensity and therefore the longer recovery between repeats is required.
You are working different energy systems, ie anaerobic instead of aerobic.

Quoted message said:

So if you are swimming all your sets at pretty much the same speed (which

I suspect you could be doing) then you are not really gaining much out of an
"interval" style workout and would maybe be better doing more "long slow
distance" which will at least give you a greater total distance swum.

Quoted message said:

Similarly it depends also on why you want to swim much of your workouts in

the "off" strokes. It's good to work different muscle groups but unless you
are specifically training to compete in those strokes then they could be
better used just as "recovery" strokes and for some variety. A friend of
mine is a very good backstroker and would do about 1/2 to 2/3 of every
workout as backstroke, both longer and shorter sets. Another guy at my
masters club is a good breaststroker and does similarly with breaststroke.
But most fitness swimmers that I have seen & swum with will do most of their
workout as freestyle.

I want to be able to swim 200m IM proficiently

Quoted message said:

You might want to have a look at Ruth Kazez's website:
http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/e/x/exk7/PreviousSwimWorkouts.html
and in particulare her "Zero to 1650" plan:

http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/e/x/exk7/SwimWorkouts.html/ZeroTo1mile.html

Quoted message said:

which would be a good way to build up some distance into your workouts.

Neither of those meet my goals

Quoted message said:

These are just some suggestions from my experience with swimming, I'm
not a coach or elite swimmer so feel free to disagree with any or all
of this.

HTH

Liz D

Thanks for the input.

Micheal

Hi Micheal,
A couple of months ago you had this crazy idea of doing an 8km in some lake
in your area, I hope you see the crazyness of that now. To give you an idea
of what you were thinking of doing and what is required I will run a couple
of numbers by you.
At the rate you are swimming at you should realize that you would have taken
at least 8hrs to do this in. In this same time the guys that can do long
distance swimming would have done 25km. I'm slowly preparing for such
events, by doing my homework first and doing the work that goes along with
it.
This weekend we have a meet at a lake close by. There is a 3km and then
several 1km races according to age group taking place. I plan to swim the
3km and then my age groups 1km race plus then the two left over events there
after. That is a total of 6km. Can I do it: Yes, with a smile and I will be
fine the next day. How do I know it, because I come prepared I have trained
the distance penty times over and I have done similar races to date. The one
was a 5km followed by a 1km some 2hrs later and both times I was proud of my
5km I did in 1.24hrs and the km in around 16min. I expect beter this time
around. And who knows maybe on the day I might swim even more races
depending on how I feel.
Why do I tell you all this. Simple: to let you know to stop mucking about
and to start pushing it. I also work after my swim, I have my own bussiness
so my hours doesn't stop after 8hrs it just goes on and on. That is
something anyone with his own small business will tell you. So stop finding
excuses why not to and find reasons why you have to do it.
Love the sport
Marcel

Micheal Artindale said:

I want to be able to swim 200m IM proficiently

Quoted message said:

You might want to have a look at Ruth Kazez's website:
http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/e/x/exk7/PreviousSwimWorkouts.html
and in particulare her "Zero to 1650" plan:

http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/e/x/exk7/SwimWorkouts.html/ZeroTo1mile.html

Quoted message said:

which would be a good way to build up some distance into your workouts.

Neither of those meet my goals

If you have a look at the workouts, you will find that many of them
have a lot of IM sets in them, and lots of "off" strokes as well. I
would have thought they would be ideal for your needs.

I think you really need to put more time into establishing an aerobic
base of swimming fitness first, before trying to concentrate on the
speed you would need for a 200m event. That will also assist you in
your goal of long distance open water swims (if you are still planning
to do that).

If you just want to continue doing things your own way, there's not
much point in keep asking for advice.

Liz D

"Marcel Meijer" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi Micheal,
A couple of months ago you had this crazy idea of doing an 8km in some

lake

Quoted message said:

in your area, I hope you see the crazyness of that now. To give you an

idea

Quoted message said:

of what you were thinking of doing and what is required I will run a

couple

Quoted message said:

of numbers by you.

Actually, I still plan to do it, in around the weekend of Aug 5 2006.

Quoted message said:

At the rate you are swimming at you should realize that you would have

taken

Quoted message said:

at least 8hrs to do this in. In this same time the guys that can do long
distance swimming would have done 25km. I'm slowly preparing for such
events, by doing my homework first and doing the work that goes along with
it.

I know that it would take me somewhere between 6-10hrs to do it. a 4km swim
took 2.75hrs.

I am swimming 2 hrs a day, 5 days a week.

Quoted message said:

This weekend we have a meet at a lake close by. There is a 3km and then
several 1km races according to age group taking place. I plan to swim the
3km and then my age groups 1km race plus then the two left over events

there

Quoted message said:

after. That is a total of 6km. Can I do it: Yes, with a smile and I will

be

Quoted message said:

fine the next day. How do I know it, because I come prepared I have

trained

Quoted message said:

the distance penty times over and I have done similar races to date. The

one

Quoted message said:

was a 5km followed by a 1km some 2hrs later and both times I was proud of

my

Quoted message said:

5km I did in 1.24hrs and the km in around 16min. I expect beter this time
around. And who knows maybe on the day I might swim even more races
depending on how I feel.

Quoted message said:

Why do I tell you all this. Simple: to let you know to stop mucking about
and to start pushing it. I also work after my swim, I have my own

bussiness

Quoted message said:

so my hours doesn't stop after 8hrs it just goes on and on. That is
something anyone with his own small business will tell you. So stop

finding

Quoted message said:

excuses why not to and find reasons why you have to do it.

I am not giving excuses. I am working towards it.

Quoted message said:

Love the sport

I do. I wouldnt do this if i did not love swimming.

Micheal

"Liz D" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Micheal Artindale said:

I want to be able to swim 200m IM proficiently

Quoted message said:

You might want to have a look at Ruth Kazez's website:
http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/e/x/exk7/PreviousSwimWorkouts.html
and in particulare her "Zero to 1650" plan:

http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/e/x/exk7/SwimWorkouts.html/ZeroTo1mile.html

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

which would be a good way to build up some distance into your

workouts.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Neither of those meet my goals

If you have a look at the workouts, you will find that many of them
have a lot of IM sets in them, and lots of "off" strokes as well. I
would have thought they would be ideal for your needs.

I am looking for workouts that give me equal amounts of all 5 strokes.

Quoted message said:

I think you really need to put more time into establishing an aerobic
base of swimming fitness first, before trying to concentrate on the
speed you would need for a 200m event. That will also assist you in
your goal of long distance open water swims (if you are still planning
to do that).

I am still planning to do that, in around Aug 5 2006.

I am first trying to "clean out the cob webs". I have not swam between
August and December. Later on, I will be working on each stroke. Those
workouts would be good then.

Quoted message said:

If you just want to continue doing things your own way, there's not
much point in keep asking for advice.

Liz D

The only advice i was asking was what is a sutable distance, doing 5
strokes equally, is decent in a 2 hr time span.

Your advice, has been usefull, and has given me somethings to think about.

Thanks,

Micheal

Micheal Artindale said:

"Liz D" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Micheal Artindale said:

I want to be able to swim 200m IM proficiently

>
> You might want to have a look at Ruth Kazez's website:
> http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/e/x/exk7/PreviousSwimWorkouts.html
> and in particulare her "Zero to 1650" plan:
>

http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/e/x/exk7/SwimWorkouts.html/ZeroTo1mile.html

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> which would be a good way to build up some distance into your

workouts.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

>
Neither of those meet my goals

If you have a look at the workouts, you will find that many of them
have a lot of IM sets in them, and lots of "off" strokes as well. I
would have thought they would be ideal for your needs.

I am looking for workouts that give me equal amounts of all 5 strokes.

Are you training to swim an 8k open water swim? If so, most of your
work should be crawl stroke.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I think you really need to put more time into establishing an aerobic
base of swimming fitness first, before trying to concentrate on the
speed you would need for a 200m event. That will also assist you in
your goal of long distance open water swims (if you are still planning
to do that).

I am still planning to do that, in around Aug 5 2006.

Then you should be working your way up to swimming an 8k in the pool.
You aren't going to make it at the rate you are going, from the
workout descriptions you have provided.

Quoted message said:

I am first trying to "clean out the cob webs". I have not swam between
August and December. Later on, I will be working on each stroke. Those
workouts would be good then.

Quoted message said:

If you just want to continue doing things your own way, there's not
much point in keep asking for advice.

Liz D

Liz is right. Either work your way up to doing 6k workouts, or stop
asking for advice you are obviously not prepared to accept. If you
start now, you might be ready in time for an 8k open water swim in
August.

Quoted message said:

The only advice i was asking was what is a sutable distance, doing 5
strokes equally, is decent in a 2 hr time span.

If you mean, to prepare for an 8k open water swim in august, then 5k
to 6k in 2 hrs, almost all crawl stroke, is uitable. Shut up and swim.

"Martin Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Micheal Artindale said:

"Liz D" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Micheal Artindale wrote:
> I want to be able to swim 200m IM proficiently
>
> >
> > You might want to have a look at Ruth Kazez's website:
> >

http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/e/x/exk7/PreviousSwimWorkouts.html

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> > and in particulare her "Zero to 1650" plan:
> >
>

http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/e/x/exk7/SwimWorkouts.html/ZeroTo1mile.

html

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> > which would be a good way to build up some distance into your

workouts.

Quoted message said:

> >
> Neither of those meet my goals
>

If you have a look at the workouts, you will find that many of them
have a lot of IM sets in them, and lots of "off" strokes as well. I
would have thought they would be ideal for your needs.

I am looking for workouts that give me equal amounts of all 5 strokes.

Are you training to swim an 8k open water swim? If so, most of your
work should be crawl stroke.

When I did my 4k swim, I combined 4 strokes, front crawl, breast, back crawl
and elementary backstroke.

It alowed me to continue when I may have quit do to exhaustion. Front crawl
is great for speed. the rest, were great when I wanted to catch my breath.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I think you really need to put more time into establishing an aerobic
base of swimming fitness first, before trying to concentrate on the
speed you would need for a 200m event. That will also assist you in
your goal of long distance open water swims (if you are still planning
to do that).

I am still planning to do that, in around Aug 5 2006.

Then you should be working your way up to swimming an 8k in the pool.
You aren't going to make it at the rate you are going, from the
workout descriptions you have provided.

I actually asked at the Y where I swim, They cannot/will not have a lane
open long enough for me to do it.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I am first trying to "clean out the cob webs". I have not swam between
August and December. Later on, I will be working on each stroke. Those
workouts would be good then.

Quoted message said:

If you just want to continue doing things your own way, there's not
much point in keep asking for advice.

Liz D

Liz is right. Either work your way up to doing 6k workouts, or stop
asking for advice you are obviously not prepared to accept. If you
start now, you might be ready in time for an 8k open water swim in
August.

Quoted message said:

The only advice i was asking was what is a sutable distance, doing 5
strokes equally, is decent in a 2 hr time span.

If you mean, to prepare for an 8k open water swim in august, then 5k
to 6k in 2 hrs, almost all crawl stroke, is uitable. Shut up and swim.

Ok, uhm, I actually am more faster in a lake than in a pool. so, once I get
to 4 km in 2 hrs, i likely can do it in the lake in less than 2 hrs.

As I said, once I get into a decent shape, i will work on speed.

Micheal

Micheal Artindale said:

"Martin Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Are you training to swim an 8k open water swim? If so, most of your
work should be crawl stroke.

When I did my 4k swim, I combined 4 strokes, front crawl, breast, back crawl
and elementary backstroke.

It alowed me to continue when I may have quit do to exhaustion. Front crawl
is great for speed. the rest, were great when I wanted to catch my breath.

Stop. Your goal is to swim 8 kilometers in a northern lake. You
abandoned your challenge last year because the water was too cold,
even though the water was not too cold. You did so because you
correctly saw that you would have suffered hypothermia staying in the
water for 8 hours, which was your expected time.

That won't be any different next summer. Even if the water is warmer,
staying in it swimming slowly for 8 hours will likely result in
hypothermia. Therefore, to achieve your goal, you should set your
standard higher, and get your time down to four hours before you try
it. If you persist in making excuses why you can't do this swim the
way every other swimmer in the world would do it, then you will not
achieve your goal.

I can predict right now that at the rate you are excusing yourself
from doing the work required to swim an open water 8k, you won't try
it next summer either. You will have to back out again because you
won't be ready.

You can't seriously expect to swim an 8k if swimming crawl stroke
causes you to be out of breath. No one said you have to swim hard for
the entire 8k, nor even for part of it. If swimming crawl slowly
causes you to be out of breath, that's the problem you should
eliminate. You will eliminate that problem by swimming crawl stroke
and butterfly. If you don't eliminate that out of breath problem, you
won't make the 8k.

Swimming breast stroke and elementary backstroke will not help you.
Swimming backstroke is fine, but backstroke is not real useful in an
open water swim. When you get tired swimming crawl stroke, you just
slow down a bit.

That's how it is done. Everybody does it that way. Do it that way.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> I think you really need to put more time into establishing an aerobic
> base of swimming fitness first, before trying to concentrate on the
> speed you would need for a 200m event. That will also assist you in
> your goal of long distance open water swims (if you are still planning
> to do that).

I am still planning to do that, in around Aug 5 2006.

Then you should be working your way up to swimming an 8k in the pool.
You aren't going to make it at the rate you are going, from the
workout descriptions you have provided.

I actually asked at the Y where I swim, They cannot/will not have a lane
open long enough for me to do it.

I said "you should be working your way up to swimming eightk in the
pool. That means, you should be trying to increase the distance you
complete in the two hours you have each day. Believe it or not, quite
a lot of swimmers can swim 8k in less than two hours. My advice is:
don't attempt the 8k in open water until you can swim 4k in two hours
in the pool. That should be your goal before you attempt the 8k.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I am first trying to "clean out the cob webs". I have not swam between
August and December. Later on, I will be working on each stroke. Those
workouts would be good then.
>
> If you just want to continue doing things your own way, there's not
> much point in keep asking for advice.
>
> Liz D

Liz is right. Either work your way up to doing 6k workouts, or stop
asking for advice you are obviously not prepared to accept. If you
start now, you might be ready in time for an 8k open water swim in
August.

Quoted message said:

The only advice i was asking was what is a sutable distance, doing 5
strokes equally, is decent in a 2 hr time span.

If you mean, to prepare for an 8k open water swim in august, then 5k
to 6k in 2 hrs, almost all crawl stroke, is uitable. Shut up and swim.

Ok, uhm, I actually am more faster in a lake than in a pool.

No, you don't.

Quoted message said:

once I get
to 4 km in 2 hrs, i likely can do it in the lake in less than 2 hrs.

No, you can't.

Quoted message said:

As I said, once I get into a decent shape, i will work on speed.

Decent shape is swimming 4k crawl in 2 hours. You won't get there
swimming elemntary backstroke.

Martin Smith said:

Micheal Artindale said:

"Martin Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Are you training to swim an 8k open water swim? If so, most of your
work should be crawl stroke.

When I did my 4k swim, I combined 4 strokes, front crawl, breast, back crawl
and elementary backstroke.

It alowed me to continue when I may have quit do to exhaustion. Front crawl
is great for speed. the rest, were great when I wanted to catch my breath.

Stop. Your goal is to swim 8 kilometers in a northern lake.

Decent shape is swimming 4k crawl in 2 hours. You won't get there
swimming elemntary backstroke.

8 hours! 8 hours? 8 HOURS ??!!
One kilometer per hour?
I strongly suggest learning to go just one k at least twice, maybe 3
times that speed before dreaming up such a plan.
Here's what some friends and I are doing toward the same end.
http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/e/x/exk7/Ultradistance.html
I'll probably do only the 1 mile alternative, but they're going for the
8 k and expect to do it under 2 hours. These are rec swimmers,
triathletes who've never competed at swimming. But they know how to
swim and in training they know how to suck it up and keep going.

rtk

Hi Micheal,
You say you swim 2 hrs a day 5 days a week, thats good, but the hours does
not matter if the quality of that swim is poor. You need to work alot harder
than you do if you want to do it and survive it. If you are afraid of being
too tired to work after more than 1.25km of swimming in the morning then I
suggest that you take a months leave after August 5, you are going to need
it. Even a better idea is to make sure your will is in order. Out there you
are open to the elements and I have seen on many a race how fast weather
conditions can change.
How many open water swims have you done? I bet you not enough. Get real and
postphone that swim till 2007.
By the way if you are planing to do backstroke in open water I hope you will
be looking at a compass or a GPS because there is nothing in the open sky to
show you direction. (Just a small, little detail you might have overlooked
amongs a great number of much bigger ones)
Isn't swimming fun!
Marcel

"Marcel Meijer" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi Micheal,
You say you swim 2 hrs a day 5 days a week, thats good, but the hours does
not matter if the quality of that swim is poor. You need to work alot

harder

Quoted message said:

than you do if you want to do it and survive it. If you are afraid of

being

Quoted message said:

too tired to work after more than 1.25km of swimming in the morning then I
suggest that you take a months leave after August 5, you are going to need
it. Even a better idea is to make sure your will is in order. Out there

you

Quoted message said:

are open to the elements and I have seen on many a race how fast weather
conditions can change.

On a slow day its about 1 km an hour. On a fast day, 1.25km an hr.

I have yet to make up a will. My family and friends can fight over what they
want.

If the weather is not above a certain tempurature, and the wind is less than
a certain speed, or if it is raining, I will likely not do it.

Quoted message said:

How many open water swims have you done? I bet you not enough. Get real

and

Quoted message said:

postphone that swim till 2007.

I did about 15-20 open water swims of 1km last year, and the 4km swim too.

This year, I wont know until the ice melts.

Depending on if i am ready or not, I may postpone it.

Quoted message said:

By the way if you are planing to do backstroke in open water I hope you

will

Quoted message said:

be looking at a compass or a GPS because there is nothing in the open sky

to

Quoted message said:

show you direction. (Just a small, little detail you might have overlooked
amongs a great number of much bigger ones)

Actually, I will have something better. A safety boat near me. I look one
way, and there it is. We are actually aiming the boat towards our city's
water tower, easy to see from the boat from that island that i am going to
start at.

I do have a compass, and by then, i will have a GPS, and the person in the
boat will know how to use both.

Quoted message said:

Isn't swimming fun!

Definately, I wouldnt do it if it wasnt.

Micheal

Ruth:

that sounds like fun. what is the water temperature there?

Andres

rtk said:

Martin Smith said:

Micheal Artindale said:

"Martin Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

>Are you training to swim an 8k open water swim? If so, most of your
>work should be crawl stroke.

When I did my 4k swim, I combined 4 strokes, front crawl, breast, back crawl
and elementary backstroke.

It alowed me to continue when I may have quit do to exhaustion. Front crawl
is great for speed. the rest, were great when I wanted to catch my breath.

Stop. Your goal is to swim 8 kilometers in a northern lake.

Decent shape is swimming 4k crawl in 2 hours. You won't get there
swimming elemntary backstroke.

8 hours! 8 hours? 8 HOURS ??!!
One kilometer per hour?
I strongly suggest learning to go just one k at least twice, maybe 3
times that speed before dreaming up such a plan.
Here's what some friends and I are doing toward the same end.
http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/e/x/exk7/Ultradistance.html
I'll probably do only the 1 mile alternative, but they're going for the
8 k and expect to do it under 2 hours. These are rec swimmers,
triathletes who've never competed at swimming. But they know how to
swim and in training they know how to suck it up and keep going.

rtk

Quoted message said:

Ruth:

that sounds like fun. what is the water temperature there?

Andres

It's a not at all brutal 72 degrees, which is wetsuit for me. But the
water is rough enough so they have plucked out the vast majority of
swimmers on one occasion and at least a few every time. (quote: In 1992,
swimmers encountered strong currents and scores had to be plucked from
the bay. Only 48 out of 331 entrants finished. In 1991, 720 swimmers
out of 884 had to be taken from the water by rescue boats. )

It's the Chesapeake, a really big swell place. When I did IMH and
swam 2.4 at Kona, I could have turned around and swum the whole thing
again, not happily, but safely and quite comfortably. The waves were
such that you could adjust your stroke to get along with them and the
water temp of 78 required no wetsuit to chafe you. Chesapeake, for me,
would be 2 1/2 hours of suspense, wondering if I were not simply
enhancing my obituary, but precipitating it. But I would still like to
do the 1 mile so I can be with my friends, at least two of whom are
committed now and another losing the battle to resist temptation.

Entry requires (quote)
Completion of a Continuous 3 Mile Pool Swim in 2 hours 15 minutes or
better in the last two years. A letter of verification must be submitted
by the Pool Management/swim coach on either the pool's stationery or the
coach's letterhead, with the date of the swim and the witnessing
lifeguard's/coach's signature and phone number, attesting to the actual
time it took to complete the swim.

I include the above in case any fellow RSSs are tempted. It's really not
for inexperienced swimmers. It is so popular, you're advised to be at
your computer at 10 a.m. on Feb.1 and if you can't type fast, have a
friend fill out the 6 pages. The race fills up in less than 45 minutes,
the time it takes for them to process the entries placed immediately.

ruth

Quoted message said:

rtk wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Here's what some friends and I are doing toward the same end.
http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/e/x/exk7/Ultradistance.html
I'll probably do only the 1 mile alternative, but they're going for the
8 k and expect to do it under 2 hours.