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Jump Start the Swim - help!

kens1964kens1964
in Races & Places 🏁⛺

Finished my January OS training and now -- as recommended by Coach Rich -- I am going directly into my half-iron training plan at week 13 (ends with IM Kansas 70.3).  I have not been swimming for the past few months.  Jumping into the HI plan today's workout is a 2900 yard swim!  Any advice on how to ramp up my swimming quickly?  I've done lots of HI's and two full's, but a 2900 yard swim is pretty tough when I've not been swimming at all.  EN does not have a big swim week akin to the big run or big bike week.  Thoughts?

Comments

  • Satish PunnaSatish Punna
    I'm curious to see how other people coped with this as well. I jumped into week 8 (now week 11 after having repeated week 9 ) from the run focus so I had a bit of swimming but not much. I was worried about my shoulders so I just cut down the sets but made sure I got at least 1900m total in for each session. I was able to work up to the full workouts after about 3 weeks, but I only got all three swims in twice so far. Shoulders still got a bit sore, but no injuries.
  • rlh2000rlh2000
    I'm also interested in others experiences. Just the transition to the GF plan with a bit over 2000 m is tough coming from no swimming for months. With all the biking and running, I think sometimes I forget I have arms.
  • Nate ParadyNate Parady
    I have done this twice now of long periods of time of no swimming followed by an ironman ramp up...EN style all the way.
    -first week 3 swims with zero expectations on performance...mainly getting used to being wet and finding my swim shorts and goggles.
    -2nd week, getting the feel of the water back, strong focus on form, drills, and a shorter intervals as I have no swim endurance.
    -by the 3rd week I see the light of how all that time I saved over the winter by not swimming was worth it because I can now start to hang with an EN type routine...endurance starts to come back...

    I quickly try and get through the first 6 workouts...

    I consider myself an ok swimmer for IM. Swam a 1:09 at IMLP and a 1:20 at IMFL (sea sick half way through).....faster more experienced folks may have more insight....
  • Darren FreemanDarren Freeman

    I did the double down on the same thing.. I transitioned out of the Intermediate JOS to the Advanced HIM plan until 5/6 which I'll jump in to the Advance IM plan.. Big shift in gears on this one.. good thing I was swimming once a week until now.  Now it looks like three times a week.. Hahaha.. I asked for it.. Doh!

  • John StarkJohn Stark

    This is similar to not running for a few months because of injury, etc.

    It is exactly as Nate noted below.  After 4 weeks of "consistent" swimming you will be a monster again!  Don't stress it.  Just get wet.

    Now get busy. 

    John

  • Leslie SchneiderLeslie Schneider
    Just adding that I have had the same problem switching from JOS to HIM a couple of weeks ago. It was like I couldn't remember how to swim.   So far I've only managed to do 2/3rds of the written swim WO and missed a couple.  This transition has been hard.  Although I will say my last swim was easier so far so...all in good time.   I trust that Rich and Patrick know what they are doing.
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