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How do I estimate a swim time!

As entries fill up so quickly, I've entered an event in September. By which time I _will_ be able to swim well enough...



But, given that I can just about do 1 length of FC. I can't really do breast stroke either...



... I just had to pull a figure out of the air.



It is bound to be completely wrong.. should I have a word with the organisers nearer the time. My main worry is that it's not slow enough (500 m swim).



What have other people done, and does it matter?

Comments

  • jacjac Posts: 452
    The ones I've entered you can change your estimated swim time up to two weeks before the event.

    Swim the distance - with whatever breaks you need - and give them that time for the time being. Either that or guess and just change it nearer the time!
  • just2trijust2tri Posts: 198
    Conehead, do you do any training days down south, closer to London/Surrey area??
  • just2trijust2tri Posts: 198
    Where can I find out more about the LD training session?
  • Ron99Ron99 Posts: 237
    just2tri wrote:


    Conehead, do you do any training days down south, closer to London/Surrey area??



    just2tri,



    I'm heading up to the 1st rookie day from London. Obviously I don't know your situation, but if you're keen, maybe we could head up together and share the cost? Just a thought.
  • BlinkybazBlinkybaz Posts: 1,144
    Jack



    I was worried about what swim time to put down when entered my first TRI which is in 2 weeks. I read the times from last year and kind of slotted myself in at three quarters of the field. I have since them found that I cant actually swim that fast. I put down 7.30 mins and had to email in and change my time to 8.30. i made some excuss about injury to my knee. (which is actually true but not to the level I said.



    I would just let them know before your race number and start time arrive.
  • just2trijust2tri Posts: 198
    Thanks Ron99! It's a 2 1/2 hour drive and weekends are for me the busiest time with the family and kids, so I will give it a miss on this occasion, but thanks for the offer!
  • Jack HughesJack Hughes Posts: 1,262
    Hoy! You've stolen my thread! And I want it back.



    Good advice.



    What I actually did was doubled Gary Robert's time, then added a bit!



    But: "Just go and swim it" - seems obvious, and it is. So I have done. However, there is some more significance to this. After a bit of soul searching, I realised that I didn't want to do this - not because I couldn't... but because I don't want to be doing it like I can do now. Not sure if that makes sense - but I always want to do things "right". And just now, my swimming is not right.



    Anyway, went to the pool this a.m. It was really, really crowded - well, the "medium" lane was - with lots of "slow" breaststrokers. There was only one guy in the fast lane, but he was a steam train. I don't mean that fast. Just noisy, inefficient, and making a lot of splash. I've seen him before - he's an arrogant ***** and shouts at the women breaststrokers if they get in the way. Not nice. So, doing my length of crawl would have been impossible in the medium lane - too busy. I had a go in the fast lane, but Mr Shouty put me off. Anyway, I realised I was messing about. Time to swallow the pride and just do it in the best way that I could. Actually, swallowing the pride wasn't that bad - just gave the normal mouthfuls of pool a slightly bitter taste. But not too unpleasant.



    Using the vastly accurate wall clock, I plodded up and down, using my "sort of breaststroke - no legs, not sure quite what the arms are doing, but I can breathe".



    It took somewhere between 16 and 17 minutes to do the 500m.



    Funnily enough, that's about what I guessed using my original formula - actually, I put 15:00 as that seemed like a nice round number.



    Now I have a benchmark to aim for. If I can squeeze a length or two of FC in, then the time can come own. Now I actually feel a lot better for having done it!



    The great GR has posted a nice link on the facebook forum page to a swimtherapy.co.uk video. As they are down in Leicester, I might book myself a session. Actually, I've got a job in Leicester on Wednesday. Hmmm...
  • jonEjonE Posts: 1,113
    hi,I did a swimtherapy session a couple of years ago,session booked was for an hour but lasted over that time.Well worth the money,one to one coaching,very good investment.

    You always get a Mr Shoutey,I think they come supplied with every municipal swimming pool,chances are that they go at the same time,do the same distance,at the same speed,week in week out,and insist on explaining why you are doing it wrong.various solutions,the easiest is go somewhere else,discounted due to the above,best option is with the swimtherapy session,and swimming more to rest your knee you will become like a shark,whereas you can turn up at the pool,overtake him with ease and then tell him to F*%K off into the learners pool and leave the lane for swimmers who can.

    You should find that in the months leading up to September you swim time will drop to around 11 mins quite easily.
  • MowfMowf Posts: 272
    You've got till September dude. Take 2 - 3 mins off that time.



    Lessons are the key. There's no way you can teach yourself to swim efficiently enough. Especially for a perfectionist like you. A good coach will give you all the advice, drills and drive that you need.

  • willtriwilltri Posts: 436
    I reckon by september you could get down by quite a bit - maybe down to 10 mins.[:)]



    In Jan I could only do one length without having a nice break!! I read the "Total immersion" book - got a lot quicker / reduced my stroke rate by 7/8 strokes all in a couple of weeks. I'd really recommend it. (To use me as an example - with the book and swimming 3/4 times a week i've gone from 13 mins to just under 9mins and you've got around the same amount of time)



    I had lessons at the local pool - really didn't get on with them - i don't want to pay someone to just tell me to do drills!! Must have just had a bad teacher!?!
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