Looking to go under 55 for IM distance race for the swim (would like 52-53 or less) and was wondering what some good tester sets to do to see if I am on track.
Looking for perhaps;
Set of 100yds x 10 or 20. What time goal on each and rest time?
Same with perhaps a TT goal of 1000 or 2000 yards.
Even 200’s or 500’s.
Just lookning for set goals that I might want to shoot for to make sure I am on the right track.
Thanks for your help from all you speedy swimmers.
Dan
I am not a speedy swimmer but why don’t you go to a pool and swim a 4000m straight swim. This is a little longer than 2.4 but I would imagine that would give you the best idea…
Questions:
Do you have a coach?
Previous Times in the 100 IM?
Where do you get to swim that race? Age group? club team? The last time I swam 100 IM was in 1989 summer league.
My indicator sets are 880m and 1500m time trials in the pool plus a couple of open water races of between 3 and 5km. I am usually around 52 to 56min for IM swim - although my run could use a lot of work
I think the question refers to the Ironman distance swim (2.4 miles)
.
100/200/300/400/500/400/300/200/100, all on 1:20/100, holding 1:10/100, all SCY.
Don’t I feel dumb!
Ironman, not Individual Medly.
There are formulas for running that are used, for example, to predict a marathon time based on a shorter race. I wonder if the formula would be applicable to swimming as well.
I did a 54min (wetsuit) swim at Lake Placid last year and one of my pool sets (scy) was 20 x 200y on 2:45, coming in at 2:30 - 2:35.
Hope this helps.
Stefan
Pick up a copy of Championship Swimming by Bill Sweetenham and John Atkinson. Great tester sets and generalally the best swimming book I have read.
I was going to say 20 x 100 @ 1:20 holding 1:09 to 1:10 but what Ken is saying is pretty much the same thing. Stefan’s 20 x 200 is a little different but not much. I think if you can do one, you can do the other two and you can probably hit your target. Obviously it depends on how hard you’re willing to push the swim but I think if you’re there, you can go 54:00 +/- at a sane pace for the start of an IM.
Ken and Rich’s sets sound very much like my own. One solid ladder on 1:20 pace where everything felt comfortable, and one set of 10x100 on 1:10 decending the last five. Be sure these sets are not stretch effort sets. They should be no big effort. When I’m swimming at that shape it’s set me up for Kona swims of 54 and change, and IMCanada swims between 52-54.
Good luck
I have never done an IM, but with an extensive swim background, I have assumed that I am in the 52 range. In the pool, I might do 15x100s on 1:10 (holding 1:02s or so) or, if I am feeling particularly good, 10x200s on 2:15 (holding 2:07s or so). Maybe that translates into sub 52 for the IM, but it’s hard to say. Faster with the wetsuit, but slower without the turns…
Dumb question maybe, but what is the point of 10 seconds or less rest between sets?, esp. 200’s. I can barely look at the clock and talk myself into staying in the pool in 10 seconds, forget about catching my breath or recovering. Why not just swim straight through if you are resting so little? Seems like you will have to swim practically the same pace anyway. Is it more a mental break? Maybe you guys just recover fast.
You can definitely swim faster with a 5-10 second rest interval. Sometimes, 10 seconds seems like all the time in the world. Sets like this are great for swimming endurance, but done at a relatively quick pace. Aerobic, but fast.
Good question. I personally dont take less than 20 second rest on most swims. The exceptions are race simulations where I will swim 100-200 at race pace with small breaks. Swimming faster is about having better form and holding it together, not swimming harder. Watch Phelps and Co. in the 200 free. the form and turnover are “slow” looking. They are swimming fast because they are holding all the water that they catch. triathletes are the worst at this. They seen to want to swim hard all the time and forget about holding form together. Everyone can swim hard, not everyone can swim well, especially when going hard.
My #1 rule in swimming. Never take a poor stroke. each stroke is an individulal attempt to get all the way across the pool. Taking a bit more rest, possibly slow down a bit, and swimming with better form will lead to faster swimming in the end.
Example: Tim DeBoom is a FAST swimmer. His form is absolutely great. He can swim 46-47 for an IM if he wants. His 50-52 is at a relatively relaxed pace. He is swimming with great form, not great effort for his IM’s. Most people think “I can swim with Tim. 52? no problem!” Maybe you can, but can you do that without getting your HR over 135? I have had the chance to watch Tim swim daily from the Lifeguard chair for years. I’ve seen him string together 15-20 50’s under :30 That boy can move. the only triathletes I have seen swim faster are his brother Tony and Brad Beven. (Beven went under 1:00 for 10 100’s on 1:15 out of shape)
The 10 sec rest is lots. I used to do 20*100 on 1:05 holding 0:58 but could never have done 2000 in under 20min.
If you’re in good swimming shape your HR drops during the short rest interval.
David in NY, those sets would put you closer to the sub-50 range if you can hold the pace (and swim straight) for the full 3.8k.
Agree…most of the above sets are beyond what I ever did in the pool but I’m regulary under 55min in IM races when wetsuites are allowed. Why do you want to be under 55 anyhow? If you’re in good enough swimming shape to target 55 then you might do 53 or 57 depending on what kind of feet you catch during the swim or weather your googles get knoked off at the start or not. But in any case, your race will start after that and I doubt the 4-5 min difference will matter.
If you’re shooting for the overall win, then it’s a different story but you wouldn’t ask that question in this forum, would you?
Marty, funny thing about HRs and swimming: I have been swimming competitively for 30 years, and I have absolutely no idea what my HR is during a set of 10x200s on 2:15. But during my rides and runs, I am a slave to my HR monitor.