non athlete take on distance swimming
fishgutzy
Posts: 2,807 Member
I am not athletic. I'm arthritic. That's why i swim a lot.
It occured to me that the three essentials for distance is different from the top 3 for swimming speed.
The top 3 speed factors are technique, strength, and hydrodynamic. A weakness in any of the 3 can be compensated for by improvement in the other 2.
Distance swimming is not about speed, unless you are competing.
Technique, persistence, and time are, to me, the midst important factors.
I lump pacing into technique.
I didn't get to the distance I swim with any magic or drive. It is partly lack of options due to arthritis, and part that i like the therapeutic results of the long meditation.
I've posted before about "one more lap."
My current mode is "one more kilometer."
Improving my technique has come about by watching YouTube videos on things like High Elbow and catchup drill. Next, I need to work on better kicking.
Time and persistence can be effected by outside factors like weird pool schedules or work schedules.
When I'm in China i have to swim after work because nothing opens at 5am like the US does.
So the time moves later in the day. That's where more persistence becomes necessary.
I honestly believe that anyone who can swim 5 laps can swim 50, then 100 laps. And so on.
There is no magic bullet.
Just technique, persistence, and the time one needs to swim as far as one wishes.
Never let your head set the limit for what your body can do.
It occured to me that the three essentials for distance is different from the top 3 for swimming speed.
The top 3 speed factors are technique, strength, and hydrodynamic. A weakness in any of the 3 can be compensated for by improvement in the other 2.
Distance swimming is not about speed, unless you are competing.
Technique, persistence, and time are, to me, the midst important factors.
I lump pacing into technique.
I didn't get to the distance I swim with any magic or drive. It is partly lack of options due to arthritis, and part that i like the therapeutic results of the long meditation.
I've posted before about "one more lap."
My current mode is "one more kilometer."
Improving my technique has come about by watching YouTube videos on things like High Elbow and catchup drill. Next, I need to work on better kicking.
Time and persistence can be effected by outside factors like weird pool schedules or work schedules.
When I'm in China i have to swim after work because nothing opens at 5am like the US does.
So the time moves later in the day. That's where more persistence becomes necessary.
I honestly believe that anyone who can swim 5 laps can swim 50, then 100 laps. And so on.
There is no magic bullet.
Just technique, persistence, and the time one needs to swim as far as one wishes.
Never let your head set the limit for what your body can do.
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Replies
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Gutzy, is there any correlation between swimming and running distances? I once heard (read?) that one mile swum= four miles run. If that's true, you've got incredible endurance.
. I have no idea where I got that information, so if it's total bunk, someone, please call me out. (As a swimmer who runs, I'd love to believe it though!) 2 -
I don't know. I could try just entering numbers in the MFP calculator to see calories burned for 16 miles run vs 4 miles swim.
I can't run 16 miles though. 1 -
Using a 6.5mph running pace for 1 hour, swimming same distance is a little over 2x the kCal burn. But it takes much longer to swim that distance. 0
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Update:
I finally had to accept that I am no longer a "non athlete. "
It was that thinking that slowed progress toward long distance goals.
From other athletes I took advice about fueling during swims and just chucking my carb metric for those days.
Made a huge difference on heart rate recovery and dizziness after.
Time to set a next step distance goal.1 -
How do you fuel during a swim?1
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Because i have limited options in China, I chose honey. I kept a squeeze bottle of honey next tomy water with Propel powder added. That made the difference. My heart rate settled back to normal very quickly when I started doing this.How do you fuel during a swim?
I ordered some EFS to use for future distance challenges. If I'm at home, in my 25 yr YMCA pool I'll shoot for 12 miles. In China I'll shoot for 20km.
Once i got that, I'll see if I can shift some focus to improving strength and speed.
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Oh, I thought it was open water.1
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Maybe I should change the title.
Now that I have achieved a 10 mile (16km) swim, I may qualify as an athlete. 2 -
10 miles...
<<< (That's supposed to be tired, but it looks angry!) 1 -
My coach is encouraging me to do a 10km swim in April but I really don't think I would manage it. Any tips how to transform into a marathon distance swimmer??1
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My coach is encouraging me to do a 10km swim in April but I really don't think I would manage it. Any tips how to transform into a marathon distance swimmer??
Build endurance in manageable increments.
Maybe try to add 10 laps to your current max, each week, then in a month increase the step.
You will likely find that after 5km, it gets easier to add bigger segments.
I've never done an open water 10km. I know it is different. But training in the pool is still the norm even for open water competitors.
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girlwithcurls2 wrote: »10 miles... <<< (That's supposed to be tired, but it looks angry!)
I actually wentto the archery range a couple hours after that swim. Spent an hour shooting with my friends. 45# draw bow. Ha!0 -
My coach is encouraging me to do a 10km swim in April but I really don't think I would manage it. Any tips how to transform into a marathon distance swimmer??
Build endurance in manageable increments.
Maybe try to add 10 laps to your current max, each week, then in a month increase the step.
You will likely find that after 5km, it gets easier to add bigger segments.
I've never done an open water 10km. I know it is different. But training in the pool is still the norm even for open water competitors.
I swim a lot of open water...if you don’t have good open water technique, then it’s imperative that you train a lot more in OW so that you can improve that. It is different from the pool for sure. I have a lot of OW experience, so I don’t train much OW. I stick to the pool because it allows me to maintain my speed and strength (quite honestly, I get lazy in OW). I mostly target open water that is similar to the race (eg, big waves if in ocean or Great Lakes) when I do train OW, and I do get out a couple times for 3-5mile swims to get the mental training dialed in. Those are the things you can’t do in a pool.2 -
My coach is encouraging me to do a 10km swim in April but I really don't think I would manage it. Any tips how to transform into a marathon distance swimmer??[/
What’s your current swim training volume and focus? Add me, if you want... I coach USMS and can give you lots of tips.0 -
I wish therewere safe places to train in open water near ne. But it is not safe. Too many boats on all of the lakes.
The ones that don't have boats also don't allow swimming.0 -
SwimMighty wrote: »My coach is encouraging me to do a 10km swim in April but I really don't think I would manage it. Any tips how to transform into a marathon distance swimmer??[/
What’s your current swim training volume and focus? Add me, if you want... I coach USMS and can give you lots of tips.
I swim about 12 to 15km per week. Focus is on pool events mostly - currently hold several national masters titles, and won the ocean series last season. Swim all strokes but specialise in backstroke and freestyle.0 -
My coach is encouraging me to do a 10km swim in April but I really don't think I would manage it. Any tips how to transform into a marathon distance swimmer??
just keep swimming hehe
I went from 5km to 10km in the pool in one go. Didn't feel any worse afterwards than when I did 5km, just extra gels needed for fuel and a bit of panic when I lost count around 300 lengths.
Bet you could do 10km no worries!2 -
My coach is encouraging me to do a 10km swim in April but I really don't think I would manage it. Any tips how to transform into a marathon distance swimmer??
just keep swimming hehe
I went from 5km to 10km in the pool in one go. Didn't feel any worse afterwards than when I did 5km, just extra gels needed for fuel and a bit of panic when I lost count around 300 lengths.
Bet you could do 10km no worries!
I used to use a finger ring digital click counter.
I finally broke down and got a Garmin. So much easier.
You are correct, at a certain point, big jumps in distance become fairly easy. That point is different for everyone.
I can do 10km with only electrolyte replacement in my water. But after that I needed something like EFS that also replaces carbs. When I get to my goal weight, I may need EFS for shorter distances.
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Yep I'm considering investing in a watch to track distance in the pool - want something accurate as I think I'd lose count after 100 laps!2
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Good grief, people! I can barely keep track of sets of 10!! Seriously. I HAVE to use my lap counter if I want to keep track. Otherwise it’s me singing along to Hamilton 🎶1
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Something I realized recently is that since I have lost a bunch of fat, I need to solve carb fueling for 8.8km swims. I used to be able to do 10km with only electrolyte replacement.
Did a little reading on glycogen, stored in muscle and fat. Since I have lost weight it is logical that I also have less stored glycogen at the beginning of a swim.
I only add about 10-15% of the calories burned in carb replacement during a long swimso I'm still well negative.
But that little bit greatly reduces fatigue during the long swims.0 -
@fishgutzy This is seriously impressive!
I just joined this group today, invited by @juliet3455
I'm a distance runner, and I've been swimming quite a bit lately, to nurse a sore ankle/Achilles(?). I've run 2 marathons and a 50 km run. I did 4 half marathons in 5 weeks between November to December 2.
I love running long distances, but in the past 2 years my longest swim has been 1,500 metres!
You're amazing!
Very insightful thread, and I look forward to learning more in this group.1 -
Yep I'm considering investing in a watch to track distance in the pool - want something accurate as I think I'd lose count after 100 laps!
I can't imagine 100 laps, I can lose count just doing 40. So then I start back at the last number I remember.
So I know that I am doing more than I record quite often. Will have to look at a new running watch - ie a Triathlon watch so it will do it all. Since I also downhill and cross country ski it's nice to be able to add new activities to the watch.
Also our lane swim is never open for more than 1 hour so with other swimmers sharing the space/time it is hard to extend the distance past about 60-80 lengths.1 -
I've had a Garmin Fenix 5 for about 18 months.
Love it in the pool, though it doesn't seem to show I burn twice as many calories as running like @fishgutzy (?) said.
Only the same as running, which doesn't seem right.0 -
I've had a Garmin Fenix 5 for about 18 months.
Love it in the pool, though it doesn't seem to show I burn twice as many calories as running like @fishgutzy (?) said.
Only the same as running, which doesn't seem right.
Based on distance swimming burns more. But one can run faster than one swims. So on a time basis, running may burn more.
But using a generic calculator like MFP, would show this.
I can swim almost 2 miles in one hour. But a stroll at that pace burns only about 1/3 the calories.0 -
juliet3455 wrote: »Yep I'm considering investing in a watch to track distance in the pool - want something accurate as I think I'd lose count after 100 laps!
I can't imagine 100 laps, I can lose count just doing 40. So then I start back at the last number I remember.
So I know that I am doing more than I record quite often. Will have to look at a new running watch - ie a Triathlon watch so it will do it all. Since I also downhill and cross country ski it's nice to be able to add new activities to the watch.
Also our lane swim is never open for more than 1 hour so with other swimmers sharing the space/time it is hard to extend the distance past about 60-80 lengths.
Love my Garmin fenix 5X. The 5S series has a slightly smaller face but still a bug display for easy reading.
Takes the brake out counting laps.0 -
I've had a Garmin Fenix 5 for about 18 months.
Love it in the pool, though it doesn't seem to show I burn twice as many calories as running like @fishgutzy (?) said.
Only the same as running, which doesn't seem right.
Based on distance swimming burns more. But one can run faster than one swims. So on a time basis, running may burn more.
But using a generic calculator like MFP, would show this.
I can swim almost 2 miles in one hour. But a stroll at that pace burns only about 1/3 the calories.
Thanks! Good to know. Looking at my Garmin Connect app:
A 45 minute easy-paced 7km run gave me 376 calories recently.
My 43 minute easy-paced 1600m swim today gave me 296 calories.
I'd reckon swimming 7 km would give me loads more than a 7 km run!
My Fenix 5 is synced to MFP. Not sure how you'd use MFP to calculate it differently from Garmin.1 -
I've had a Garmin Fenix 5 for about 18 months.
Love it in the pool, though it doesn't seem to show I burn twice as many calories as running like @fishgutzy (?) said.
Only the same as running, which doesn't seem right.
Based on distance swimming burns more. But one can run faster than one swims. So on a time basis, running may burn more.
But using a generic calculator like MFP, would show this.
I can swim almost 2 miles in one hour. But a stroll at that pace burns only about 1/3 the calories.
Thanks! Good to know. Looking at my Garmin Connect app:
A 45 minute easy-paced 7km run gave me 376 calories recently.
My 43 minute easy-paced 1600m swim today gave me 296 calories.
I'd reckon swimming 7 km would give me loads more than a 7 km run!
My Fenix 5 is synced to MFP. Not sure how you'd use MFP to calculate it differently from Garmin.
I don't sync my Garmin with mfp. I enter manually, and only swimming or weight room time. More conservative numbers that way.
For me, swimming burns short 10kCal/lap.0
