How many yards per week are you swimming as you get down to the last 6 weeks prior to half Ironman.
I averaged 7,800 yds/ week in the run up to my last 70.3. Three swims per week. It’s not a lot. I put more emphasis on the bike and run, which I did four times per week each. I’d like to swim more but there aren’t enough hours in the day. That was enough yardage to allow me to finish without being too tired and place just outside the top 10% for the swim portion.
The rough answer to this is “likely not enough, and I will pay for it not with much a delta in my swim time, but a bigger fade in the last half of my run”.
I don’t think there is a right answer to this, other than if you look at the breakdown of how the pros balance percentages in each sport, that likely gives a decent answer in percentages. Then take your weekly target volume and break it down that way.
I agree.
The more swim fit you are the better you will bike/run. I broke my collarbone a few years ago so I went into a half without as much swim fitness. I swam about the same time as the previous year but I couldn’t hit my power targets on the bike.
If I’m in the 7-10k a week range (preferably closer to 10k) I should be good to go. There should be some longer intervals as you get closer to the race so you can dial in a pace that works for you.
I agree and am typically in that range with that progression of intervals as I close in on an “A” half ironman race. Of course, it also depends on your relative strengths, goals, and type of swim for the race…like I would not focus as much on the swim training if my “A” race is a "downhill swim with a hilly bike or run.
What’s your overall swim-bike-run frequency and volume look like?
Zero to 6,000 yards.
What’s your goal?
Tim
80/20 plans only ask for about 6k-7.5k yds/wk of swimming throughout the entire plan.
I’d go the opposite though, and absolutely swim as much as possible. I did the 80/20 plan as written until pools opened up, and then did the last 8 weeks of the plan swimming as much as I could, which was 11-16k/wk. I got only a hair faster in the pool, and on race day had a navigational mishap that def cost me at least a minute, likely more, but I strongly suspect my swim fitness allowed me to crush the bike (for me) and then run. My training buddy who I follow daily on Strava, routinely puts up +20 watts on me on the bike at all levels and :40-:60sec/mile on all training runs, but he did the regular 6-7k of swimming as prescribed by 80/20 (also faster than me), so I assumed he’d beat me, even though I was doing more overall training hours due to the double his swim volume I was doing. He actually outpaced me on the swim by 85 seconds, but then I finished 5 minutes faster than him overall. And it wasn’t a bad day for him either, his USAT scores in that race and the next he did were stable. It’s hard for me to explain this except that my swim fitness allowed me to have a bigger reservoir for bike/run performance.
The rough answer to this is “likely not enough, and I will pay for it not with much a delta in my swim time, but a bigger fade in the last half of my run”.
I don’t think there is a right answer to this, other than if you look at the breakdown of how the pros balance percentages in each sport, that likely gives a decent answer in percentages. Then take your weekly target volume and break it down that way.
And then I’ll blame my run training for my poor run! 
OP, it depends on the course as well. I’d be comfortable swimming 2x a week or so for 4-5k yards a week leading into a down current swim such as Augusta or Chattanooga, but would not feel comfortable with that for an ocean swim such as Gulf Coast.
This is a “how long is a piece of string” question.
Are you a swimmer who can’t run, a runner that can’t swim or a biker.
Do you swim under 2 min per 100m (not yards) or over. Is it wetsuit or non wetsuit (you can float for 1900m in a wetsuit).
Is it a lake or ocean swim and on and on and on.
6 weeks from now…??
If it’s
Geelong, it’s ocean (bay), cold and Australians know how to swim, so 10,000m would be good or you will be left in the dust.
Oman, warm ocean, but it’s ocean and even warm that can be tricky with swells, so 8,000m and practice hills on the bike.
Panama, it’s a warm reservoir, easy swim, so 6,000m and ramp up the run.
Either way…keep smiling.
I was averaging c. 18-20km/week in few months leading up to my 1st 70.3 this year. I would’ve done slightly more, but was pretty difficult logistically with the time limits in pools. I’d agree with the above that being swim fit helps very much so with the bike and run.
In terms of the overall training, I was doing c. 18-20hours/week the 6 weeks leading up to it, so approx 30-35% of total training time.
Feel like the answer is tied to your goals – can certainly do 2-3 swims/week & get by on less than 10k. 10k-15k & you’ve probably got yourself a goal you’re trying to hit. Anything above that & you’re either pro or putting too much emphasis on the swim.
Typically three swims/week at about 2-3k/swim, so usually 7k. I’ll also do some easy 4k sessions, just so that 1.9k is well inside my capability.
I am an adult onset swimmer and suck at swimming. I still enjoy triathlon a lot but have basically given up on swimming. Even for race prep I swim once a week 2-2.5k. Thats it. Its enough to bring me through the swim comfortably without panicking or being too exhausted…
Good luck.
U
I don’t swim enough
Its a really difficult question to answer. If you are just in it to complete, you need to swim enough distance that you can get out of the water without having expended too much energy, you may be 5-10 mins behing a decent swimmer, but so what, it’s nothing.
On the other hand I am at the front, trying to get a podium, I lose 5mins on the good swimmers, that’s an eternity.
Trouble is I struggle to get motivated to swim every day, if I was swimming 10,000 - 20,000m a week I would be 5 mins faster, unfortunately I swim around 5,000-7.000m per week
I don’t swim enough
Its a really difficult question to answer. If you are just in it to complete, you need to swim enough distance that you can get out of the water without having expended too much energy, you may be 5-10 mins behing a decent swimmer, but so what, it’s nothing.
On the other hand I am at the front, trying to get a podium, I lose 5mins on the good swimmers, that’s an eternity.
Trouble is I struggle to get motivated to swim every day, if I was swimming 10,000 - 20,000m a week I would be 5 mins faster, unfortunately I swim around 5,000-7.000m per week
As you say, very individual. I swim 3-6k a week and I’m at the front even for a full, 27-28min for half, 57-58 for full (no swim background). I should run more, but typiclly will get hurt eventually.
Anyway, now with ice-hockey induced rotator cuff tear, might be a mute point.
When I was really serious about swimming I was at 10 to 12K a week. I have been at 16K a week but the returns weren’t that high on the extra 4K. I was just tired.
For reference I was a 32 to 36 min HIM swimmer with no background in swimming.
There have been some good answers here. Not knowing what level you’re at, I’m not able to advise you on distance, but IMHO, frequency and specific sessions weekly are the most important concepts. Typically, for a 70.3 build, you would be looking at 3-4 sessions weekly to be in shape to race. This would include a speed oriented swim, an endurance session, a skills session and a mixed stroke swim incorporating all four strokes. As with any training, it’s all about balancing your ability in the water with your fitness. Personally, my peak weeks of training would equate to about 10k, but that’s what works for me and might not be suitable for you.
Happy Training!
Swammer here, I have consistently found that 10k is a bare minimum broken as follows: 2.5k swim with really hard efforts (25’s and 50’s), 3.5-4k longer swim, ~3k OWS or pull focused. In each pool swim I am including some pulling, and some kicking (for some reason, if I kick at least 800yds of breaststroke my running pains seem to greatly diminish), then focusing on the main set at hand. Any additional yardage over the 10k is in the form of more pulling, or a 4th swim that is 2-3k of recovery level efforts. I live in Jacksonville, FL so in general pool access is pretty terrible. In the summer all bets are off and I swim OWS 3-4 days a week before work.
IF I am consistently getting in that higher level work and the rest easy, over the 10k I am almost certainly hitting my bike watts and negative splitting the run. Under 10k and it gets dicey.
TL:DR, swim 3-4 days a week with some yardage puke your brains out hard, the rest boring easy.