I have no idea how to find the old threads, but this “set” has been a target set of mine for a long time. And I know I’ve posted goals for this in the past.
It’s a simple splash and dash: 500 yard swim, 1 mile run. I have to run out of an outdoor facility on to the street so I don’t care about transition time other than to say I don’t cruise the transition but don’t hit start on the run until I’ve crossed the street safely.
I was looking in my data and since turning 45 the fastest I’ve done this is 5:44 / 5:48 for a total of 11:32. I really think I was faster but I cannot find it anywhere so that is what I am going with.
So my goal will be to go under a total time of 11:30.
If anyone cares to join me with their own goal, great!
So what is your age now?? That’s a solid time goal, you must be doing some good training to think you can beat your younger self.. I’ll join you, but will do a 400IM(probably about same but more effort to complete than a 500 free) and a mile. I will have to look around and see if there are any tracks near the pools I frequent to get an exact mile.
I turn 50 in a few months. Right now running a 5:50 seems impossible. I haven’t put in nearly enough speed work because I’ve been prepping for a marathon and in an effort to avoid injuries. For discussion; if I was training for a mile, speed work would be 200 and 400’s, but this is different because the swim before hand and well, I don’t want to get injured. So I am thinking my once a week track workout will be 400/800s. Any thought on this?
First off good on you for going for a marathon, that’s no easy gauntlet to run through at 50. Imagine you are up around 50mpw? A sub 6 mile should be doable for you, but as you note you don’t want to get injured and sidelined from your big goals. I would do some really fast stuff on the treadmill to get ready, keep your steady state stuff on the road and do a few workouts just bombing it indoors. And I would also run a few at least 1/2 miles indoors at the target pace before attempting it outdoors.
You might find that going low 5;40 in the swim is now the hardest part of your challenge. Might need to suit up, shave and get a pacer there too! All sounds fun, I’m in the middle of some sickness I got at Knotts Berry farm and dreaming about the day I can start my training plan. Just a lot slower than yours, but 20 years later to give you a mark to shoot for when you’re gray!
Great idea, simple protocol, and not so hard you can’t test it without wrecking yourself. I’ll hop in on this just to see what I can do. It’ll take a day pass at a different pool facility, but should be doable.
The whole idea of simple benchmarks that can be tested repeatedly is great for training and for motivation.
I’ll add my goal. It’s specifically swim related: USA Swimming 11-12 SCY B times.
A little background, I swam summer league from age 6-12, and club swim from about 10-12. Was just never great, but do remember collecting BB times in everything but fly, and at least one breaststroke A time. Stopped when I couldn’t avoid two-a-day practices any longer. Anyways, currently 41. I started swimming again for tri in 2023, started with a masters group a year ago. The swim is my strength in tris. I’ll only be doing local sprints and olys in 2026. Been looking at doing some masters meets for both fun and progress. Out of curiosity, I pulled up the USA Swimming age group motivational times. 11-12 Boys B Times are at or near my current level. My protocol is to set aside some time a couple sessions per month to do some rested sets for time, as well as enter swim meets (current options are late Feb. and late March). I’ll generally target all the Free (50 - 1650), 100 and 200 IM, and the stroke 50s and 100s. For meets, I’m thinking of entering some 50s, 100 IM where offered, and maybe 100 free or breast. The progression looks like 11-12 B, then BB, then 13-14 B (the non-free 50s drop out of the times at 13-14 though). Not sure where I could top out in the year, but looking to at least hit all of the 11-12 B times and go from there.
Last week I hit the following, all push starts and just watching the wall clock myself, so fair margin of error.
They actually have 50 of every stroke for every age group, now that 50 long course of every stroke will be in the Olympics. The times jump up quite a lot for boys in 13/14, versus 11/12 once they hit their growth spurt.