Schnellinger wrote:
How old are you since you seem to believe that you will never be able to run a 34 10k? And how much did you improve when you started working hard in the water? I have started working with the local swim coach but we are only talking about what I need to do in terms of technique. I find it hard to work on technique when I go hard (I typically only go faster for a few lanes, then I work harder for the same speed as I go when I go easy), but you seem to believe that going hard is the right way to go regardless?
My fastest 10k is a 38:50, run at age 30, which is 14 years ago. I ran up to 100mpw to get to that level doing a pfitz 70+mpw marathon program with plenty of speedwork, and averaged over 60mpw for several years up to that, including having run 'seriously' since running x-country team in HS (on a really sucky team of no real competitive presence.)
You can just graph out my improvements in running, which suggest a very clear upper limit (asymptote for all the math nerds out there!) of in the 38:xx range for the 10k. I def could not run any more or harder than I was - I was definitely maxxing out my training for my intrinsic ability. There is absolutely no way I can/could have gone 37:xx or lower, even if all the stars aligned.
For swimming, don't take it from me, but from the top coaches who have blogged about AG triathlon swimming like Joel Filliol and trisutto, here's from Joel's top 20 which you've probably seen but it's a good reminder:
1. Conditioning trumps drills. Technique matters, but the way most athletes try to improve technique doesn't work. Get fitter, and your ability to hold good technique improves. It takes a lot of work to develop aerobic conditioning in your upper body. If you think you are already swimming a lot but are not improving, swim more and keep at it. There are no shortcuts.