What's a good swim time? (1)

Triathlon Forum
1

On the heels of the running thread: http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?do=post_view_flat;post=5276223;page=1;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;mh=25;

What’s a good swim time? For common triathlon distances.

2

When you come out of the water first.

3

when you come out of the water.

4

That’s actually the first rule of open water swimming: don’t drown.

5

In the summer I prefer a little earlier in the day around 10 or 11.

In the winter months about 2 pm when it’s the warmest part of the day.

6

That’s actually the first rule of open water swimming: don’t drown.

I like using this when people ask why tri’s are S-B-R in that order. I tell them:

Well, the first rule in running is don’t trip.
The first rule in biking is don’t crash.
The first rule in swimming is don’t drown.

They usually get the message…usually.

7

For a “good” time in line with the run thread:

Full IM: 1:12
Half: 30 minutes
Olympic (0.9 mi): 22 minutes

I’m sure some will disagree. In my observations, triathletes are worst at the swim on average, relative to “pure” swimmers. Also, the swim can be very dependent on location, conditions, and proper course set-up.

Changed original post. I hadn’t done my math. Sorry! Was going very loosely off some of my own times.

8

All I know is that 5am swim times really suck.

9

For a “good” time in line with the run thread:

Full IM: 1:12
Half: 30 minutes
Olympic (0.9 mi): 25 minutes

I’m sure some will disagree. In my observations, triathletes are worst at the swim on average, relative to “pure” swimmers. Also, the swim can be very dependent on location, conditions, and proper course set-up…

  Your Oly time is slower than you half (1:32 per hun/ 1:25 per hund yrds), then your full time drops huge to 1:43ish
10

OW times are so variable, best to use pool times to group yourself. When just beginning swimming as an adult, 9 minutes for a 500 yd free is the first goal, then each minute after that shaved off puts you into the next lane in any masters group. 8 minutes and you can certainly swim, 7 minutes and you are now in the top 1/3 of most races and AG’s, break 6 minutes and you are now bouncing around from 2nd to 4th pack in big races, and break 5 minutes and you are lead group material, even possible you can hang at the back of an ITU pro pack…

11

OW times are so variable, best to use pool times to group yourself. When just beginning swimming as an adult, 9 minutes for a 500 yd free is the first goal, then each minute after that shaved off puts you into the next lane in any masters group. 8 minutes and you can certainly swim, 7 minutes and you are now in the top 1/3 of most races and AG’s, break 6 minutes and you are now bouncing around from 2nd to 4th pack in big races, and break 5 minutes and you are lead group material, even possible you can hang at the back of an ITU pro pack…

talk about an easy explanation. You’ve got not only a “test” above, but easy to understand goals. Something simple in triathlon? Shocking!

Let’s not overthink this girls and boys.

I DO love coming into T1 with most of the bikes still on racks (sorry, tincy wincy BDB).

12

I think these are alright:

Sprint- 10mins
OD- 19mins
Half- 25
IM- 52
.

13

When you come out of the water not exhausted and spent! Here’s a quick way to exit: http://www.theraceclub.com/videos/first-wave-open-water-lesson-the-exit/

14

I think break 5 is definitely back of ITU at worst (assuming not your first time OWS). Break 6 as ag’er and I think you are in front (like first OA) in any local race and can get out in Kona in :53 again assuming you can OWS.

15

I guess someone has to be the first to say it but, it’s all relative.

So, as a former D1 and current FOP swimmer “good” for me would be:
OD: >20min (great >18)
1/2: >27min (great >24)
IM: >55min (great >50)
For more normal tri swimmers I’d say:
OD: >27min (great >25)
1/2: >33 min (great >30)
IM: >1:10 (great >1:02)

16

JSully,

You’ve got some good ranges of times in here and a nice 500 pool marker from Monty so let me add two more things.

  1. If you’re able to average (as an example) 2min per 100 in a Short Course pool (SCY for yards, SCM for meters), realize that you’ll probably have to tack on 5-7sec to get your average for an LC pool (Long Course - typically 50m) and then another 5ish to turn that pace into an OW swim pace (Open water). This all relates to the number of wall push-offs.
  2. Because this is triathlon we’re talking about also add that it’s nice to swim your best swim time and to be relatively unfazed by the effort so that you have plenty of energy to give the following bike and run.

Ian

17

The 53: kona swimmers this year included:

  1. a guy who was 4:28/15:44 in the 500/1650 (I said 15:25, was wrong on that )
  2. a 3:58 400 IMer
  3. Rich Viola who warms up faster than 6:00/500 pace.

Those are the guys I know of. Food for thought. Maybe the current got stronger through the morning so taht it hurt the age group wave more coming back than it dwelled going out?

18

6:00 for 500y converts to about a 5:21 for 400 LCM. I’m waaaay faster than that, but I don’t think I’m in 53:00 shape for a kona swim.

19

6:00 for 500y converts to about a 5:21 for 400 LCM. I’m waaaay faster than that, but I don’t think I’m in 53:00 shape for a kona swim.

Well, he did say that is warmup pace.

20

Taking Olympic as a base and AG racing as standard (because pros don’t take their times from ST).

AG 1500

20-30 19+
30-40 21+
40-50 22+
50-60 23+
60-64 24+
65-69 25+
70-74 27+

All of those will bring you out FOP.
Extrapolate from there.