Pretty new here so work with me. I started swimming about 4 weeks ago. At the second practice (swimming with a masters team) they did a T30 and I was able to get 1400M in. 3 practices a week and last night (3 weeks later) we did another T30 and this time I got 1500M (got overlapped by a girl 3 times, she was keepin’ my ego in check!). So at each practice we usually go about 2500 meters, and although that is a little bit shorter, its much more high intensity.
So the question is, on August 10th there is a 4km open water swim down in Prospect, KY in the Ohio River. It’s a two lap course, you swim upstream (.25 mph current) for 1km before heading back. Then you turn around and do it again.
So, do y’all think I could do it? And if so, how long would it take me? 90 minutes? 95? 100?
And although I’m new to swimming, I’m not new to aerobic sports. I’m a marathoner and a pretty solid one.
Seems like you could be ready in time. Why don’t you try adding a longer swim to your training from time to time aside from the master training? That will give you confidence that you can do the distance. Also, you should get some practice time in open water, so you don’t freak out in the race. Swimming in the river will be a completely different experience than swimming in the pool. If you’ll be wearing a wetsuit then you should get some practice in with that as well.
Seems like you could be ready in time. Why don’t you try adding a longer swim to your training from time to time aside from the master training? That will give you confidence that you can do the distance. Also, you should get some practice time in open water, so you don’t freak out in the race. Swimming in the river will be a completely different experience than swimming in the pool. If you’ll be wearing a wetsuit then you should get some practice in with that as well.
They expect water temp to be about low to mid 80’s, don’t think I’ll be wearing one. Also don’t own one yet.
As for the Open Water practice, I’d like that for sure. Yesterday was actually decent practice in the pool, because we had 8 people in the lane and some went as far as 1800 and some as few as 1300. So there was a ton of passing and at times it was 3 wide in the lane and I could feel people on me and me on them. I was thinking about trying 2500 straight in the pool, thought that would be a nice practice.
Pretty new here so work with me. I started swimming about 4 weeks ago. At the second practice (swimming with a masters team) they did a T30 and I was able to get 1400M in. 3 practices a week and last night (3 weeks later) we did another T30 and this time I got 1500M (got overlapped by a girl 3 times, she was keepin’ my ego in check!). So at each practice we usually go about 2500 meters, and although that is a little bit shorter, its much more high intensity.
So the question is, on August 10th there is a 4km open water swim down in Prospect, KY in the Ohio River. It’s a two lap course, you swim upstream (.25 mph current) for 1km before heading back. Then you turn around and do it again.
So, do y’all think I could do it? And if so, how long would it take me? 90 minutes? 95? 100?
And although I’m new to swimming, I’m not new to aerobic sports. I’m a marathoner and a pretty solid one.
Thanks so much guys!
yes, I think you could do it. 95 minutes seems about right. The start of the 2nd loop up stream will be challenging.
Yes, you could do it if you prepare your MINDSET properly. Competitive open water swimming is not just a matter of swim strength and drills honed in the pool, but has a lot to do with mental preparedness, which can be honed by … swimming in open water.
My wife was a competitive Asian swimmer during her younger years and raced in many ASEAN Games and ASIAN Games getting gold and silver for her country. She started racing really young and was like a fish in the pool. She has since retired and a few years ago got tickled fancy by the possibility of doing open water swim races, where there are much older swimmers like her. So she got in the pool again and prepared for months for her first OWS event in New York’s Hudson River (a 1500 meter swim).
Within 200 meters from the start, she started hyperventilating and had a major panic attack. She tried to continue the race doing the breast stroke and back stroke but eventually she was pulled out by the kayakers and Coast Guard as they noticed she was vomiting while swimming. The poor woman just kept on swimming despite the struggle and she eventually DNFd.
Unfortunately, she did not do a single OWS practice prior to this and she was shocked by how different OWS was compared to pool swimming. For one she could not see the bottom, there were no lanes to guide her, the water was dark, the waves were choppy, the current was weird, she was being trashed more than in the pool. Plus her mindset was different.
Well, she has since gotten better and has been doing many OWS events since that day and she has placed well in her AG. My point in telling this story is for you to be aware that the sensation of OWS is totally different from just master pool swimming. The best way to prepare for it is to swim in open water for a long distance.
The good news is that as long as I can get to 3000m, I can just casually float the final kilometer if need be.
The other thing that makes me feel stupid is how long it will take me. I come from marathoning and being pretty decent at my sport, I’m used to being able to win local races and being top AG for sizeable marathons. Now I know that if I go compete in an OWS that’s 4km long, I’m going to be like…2nd or 3rd to last. Should be a humbling experience. Just like the girl who lapped me 3 times in thirty minutes last night. I’d just be stoked to finish an iron distance swim.
Do it. Worst that happens is you DNF after a lap. Best that happens is it’s a good experience and you like it.
Get some help w/ swim technique beforehand and up your yards in practice. Ignore the 10% rule; swimming is not running and you can get away with more
I’m not new to aerobic sports. I’m a marathoner and a pretty solid one.
Do it. Worst that happens is you DNF after a lap. Best that happens is it’s a good experience and you like it.
Get some help w/ swim technique beforehand and up your yards in practice. Ignore the 10% rule; swimming is not running and you can get away with more
My technique is pretty decent. 7 years ago I swam one season and never forgot how to freestyle. My only issue is my balance is a little off (because I only breathe on the left side) and when my left arm reenters the water it does so about a few inches past my centerline. I’ve almost corrected the left arm entrance and to correct the balance issues I’ve been swimming 2-2-3 on easier sets. I’m going to start going to go a 4th practice a week (specifically the one where they teach open water sighting) for more yards.
I’m only on practice 10 though. A lot of new muscle groups compared to running. I know I also have drag related to my legs sinking, so I’ve been working on getting my hips up to reduce the drag profile.
Coach’s haven’t said anything else though. So I can’t really know unless they say something aside from those 3 points.
I’m not trying to be mean, I am trying to help. 1500m in half an hour is 2:00 / 100 m. Ask the coaches as there are likely some technical things you can fix. It’s free speed
No worries, I understand. Drag is everything in swimming and you obviously can’t see yourself as you swim. I’ll bug them to watch me some more. I think I don’t keep my head down e nough either, I don’t look straight down, I tend to look a slight bit ahead increasing the desire for the rest of the body to sink.
I would say no. You’ll eventually get to the finish , but its not really necessary to go that distance at your stage in the game. It might actually kill your drive a bit. have fun and work up to it s you can enjoy it more. Nothing worse than being way out there and getting mad at yourself for being stupid.
As you are a runner - I would also bet dollars to donuts that you need to point your toes a bit more when you kick and keep your knees straighter.
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Yea…I have no ankle flexibility. The first day I wore fins I thought my ankles were going to break. It was bad. I’ll make sure I think about that in the pull next time!
I wear my running shorts in the pool, the short kind, nike splits. So a bit less drag than “swimming trunks” but not on the speedo/jammers level either.
Also don’t own one yet. 
