Just out of curiosity how quickly do you guys and girls swim? I can swim a lap 25meters in about 30 seconds give or take 5-10 seconds consistantly for 2.5km (100laps). I am just wondering if this is even competive or not? I have a sprint tri coming up soon and its only 750m but I want to be able to be competive in the water.

I am also a beginner, especially in the water. I've been shooting for one length (25m) to be 00:30 or less. I've done my longer swims at about 00:34. I think that's decent, I'm swimming steady with no stops. I am waiting for the Total Immersion book to become available at the library. Hopefully then I can shave off a couple of seconds. However, I'm not looking to be 'competative' with anybody except myself. I don't mind coming in last swimming as long as I make it out of the water!

I am not sure what my 25m time is, but in my workouts I will swim a set of 50's on the :50 second mark. This usually leaves me about 5 to 10 seconds rest in between 50's. Putting me right around 40 seconds for 50m. That pace usually puts me in the top 10% of my age group out of the water.

As a so-so breastroker I swim 25m in 40s and 100m in 3minutes (waste time changing direction)
when I try to swim in something that looks like the freestyle seen from very far ;) I still do 40s for 25m but I am out of breath :(

If you're swimming 2500m per workout, then 750m should be no problem. Right?

So what are you going to do now, right before the triathlon? Go faster, and go anaerobic? Screw up the rest of the race? They say you can't win a triathlon in the water, but you can lose it.

Your swim times and distances sound similar to mine. My plan for increased speed is to swim more interval sets --- after first building my endurance base while concentrating on technique. "Fitness Swimming" by Emmett Hines has many good workouts; and has the added benefit of explaining basic "Total Immersion" principals in one short chapter.

So don't worry about a middle-of-the-pack swim, and just think of all the athletes you can pass on the bike!

thehitman

I agree 100% with hitman. Although I am a good swimmer I am just average on the bike and run. This makes for a long day when you get out of the water near the front. Instead of passing people I am being passed by everyone on the bike and run. I would trade a good swim time for a good run time anyday.

Good luck with the race.

Yeah I agree - a better run would be more useful.... I probably swim tri's with about 1:15ish per 100 yard pool pace for tri's... While there are still a good number of people who swim faster than me(most swimmers; 1:15 pace for a 1000 yard is not that fast for a swimmer, even staying pretty aerobic; 1:00-1:10 is what it takes to win), I don't pass many people on the bike or run.
I have certainly edged out people in tri's by beating them by putting several minutes into them over the swim... Anyways, without my swimming, I sincerely doubt that I would be able to place where I usually do... It just takes a little more mental focus to place based on the swim...

Hi. My swim is my worst discipline - in the sprint I finish in the swim in the bottom 20% but I am slowly improving by listening and reading advice. For a long time I was doing 100metres in just over 2mins and it took me months to break the 2min barrier but now I can do it every time (almost) - small step but feels good. Keep trying.

I always thought of myself as a strong swimmer as I lifeguarded for four years throughout high school & college
But I hadnt swam competitively until I started tris - I did my first one with no swimming training at all expecting it to not be a challenge or even very important - and of course the swim killed me - I came out fairly far behind and struggled to make up time the rest of the race
so I have been working on swimming a lot - I have the Total Immersion book & have read it & am improving each time I swim
they recommend focusing more on technique over putting in tons & tons of laps
and the stress cutting back your strokes by keeing a mental count of your strokes for each length in the pool rather then focusing just on the time element
I swim 16 strokes per length pretty consistently, anything over 20 is probably too much
of course this is all individualized & I cant explain all the TI techniques because I havent come close to mastering them by any stretch
but the book definately is helping me improve
www.totalimmersion.net

Yeah I agree - a better run would be more useful.... I probably swim tri's with about 1:15ish per 100 yard pool pace for tri's... While there are still a good number of people who swim faster than me(most swimmers; 1:15 pace for a 1000 yard is not that fast for a swimmer, even staying pretty aerobic; 1:00-1:10 is what it takes to win), I don't pass many people on the bike or run.
I have certainly edged out people in tri's by beating them by putting several minutes into them over the swim... Anyways, without my swimming, I sincerely doubt that I would be able to place where I usually do... It just takes a little more mental focus to place based on the swim...

Your swim times are awesome. A 1:15 pace over 1000 yards is incredible. Are you a collegiate swimmer?

i am doing 100's on the 1:25-30 and to swim 1:15 is just insane fast. i want to be able to do a 15 x 100's on the 1:20 that would be hot. for me.

Well, I'd probably make the swim team here (bad div 3), but I wouldn't be too valuable and it sure wouldn't be for my distance freestyle... (I know more than one girl on my high school team who could do 1000 yards at a 1:03-5 pace) I didn't swim, because I am really burnt out, I have some lasting shoulder damage, and I don't feel like doing a ton of anaerobic work in the winter and adding another peak to my year as that's when I'm supposed to be base training for cycling. I'm really a breaststroker and IMer at heart (100 br 1:13.1, 200 IM 2:26)... My best 100 free time is a 1:00.8 (ouch, always wanted to break that minute) and that would not be competitive at all... I'd really need a low 57. Since I haven't trained for competitive swimming for about exactly a year now, I bet my times will slower get slower, but at least I have the background and know I could always spend some quality time in the pool and work it up again if it ever becomes weaker than my bike or run. I hope it does because if that ever happens, I'd be really fast. For now, I've just been swimming ~1x/week. As long as my cruising pace doesn't get slower than 1:30 I'll be fine... Its my run that needs work when I am not injured from it...

Ok, now I feel pretty slow! Have done 15 x 100 with an average of 1.30. Fastest 400 is at 6.08. Are these times competitive if your not a champion swimmer :D ?

cat, thats the way to do it, if you can get out at the back of the lead pack and not be exhausted thats hot. thats where i try to get out. behind the lead pack. its a lot eaiser for me to bike and run them down. plus swimming behind them provides a nice draft.

shyner is that 1:30 including rest ?

Hey christri, I wish it was :)! No, unfortunately thats how long its taking me to swim the 100. Maybe one day i'll be able to do 100 reps on 1.30 - including rest, can only keep dreaming! :)

shyner- you're not slow.. that's about what i swim too. and it's always put me in the top15-20% out of the water (i was 12th overall in one race!) so i'm ok with it. if you're cruising at about 1:30 per 100 for 15 sets, i think you are in great shape. of course, keep on keepin' on and i bet you could get your time into the 1:20s...

(if i think that you're in great shape, and i also swim at your pace, does that mean that i'm in great shape too? hahaha.... ah, twisted logic.... ;) )

:)
annie