1 mile swim

[boothy1987]

Some might remember me asking on here about a time I should be aiming for in a local 5k without any specific training, which I ended up doing in around 18 minutes

Well i've now been entered into the Manchester Swim (Salford Quays) against my wishes and was wondering what sort of time I should be aiming for. Knowing me i'll plan a bit of training but actually do none and just turn up on the day hoping for the best

I'm thinking anything sub 25 minutes would be decent?

Edited by boothy1987 on Wednesday 2nd January 12:38

[996 sps]

boothy1987 said:

Some might remember me asking on here about a time I should be aiming for in a local 5k without any specific training, which I ended up doing in around 18 minutes

Well i've now been entered into the Manchester Swim (Salford Quays) against my wishes and was wondering what sort of time I should be aiming for. Knowing me i'll plan a bit of training but actually do none and just turn up on the day hoping for the best

I'm thinking anything sub 25 minutes would be decent?

Edited by boothy1987 on Wednesday 2nd January 12:38

I found that swim a nightmare with parking etc plus the amount of people but 25 minutes would be a good time in my opinion, with little training my first mile swim was 26 minutes.

I've entered the 10k at Eton Dorney in May, there are a few distances avaliable.

[Highway Star]

Now IIRC from your running thread, you've swum before when younger, or am I confusing you with someone else?

Anyway, IF you have swum competitively in the past as a nipper, I would say sub-25 should be easily achievable, your run shows you have the basic fitness, so if you have the pre-existing technique, its all good. Sub 25 would be decent, sub-22 you should start consider taking up swimming again.

Given its one of those 'Great Swims' I'm guessing you'll be in a wetsuit? Do try and practice in it before the race, all my swimming club buddies who've swam in one say its very different. I wouldn't know as I don't see the need to get all rubbered up before jumping in...

It'll be busy (punchy), so give as good as you get and don't worry about taking wider lines if it means getting out of the scrum.

Edited by Highway Star on Wednesday 2nd January 15:04

[boothy1987]

10K sounds a long way

Is a summer wetsuit ok or is it cold enough to need 5mm?

[Highway Star]

Tri suit will be fine, the swim is in the summer. Plus you'll still get some buoyancy benefit whilst being able to retain your stroke.

[boothy1987]

Highway Star said:

Now IIRC from your running thread, you've swum before when younger, or am I confusing you with someone else?

Anyway, IF you have swum competitively in the past as a nipper, I would say sub-25 should be easily achievable, your run shows you have the basic fitness, so if you have the pre-existing technique, its all good. Sub 25 would be decent, sub-22 you should start consider taking up swimming again.

Given its one of those 'Great Swims' I'm guessing you'll be in a wetsuit? Do try and practice in it before the race, all my swimming club buddies who've swam in one say its very different. I wouldn't know as I don't see the need to get all rubbered up before jumping in...

It'll be busy (punchy), so give as good as you get and don't worry about taking wider lines if it means getting out of the scrum.

Edited by Highway Star on Wednesday 2nd January 15:04

Yep, I was the best in Yorkshire in my age group at 11 but that is 14 years ago now

22mins has to be the aim then. Im pretty used to swimming in a wetsuit as I've done a lot of diving, although I accept that is somewhat different to swimming fast

[Highway Star]

boothy1987 said:

Yep, I was the best in Yorkshire in my age group at 11 but that is 14 years ago now

Doesn't matter, you know how to swim and probably have decent technique and body position. Try to do some training though, to get the feel for the water again. Also practise sighting - open water swimming is an art to staying straight. I gave up at 15 and then started again at 31, been competing for 4 years now and did 18.10 for 1500 in the pool.

Good luck, I'll be keen to see how you get on!

[Otispunkmeyer]

boothy1987 said:

Some might remember me asking on here about a time I should be aiming for in a local 5k without any specific training, which I ended up doing in around 18 minutes

Well i've now been entered into the Manchester Swim (Salford Quays) against my wishes and was wondering what sort of time I should be aiming for. Knowing me i'll plan a bit of training but actually do none and just turn up on the day hoping for the best

I'm thinking anything sub 25 minutes would be decent?

Edited by boothy1987 on Wednesday 2nd January 12:38

Sounds a decent time to aim for IMO. Depends on how well you swim.

From what I heard from a friend (who was in the heat before the Elites) was that if you were looking like taking 30+ minutes they'd be hauling you out to keep the way clear for the guys who are doing 100m per minute. But that might have only applied to that particular heat. He said swimming in the quay was grim though!

Girl I used to swim with was in the womens elite race last year... doing 1.06 per 100m. Incredible speed. Used to be fit enough to swim that fast but no longer can! Sprints is where its at.

Highway Star said:

Now IIRC from your running thread, you've swum before when younger, or am I confusing you with someone else?

Anyway, IF you have swum competitively in the past as a nipper, I would say sub-25 should be easily achievable, your run shows you have the basic fitness, so if you have the pre-existing technique, its all good. Sub 25 would be decent, sub-22 you should start consider taking up swimming again.

Given its one of those 'Great Swims' I'm guessing you'll be in a wetsuit? Do try and practice in it before the race, all my swimming club buddies who've swam in one say its very different. I wouldn't know as I don't see the need to get all rubbered up before jumping in...

It'll be busy (punchy), so give as good as you get and don't worry about taking wider lines if it means getting out of the scrum.

Edited by Highway Star on Wednesday 2nd January 15:04

I'd be wearing a wetsuit if it were me. Usually cold, grey and raining in Manc when they do this. I've found it quite nice swimming in a good suit. Arms are a little constricted, but again a decent suit will have some different material to give you the range of motion needed. Also has the benefit of keeping you up in the water. I tend to not kick much on distance (beyond the flicks to keep balance and rotation in check) so having a bit more buoyancy down there helps when your speed drops and the hips begin to dip.

Yes, be prepared for a bit of rough n tumble at the start. From what I have seen it isn't too bad as the group sizes aren't that big, but you can still end up in a mini scrummage and if such an encounter is a surprise to you it can really knock you and could mess your breathing (Happened to me in a surf swim, though it was more not being used to swimming in such rough surf). But yes be prepared for people bashing into you, touching your feet/legs, clashing arms and maybe even swimming over the top of you. Best just to stay out the way IMO, even if it means a few extra meters.

Other tactics I have used is to do head up breast stroke while looking for a way out or for where I should be heading. With my st eyes it can take a bit to get my bearings but at least with breast stroke you can still move forward comfortably while looking where you should be going. Other wise it is useful to practice popping your head up every so often instead of breathing to the side. If you're swimming in the right direction a quick head pop is all you need to glance where the marker buoy is.

Edited by Otispunkmeyer on Wednesday 2nd January 17:09

Edited by Otispunkmeyer on Wednesday 2nd January 17:12

Edited by Otispunkmeyer on Wednesday 2nd January 17:13

[996 sps]

boothy1987 said:

10K sounds a long way

Is a summer wetsuit ok or is it cold enough to need 5mm?

I use a summer wet suit, the only reason I'm doing a 10k is I found the 1 mile swim over so quickly, but now there is a mention of sub 25 I'm obviously going to enter another one but train for it, which I didn't before.

The winner completed it in 14 minutes if I remember correctly.

[Highway Star]

996 sps said:

I use a summer wet suit, the only reason I'm doing a 10k is I found the 1 mile swim over so quickly, but now there is a mention of sub 25 I'm obviously going to enter another one but train for it, which I didn't before.

The winner completed it in 14 minutes if I remember correctly.

Wow, a mile in 14? Given the WR for 1500 is about 14.30, if it was 14, they should be getting in touch with British Swimming.

[996 sps]

Highway Star said:

Wow, a mile in 14? Given the WR for 1500 is about 14.30, if it was 14, they should be getting in touch with British Swimming.

He had a British Swimming T-Shirt on and apparently is part of British Swimming, even more mind boggling for me was the fact a lad was kicking a football around with my 2 year old, was about 13/14 years old, I said to the good lady he seems like a nice well mannered lad, then the winners name was announced he walked off and took the trophy, I thought he was just a spectator then see the T-Shirt and heard the announcement.

[boothy1987]

I think my plan is to start training when football season finishes. I can substitute Wednesday nights training for swimming and Saturdays game for a swim aswell. 10 weeks should be plenty of time to get me up to the required fitness. I'm hoping to push 20 minutes but might be a bit optimistic

I take it you should be as honest as possible about your ability to end up in the correct wave? Ideally want to set off with a mate but got a feeling I would get caught up in the stragglers from the wave in front

[Otispunkmeyer]

996 sps said:

Highway Star said:

Wow, a mile in 14? Given the WR for 1500 is about 14.30, if it was 14, they should be getting in touch with British Swimming.

He had a British Swimming T-Shirt on and apparently is part of British Swimming, even more mind boggling for me was the fact a lad was kicking a football around with my 2 year old, was about 13/14 years old, I said to the good lady he seems like a nice well mannered lad, then the winners name was announced he walked off and took the trophy, I thought he was just a spectator then see the T-Shirt and heard the announcement.

that's very good considering, like Highway Star says, the pool record for 1500m is 14:31.02 by Sun Yang of China. And that was a hell of a swim with a 54 point last 100m to break a record that had stood for 10 years (well it was his own record from 2011, but he was the first guy to go faster than the great Grant Hackett over the 1500m for 10 years). A really good 13/14 year old sprinter might be down at 54 for the 100, but only for 1 x 100, not at the end of a 1500m.

The people doing the Salford swim were doing about 16-17 minutes and this is the Elite race. At 14 minutes I would hazard a guess that he's either very very good and should have been in London instead of David Davies or more likely the course wasn't measured out right/he was able to work out the shortest route very well. Often happens I think. Surf swims are generally about 400m but I'll be buggered if they are accurately measured.

[Otispunkmeyer]

boothy1987 said:

I think my plan is to start training when football season finishes. I can substitute Wednesday nights training for swimming and Saturdays game for a swim aswell. 10 weeks should be plenty of time to get me up to the required fitness. I'm hoping to push 20 minutes but might be a bit optimistic

I take it you should be as honest as possible about your ability to end up in the correct wave? Ideally want to set off with a mate but got a feeling I would get caught up in the stragglers from the wave in front

I think so yes. You could go a little conservative which might help you out in some cases by keeping a few people in front of you (to tow off) but not so many you cant overtake them all near the end. Just luck of the draw really, putting in a really fast time might leave you floundering at the back with no tow but something to aim for, a really slow time might have you way out in front with no one to swim off.

Triathlon I did I was in the last wave based on the swim times but as it was in a pool there were still people from the previous two waves. That was interesting to say the least and I was well over 30 seconds slower than normal for a 400m.

[Highway Star]

Otispunkmeyer said:

At 14 minutes I would hazard a guess that he's either very very good and should have been in London instead of David Davies or more likely the course wasn't measured out right/he was able to work out the shortest route very well.

Kind of what I was trying to imply. Looking at the National Age Group results last year, the 14 yr 1500 was won in 16.30, there are a couple of really good lads at around 15/16 who are going 15.40 or so, but that's quite a way off a 14 minute open water mile, even in a wetsuit.

[996 sps]

I've tried to find results through Google, the event was the SOS Milton Keynes open water swim, I'm pretty sure he came in 14 something I'd like not to think the route was short otherwise my 26 minutes is out the window. But as with these things I only entered it on a whim and was not really aware of what times the top guys should can/achieve, what's a decent time for 10k?

I've also been using a summer surfing wet suit, what does anyone recommend for a good specific suit to swim in?

[boothy1987]

996 sps said:

I've tried to find results through Google, the event was the SOS Milton Keynes open water swim, I'm pretty sure he came in 14 something I'd like not to think the route was short otherwise my 26 minutes is out the window. But as with these things I only entered it on a whim and was not really aware of what times the top guys should can/achieve, what's a decent time for 10k?

I've also been using a summer surfing wet suit, what does anyone recommend for a good specific suit to swim in?

I've absolutely no idea on these things but this was recommended to me http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251127172286?hlp=false

Not sure what they mean by Used though

[Highway Star]

996 sps said:

But as with these things I only entered it on a whim and was not really aware of what times the top guys should can/achieve, what's a decent time for 10k?

I've also been using a summer surfing wet suit, what does anyone recommend for a good specific suit to swim in?

10k - Olympics was won in 1hr50 or thereabouts, non-wetsuited. I've a clubmate who is the top distance swimmer in the pool in my age group (35-39, he goes well under 9 minutes for 800m), he did a 10k at Dorney last year in about 2hrs5 IIRC, again without a wetsuit.

Again IIRC, anything 2hrs30 - 2hrs45 would be a good time, 2hr30 is 15 min/1000m.

I see lots of fellas with 2XU or Blueseventy tri wetsuits at these sort of things.

[dangerousB]

boothy1987 said:

Not sure what they mean by Used though

They'll be ex-hire suits (end of the season now).
I'd certainly buy a swim specific wetsuit rather than a conventional one - I can't imagine swimming any real distance in my surf wetsuit, it'd be hideous!
Guys have mentioned 2XU & Blueseventy, but there's also offerings from Orca, Speedo, Foor, Tyr, Aquasphere (and probably a whole bunch more I can't remember of the top of my head) or if you fancy disposing even more of your cash, have a look at the HUUB suits

[boothy1987]

dangerousB said:

They'll be ex-hire suits (end of the season now).
I'd certainly buy a swim specific wetsuit rather than a conventional one - I can't imagine swimming any real distance in my surf wetsuit, it'd be hideous!
Guys have mentioned 2XU & Blueseventy, but there's also offerings from Orca, Speedo, Foor, Tyr, Aquasphere (and probably a whole bunch more I can't remember of the top of my head) or if you fancy disposing even more of your cash, have a look at the HUUB suits

You know any good sites that have them all?