I (re)started swimming in 2007, after not swimming since high school. I did duathlons in 2006 and then decided to try triathlons in 2007, so I started swimming in March 2007.
I hired a coach in 2008 and he planned swim workouts that I did on my own, typically 3 days a week. I started Masters in early 2009, typically 3 days a week. You can see significant yardage jumps from 2007 to 2008, and I have more or less maintained that yardage since then. Something of a spike in 2009 and 2010, when I swam more due to my stress fracture. 2011 to 2014 has been pretty much the same yardage in the Oct-Oct time frame, with a spike in 2014 from the previous years.
In 2013, I continue to swim in the same pool I have swam in since 2009, but with a new Master's coach. In 2014, I continued in the same pool with the same coach. I would say the new program I am swimming under, since 2013, is much more focused on technique, but even more on kicking, and speed work. I think it is starting to show.
I have shown improvement with time, but more or less flattened out, until this year. Since the swim distance on swim courses is somewhat suspect, it is hard to determine really how fast you are going. The only true test of improvement and how fast you are is in the pool, with a certified distance and controlled conditions. Some of the swims in triathlons have the timing mat immediately out of the water, some you have a decent run up before you get to it, so that is added into your time.
I do know that when I started in 2006, it was 2+ minutes for 100s in a set. Now I am more in the area of 1:20-1:30, sometimes faster.
Below is the data table. The table in the charts are data from October to October. My times in the table and the charts are in seconds/100yards because it is easier to plot. The unusually fast time in 2011 is the Twin Cities Triathlon swim in the Mississippi. In 2009, I only did two races, the reason for the narrow range, one was a relay triathlon and one was a sprint triathlon, where I walked the run.
There is a huge jump in yardage and time as I go from swimming on my own, to getting coached workouts, to going to Masters, and my race pace improves, and then my pace flattens out. Basically, my average pace is flat from 2010 to 2014. I know, for sure, I have gotten faster in the pool over the last few years, especially the last couple of years.. It had not translated to my open water swimming until this year. This year not only do I think I trained harder, not doing more yardage but tougher practice, but I was more aggressive in races. I think that helped a lot.
All the data plotted\charted below goes from the previous Oct-Dec through Jan-Oct of the year.
Since pace is plotted in secs/100 yards, the lower the better. Oct-Dec of 2013, I swam more than I had in the previous couple of "offseason" time periods. I actually swam less Jan-Sept of this year than I did in 2013, actually it was my lowest average yardage for this time period since 2008. Again, I would argue I swam a bit harder this year, both in races and in practice. I think another thing that I did this year that helped me to race faster, overall, was timing my rest before races much better, and doing my recovery much better. My understanding is that I will need to do this better, and more often, as I get older. Sigh. It is interesting to note that the range between my fastest and slowest pace is much narrower than any previous year, except the year where I only swim twice (that doesn't count). Looking at the data plotted, I often wonder where diminishing returns occurs with swim time and yardage. I have such a clump of data on the right side, and then the one data point on the left side, and that one data point represents a time when I was less fit. I am sure I could knock off 10 hours or so a year, and be ok. Decreasing time\yardage during the season, more rest\recovery, would probably be the best.
In the 2015 season, I would like to remain about where I was in 2014, in terms of time and yardage. I am not sure I will have the time to devote to more swimming. Based on my non-scientific data, but a number of years of experience, I think there is a point where you hit a certain number of yards per year, time in the pool, that is sufficient for whatever type of race you are doing. Then it comes down to how you spend that time, improving stroke and speed. I think when you are starting out, first you need to build up to a certain number of yards and maintain those yards, and condition yourself, get comfortable swimming, and then you start to develop more overall speed.
I have said it once, I have said it a thousand times, and I will say it again. As a beginning triathlete, the best thing you can do is swim a lot and get conditioned in the swim. I have heard/seen, so many beginning triathletes say they will just "get through the swim", barely do any swim training, do all bike and run, and then get to race day and have a bad/horrible swim, and up having the rest of the race be difficult because of it. When the swim is comfortable, in the sense you can do it and it is not stressful, and you are conditioned for it, the whole race is "easier". This year I had my fastest year in triathlon, and my fastest swims, there is probably some relation between the two.
Swim Data Table
Comparison of Total Hours Swam to Average Triathlon Swim Pace
Comparison of Total Yards Swam to Average Triathlon Swim Pace
Comparison of Total Time Training to Average Triathlon Swim Pace
Comparison of Total Hours Swam to Fastest Race Pace
Comparison of Total Yards Swam to Fastest Race Pace
I hired a coach in 2008 and he planned swim workouts that I did on my own, typically 3 days a week. I started Masters in early 2009, typically 3 days a week. You can see significant yardage jumps from 2007 to 2008, and I have more or less maintained that yardage since then. Something of a spike in 2009 and 2010, when I swam more due to my stress fracture. 2011 to 2014 has been pretty much the same yardage in the Oct-Oct time frame, with a spike in 2014 from the previous years.
In 2013, I continue to swim in the same pool I have swam in since 2009, but with a new Master's coach. In 2014, I continued in the same pool with the same coach. I would say the new program I am swimming under, since 2013, is much more focused on technique, but even more on kicking, and speed work. I think it is starting to show.
I have shown improvement with time, but more or less flattened out, until this year. Since the swim distance on swim courses is somewhat suspect, it is hard to determine really how fast you are going. The only true test of improvement and how fast you are is in the pool, with a certified distance and controlled conditions. Some of the swims in triathlons have the timing mat immediately out of the water, some you have a decent run up before you get to it, so that is added into your time.
I do know that when I started in 2006, it was 2+ minutes for 100s in a set. Now I am more in the area of 1:20-1:30, sometimes faster.
Below is the data table. The table in the charts are data from October to October. My times in the table and the charts are in seconds/100yards because it is easier to plot. The unusually fast time in 2011 is the Twin Cities Triathlon swim in the Mississippi. In 2009, I only did two races, the reason for the narrow range, one was a relay triathlon and one was a sprint triathlon, where I walked the run.
There is a huge jump in yardage and time as I go from swimming on my own, to getting coached workouts, to going to Masters, and my race pace improves, and then my pace flattens out. Basically, my average pace is flat from 2010 to 2014. I know, for sure, I have gotten faster in the pool over the last few years, especially the last couple of years.. It had not translated to my open water swimming until this year. This year not only do I think I trained harder, not doing more yardage but tougher practice, but I was more aggressive in races. I think that helped a lot.
All the data plotted\charted below goes from the previous Oct-Dec through Jan-Oct of the year.
Since pace is plotted in secs/100 yards, the lower the better. Oct-Dec of 2013, I swam more than I had in the previous couple of "offseason" time periods. I actually swam less Jan-Sept of this year than I did in 2013, actually it was my lowest average yardage for this time period since 2008. Again, I would argue I swam a bit harder this year, both in races and in practice. I think another thing that I did this year that helped me to race faster, overall, was timing my rest before races much better, and doing my recovery much better. My understanding is that I will need to do this better, and more often, as I get older. Sigh. It is interesting to note that the range between my fastest and slowest pace is much narrower than any previous year, except the year where I only swim twice (that doesn't count). Looking at the data plotted, I often wonder where diminishing returns occurs with swim time and yardage. I have such a clump of data on the right side, and then the one data point on the left side, and that one data point represents a time when I was less fit. I am sure I could knock off 10 hours or so a year, and be ok. Decreasing time\yardage during the season, more rest\recovery, would probably be the best.
In the 2015 season, I would like to remain about where I was in 2014, in terms of time and yardage. I am not sure I will have the time to devote to more swimming. Based on my non-scientific data, but a number of years of experience, I think there is a point where you hit a certain number of yards per year, time in the pool, that is sufficient for whatever type of race you are doing. Then it comes down to how you spend that time, improving stroke and speed. I think when you are starting out, first you need to build up to a certain number of yards and maintain those yards, and condition yourself, get comfortable swimming, and then you start to develop more overall speed.
I have said it once, I have said it a thousand times, and I will say it again. As a beginning triathlete, the best thing you can do is swim a lot and get conditioned in the swim. I have heard/seen, so many beginning triathletes say they will just "get through the swim", barely do any swim training, do all bike and run, and then get to race day and have a bad/horrible swim, and up having the rest of the race be difficult because of it. When the swim is comfortable, in the sense you can do it and it is not stressful, and you are conditioned for it, the whole race is "easier". This year I had my fastest year in triathlon, and my fastest swims, there is probably some relation between the two.
Swim Data Table
Comparison of Total Hours Swam to Average Triathlon Swim Pace
Comparison of Total Yards Swam to Average Triathlon Swim Pace
Comparison of Total Time Training to Average Triathlon Swim Pace
Comparison of Total Hours Swam to Fastest Race Pace
Comparison of Total Yards Swam to Fastest Race Pace
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