Here was the week before I swam the 1000y free at USMS Spring Nationals (My A race at my A meet for the year. Luckily it happened to be my first race of the weekend. I also raced the 200 free and the 100 free on subsequent days). It wouldn't have looked much different were I swimming the 1500/1650 instead of the 1000. If I weren't swimming the 100/200, I'd have probably done a second set that was half the original 1000 race pace set.


Race day -7
-Standard 600 Warmup (200 pull, 200 kick, 4x50 build, on 1:00)
-8x100 on 1:40, target time <1:12 (i.e. target 1000 race pace)
- 200 EZ
-12x25 fly on :40, target <:17.50 (I was still contemplating the 200 fly, decided shortly after this workout to drop it)
-100 EZ
2000scy total

Race Day -6
Rest Day

Race Day -5
-Standard 600 Warm Up
-8x75 on 1:30, target :53.40 (1000 race pace)
-200 EZ
-6x50 on 1:15, target <:32 (back-half 200 race pace)
-150 EZ
-4x25 on :45, target <13:90 (100 race pace)
-100 EZ
2050scy total

Race Day -4
Rest Day

Race Day -3
-Standard 600 Warm Up
-10x50 on :55, target <:35.20 (1000 race pace)
-100 EZ
-4x25 on 40, target <15.20 (back-half 200 race pace)
-50 EZ
-2x25 on :45, target <:13.90 (100 race pace)
-100 EZ
1500scy total

Race Day -2
-200 pull, 200 kick Warm Up
-6x50 on 1:00, target <:35.20 (1000 race pace)
-200 EZ
-4x25 on 45, target <15.20 (back-half 200 race pace)
-150 EZ
-2x25 on 1:00, target <:13.90 (100 race pace)
-100 EZ
1300scy total

Race Day -1 (race day warm-up simulation)
-300 EZ Swim
-50 EZ back
-50 EZ breast
-6x50 strong (1000 race effort) on 1:00
-2x25 strong+ ("last 50 of 1000 free race" effort) on :45
-150 EZ
900scy total

Race Day Warmup
(same as Race Day -1 above)


As you can see, I was focused on locking in paces for the actual races. All my 1000-targeted mini-sets were at a 1:12/100 pace. In the race, I had one 100 split in the 1:13-lows, all the rest were in the 1:12's or faster. Ended up going 11:55.03 for a 1:11.50/100 average. All my 100-targeted mini-sets were at :55.60/100 pace. I went 55:46. All my 200-targeted mini-sets were targeting a 1:04 back-half. I went out 1:00.67, came back 1:04.27.

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"They're made of latex, not nitroglycerin"

I can't give day to day, but I wouldn't taper on the swim until about 2-3 days out at the most.

jake

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Get outside!

If you are swimming 15-20K a week or less I dont know that you need to do much of a taper. I would stop lifting weights 2-3 weeks out and then the last week just do 3 or 4 workouts at 50-75% of normal distance with what GaryP is showing is pretty good to dial in your race pace. Cut back on the pulling also.

How much have you been swimming, that would be crucial to any advice given on a taper?

Eh.. not enough, 6-10k. Lots of hard efforts on the 6k weeks. Just wanted to see how it compares to run taper which I know

Ok, you and I are doing the same yardages, so here is my advice. Do some sets of about 1k with good rest and a couple/few seconds faster than race pace, so 10x100's with 30 seconds rest. You dont have to cut yardages with this amount, just get more rest and do more faster swims. Two days before take the day off completely, then get in day before and just do a normal race warmup. Make sure you sleep very well the 2 and 3 nights before, feel very rested in that regard, the swimming will take care of itself.

You shaving anything? I dont recall, is it a pool race or OW?? Wetsuit or speed suit, or scratch?

1 mile bay swim in wetsuit . Goal sub 30 then next year same no wetsuit

You don't really have anything to taper off of. I would keep your yardage high until the race. But do some pace work to dial it all in. You could probably up your yardage on race week and actually do better than dropping yardage.

Hope this helps.

Tim

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http://www.magnoliamasters.com
http://www.snappingtortuga.com
http://www.swimeasyspeed.com

1 mile bay swim in wetsuit //

Ok, so take what I said and do it all pulling with buoy and paddles. And Snap T is right, you could even do more earlier in the week than normal, and probably gain race fitness....