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First open water swim

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  • 15-11-2013 11:22pm
    #1
    fuzzydunlop85
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,861 ✭✭✭


    Hi,

    I'm intend to attempt my first open water swim in July (5miles, Lough Erne Co.Fermanagh)

    Currently I'm up to 120 lengths of a 25m pool(taking 1 minute breaks every 40 lengths). Just looking for any general tips to help me prepare. I've worked out 320 lengths is 5 miles(I think !), I guess should maybe up it to 400 lengths considering pushing off/open water conditions?

    I hope to get in a couple of shorter open water swims in the meantime, any tips greatly appreciated!


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    #2
    okane1
    Registered Users Posts: 1,147 ✭✭✭okane1


    Wetsuit or togs?

    5miles = 8km. Nice distance to aim for but very manageable with the correct training.

    What time are you planning on doing? What is your current 100m and 1km times?
    As you have lots of time, spend a nice amount of itworking on technique. 98% of your power will come from your arms/shoulders, with this in mind, use pull buoys and paddles in your training.
    You should be hitting at least 8km a week. I would be aiming for 10km+. Certainly before the event, you should have completed a few 6km training sets. You can break these into several 100m reps, 200, 400, 800, 1km, etc.

    You will be taking feds during this swim (gels or energy drinks). Use these in training. Get into the OW early, even now in a wetsuit. Just get in and swim for a time period, not distance.


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    #3
    fuzzydunlop85
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,861 ✭✭✭fuzzydunlop85


    okane1 wrote: »
    Wetsuit or togs?

    5miles = 8km. Nice distance to aim for but very manageable with the correct training.

    What time are you planning on doing? What is your current 100m and 1km times?
    As you have lots of time, spend a nice amount of itworking on technique. 98% of your power will come from your arms/shoulders, with this in mind, use pull buoys and paddles in your training.
    You should be hitting at least 8km a week. I would be aiming for 10km+. Certainly before the event, you should have completed a few 6km training sets. You can break these into several 100m reps, 200, 400, 800, 1km, etc.

    You will be taking feds during this swim (gels or energy drinks). Use these in training. Get into the OW early, even now in a wetsuit. Just get in and swim for a time period, not distance.

    Cheers for the response, I will do it in a wetsuit.Never swam in one before so better get used to that. I'm not sure my 1km time , for 100m I'd do it in about 2minutes, going at a normal pace. Thanks for the advice!


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    #4
    2old4dacold
    Registered Users Posts: 817 ✭✭✭2old4dacold


    Depending on conditions and how well you can hold that 100m pace you are looking at up to 3hrs in the water for 5 miles. You would definitely need to be getting in a 2hr in June, and at this year's temperatures that took a bit of doing. You need to be getting into OW as soon as possible in the spring, probably April at the latest to achieve that. The earlier the better. Get into open water now if you can, even for a few minutes, and keep it going through the winter. Water temperature has dropped significantly in the last three weeks and will continue to do so if the long range forecast is accurate.


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