Shall I get my coat?

Stealth Attack · Joined: 19 May 2003 Posts: 6891 Location: London

Picked up a copy of Bill Sweetingham's training manual last night from the library. If you don't know, he's the Aussie coach who has turned around the prospects of the GB swim squad by not being particularly "touchy feely"! Anyway, to cut a long story short, the opening bit of the first chapter talks about the amount of training mileage you need to complete in order to become a competitive swimmer. 55km is said to be the minimum! Almost patronisingly, he says that someone who can muster just 8km a week can only expect to swim for "fun and participation"!!!!! I'm lucky if I manage 4km a week! Then again, there's always duathlons!

Giantman

PS. I did take a peep at some of the freestyle schedules - frightening!
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dr dre · Joined: 03 Jun 2003 Posts: 15079 Location: IRONMAN BABY!

55k a week ! your having a larf man ! at my pace that would take (calculator out) ove 20hrs and mean > 3000 lengths of my pool. I did 10k one week and felt like i was a champion swimmer Sad

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Sue · Joined: 15 May 2003 Posts: 6269 Location: North Wales

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AndyS · Joined: 05 Jan 2004 Posts: 9970

Hehehe, I've just cut back from 8k a week because I thought I was over doing it! Embarassed

There are plenty of books on the individual sports that will scare us multi-sport people. I glanced at a cycling book that mentioned some gruelling schedule I immediately forgot and a running book that said Paula runs 125 miles a week! I haven't run 125 miles ever, even adding it all up from my whole life! Shocked

Robert · Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2004 9:35 am Post subject:

I think this proves that we will never compete at the highest level....

....except maybe in Trivial Pursuit!
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Sue · Joined: 15 May 2003 Posts: 6269 Location: North Wales

Robert · Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2004 9:42 am Post subject:

Errr..... the World Tiddlywinks Championship? Very Happy

No kidding, I saw it on Eurosport once.... amazingly hypnotic!
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dr dre · Joined: 03 Jun 2003 Posts: 15079 Location: IRONMAN BABY!

skiing fashion ?
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Sue · Joined: 15 May 2003 Posts: 6269 Location: North Wales

Moods just got a bit better --made me smile Very Happy

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Captain Fat · Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2004 10:49 am Post subject:

Just calculated my swim distance, for the week and realised I am not that far behind them
Twisted Evil

Just need to increase by 52km and I am in with a shot.
Laughing

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slowpoke rodriguez · Joined: 11 Jun 2003 Posts: 1838 Location: Wales

I'd be pleased if I could cycle 55km per week, let alone swim it. Evil or Very Mad

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Delboy · Joined: 06 Jan 2004 Posts: 445

just thought i'd mention that 55km a week is for sprinters ie 50/100 M for a middle distance swim, 400M, they do 80Km.

BUT.............
Alexandra Popov (swimming god) used to do 50 odd Km a week, whereas Marc Foster does hardly anything and spends his time in the gym!!!!!!!!!!!