I’m a collegiate triathlete. I’m an experienced swimmer, having swum since the 7th grade. I usually try to swim 5 days a week if possible. But, I’ve been doing some research and a few “example” training plans have only listed 3 days a week needed for swimming.
Anyone have any knowledge or advice?
I swam competively from the time I was in 6th grade until I graduated from college, IOW - 11 years.
I have found great success swimming three times per week as a part of my triathlon training. I am able to get my feel for the water in that time, and build a small amount of swimming specific ME. however, I personally feel my time is better spent running and/or biking and build strength endurance there.
Work on your weak points not your strong points.
I swam competitively from 5 years old through college. When I started doing tris, I equally weighted swimming with running and cycling. Over the years, I have reduced my swimming more and more, to the point where I only do 2 swims per week as opposed to 6 runs and 5 bikes. I find that I have only dropped an insignificant amount of time on the swim while gaining substantial time on the bike and especially the run. For good swimmers, the swim is nearly a non-event. I hardly make an effort in my swim training or even in the swim leg of a race and I still finish near the top of my age group.
But, hell, you’re in college. You’re never going to have this much time again. Swim your heart out…
Well, what he failed to mention is that his “college” is the Naval Academy…
And isn’t it “swam” and not “swum”?
depends who you are, I can say I’m pretty quick on the bike and run but need work on my swim as I wasn’t lucky enough/subjected to twice aday torture, depending on how you look at it, to have swam competitively as a kid. I’m trying to get in 5 days a week to improve my swimming, three works but the improvement is at a snails pace. Not that 5 makes me all that much faster.
My ave paces at an Oly are 21-23 min swim, 57-1:00 bike (assuming it’s not Wildflower;), 35-36 run. My swim needs work…
yeah I’d say you have the bike and run in line :).
you have something, actually two things most others on this board don’t have nor will ever get. 1. A natural feel for the water that will not go away even if you take an extended break from swimming. 2. you put in a ton of swim training during your formative years developing the motor memory that people who picked up swimming at age 23, 33, or whatever will not be able to develop. They can’t devote the time needed to become extremely efficient and proficient swimmers.
You can take three years and not swim at all. After swimming for three months you’ll be outswimming 90% of all triathletes, in 6 months 98%.
Once a fish, always a fish. Never a fish, never a fish.
Swim enough to keep your feel, maintain fitness and speed. You can always do a couple of big weeks back to back when you feel you need to bump it up a bit. Focus on running frequency and biking. If you come out of the water in 18:10 or 18:30 it really does not matter. If you bike 58:00 or 1:00:00, well thats a big difference. Better to run a 37 than a 40. Point being that you will not lose as much in the swim as you can gain by running and riding more.