Swimming Pace

My road block in swimming is pacing myself for the longer continuous tri swim (vs in a pool where you can stand up and rest). While running I can slow my pace when my heart rate increases, but with swimming I seem to want to speed up so i can breath more often.

Any advise or drills on pacing my swim for distance.

Krum-A:

1. It's a no-brainer that the best way to learn open-water

pacing is open-water swimming.  Unfortunately, MN doesn't offer many

opportunities for this from Oct-May.  So, schedule at least 2-4

open-water swims each month from June-Sept.  Be sure to take

appropriate safety precautions (swim with others, bright caps, a guide

boat/canoe, shark spears, etc. - just kidding on the shark spears).

2.

Pool training can accomodate open-water pacing (the longer the pool,

the better the simulation - so a 50 meter pool is best).  Unfortunately

(again), MN doesn't offer many 50-meter pools, and those that are

available are usually crowded and make it difficult to actually

maintain YOUR pace.  So, in a short-course pool (25 yards or 25

meters), be sure to have at least 4-8 swims each month that focus on

(a) pace per 100, (b) stroke count - to monitor effectiveness, (c)

stroke rate - to monitor efficiency, and (d) heart rate.  These swims

can be longer, continuous swims (approximately 1000-3000 yards/meters)

or many shorter distances with little rest (like 8x150 or 20x100

freestyle having 5-10 seconds rest between each).  The shorter distance

swims will allow you to monitor heart rate better.

Enjoy the water!

Krum-A,



Many triathlete non-swimmers think the fatigue rates in running and swimming are the same.  They are very different.



When you get tired in running, your muscles start to hurt.  But the air doesn't get any thicker around you.  So you can hold a similar pace just by keeping the same turnover; even though you don't have the power you had before you got tired.



In swimming, fatigue creates a double whammy.  When you lose power, your arms cannot pull through the water as fast, which slows you down.  Then on top of that, slowing down means that you sink in the water, which slows you down even more.  A downward spiral ensues.  Swimmers know this and plan their energy expenditures accordingly.



You want to speed up in swimming because your running instincts make you start the swim way faster than you should.  Then you want to breathe a lot because you are gasping for air at an effort you cannot sustain.  Slow down at the start and you will be surprised at the positive result.

And remember, drills are only a good thing if you want to put a hole in something!



Regards, Duane Dobko

www.dobkanize.com