How fast do you swim?

**Offthegrid** · 10-24-2006, 05:25 PM

I know I'm laboriously slow because I'm just starting out again and don't want to increase too hard or fast because last year I hurt my shoulder.

I was just curious how long it takes some of you to swim 1,000 meters. I gotta judge just how bad I really am.

**KSH** · 10-24-2006, 05:29 PM

Well... don't be too hard on yourself.

And 1000 meters? Start smaller!

How about asking what we swim a 100 in? Or a 50?

I will say that I swim 100 yards in 1:30 in a pool... and I can swim 1.2 miles in 40 minutes in a lake.

AND... I use to be a competitive swimmer... so I have a really solid stroke. Swimming is effortless for me.

Running is the area I have trouble with! And a race isn't won on the swim... it's won on the bike or the run!

So... do what you can... you will get faster. Don't worry what others are doing... swim your swim.

**kiwi girl** · 10-24-2006, 06:36 PM

I did a women's only triathlon series with a pool swim where we had to put our estimated time on the entry form for seeding for a wave start. It is very much a 'fun' entry level triathlon. The people in my wave had all put around 4:20 as our time for 200m.

**Trek420** · 10-24-2006, 06:44 PM

are we talking uphill or downhill?

**Grog** · 10-24-2006, 09:20 PM

I swim at between 2m (when "on fire") and 2m30s per 100m, I can hold that for about 1000m that I know of.

I'm not much of a swimmer but I've tremendously improved by swimming 3 times a week last winter. (My volume has dropped since!!)

Kitsune06 · 10-24-2006, 09:46 PM

I do 25m, stop, hang on the side of the pool, gasp, pour water out of my goggles, stretch out, wait until I can breathe again, do another 25... repeat until I'm at 15.... and I lose all rhythm and sit there for a minute, all wore out. =P I try, I try. I actually am getting better...
Lise, I swim like a 3-legged cat, too.

**light_sabe_r** · 10-24-2006, 10:10 PM

I'm a slow swimmer. Takes me around 45s to do 50m then I have to do the next 150 on my back.

Gotta start SQUAD again I think.

**Bluetree** · 10-25-2006, 02:49 AM

I'm pretty slow, too. In a 25-meter pool, I can do a steady 64 laps (round trip) in about an hour, but that is with short training fins, slightly under a minute per 50m.
I only swim once a week, but hope to lower my time substantially when the winter weather keeps me off my bike. I am so happy with my SportCount lap counter... it is the best!

http://www.sportcount.com/products.php
P.S. There is a guy on eBay who sells these cheaper than the MSRP.

**Offthegrid** · 10-25-2006, 04:30 AM

I started at 400M (was dying!) and have worked up to 1,000M in three sets (200M, 500M, 300M) with 1 minute rest between. But I'm using fins for now.

I'm not kicking, but of course they do make me go faster just from moving side to side. I want to feel very comfortable with the stroke before I lose them.

I was just curious how fast middle of the packers would swim. I'm considering a sprint tri in May, but it would be my first co-ed one, and I don't want to be last out of the water. 5th last is OK.

**Grog** · 10-25-2006, 07:09 AM

Originally Posted by Offthegrid

I was just curious how fast middle of the packers would swim. I'm considering a sprint tri in May, but it would be my first co-ed one, and I don't want to be last out of the water. 5th last is OK.

What's wrong with being last? I would be annoyed if I finished a LONG time after the before-last person, say if I took 15 more minutes to swim 1000m, but otherwise my philosophy is that someone has to come last and it could be me, I don't mind. Racing (either running or triathlons) is not the central piece of my life, and finishing last won't make me feel that bad, so I don't mind taking that role (especially if it makes others feel better!!). I'm not really slow compared to your average pack but when I train with friends I live with who have been accomplished athletes all their life, I'm certainly not first! That's okay by me. Now I would be seriously annoyed if I came last in a grant competition because I wouldn't get the money I need to make the research I want to do, so that's another story! I am choosing my battles...

Anyway, all this to say that if you do come in last, it doesn't matter. Just smile through it, you will be an inspiration for many, unlike what you might imagine... So go for it!!

**KSH** · 10-25-2006, 08:07 AM

Anyway, all this to say that if you do come in last, it doesn't matter. Just smile through it, you will be an inspiration for many, unlike what you might imagine... So go for it!!

Might I add... that I have noticed that the LAST person typically gets more cheers than anyone else... other than first.

**Offthegrid** · 10-25-2006, 01:03 PM

I finished a 5K last once -- my first 5K actually. They were taking down the finish line when I was done, were halfway through the awards ceremony and were out of water. I was scarred for life.

In all seriousness, there's just some small victory about not being last -- it's really the only measure I can compete against at this point. Some people compete to be first; others compete for good age group placings; I compete not to be last. After all, if you're in a race, don't you ultimately try to pass those near you? In my case, my competitors are at the back of the pack and I try to beat them.

But from the times, I think I'm about double those times -- about where I expected to be given my recent 5K time.

**Kedwards** · 10-28-2006, 02:29 PM

Your best bet is to look up last year's results for the race you have in mind.

Bear in mind that wearing a wetsuit, the race environment, and the ability to draft can all help your speed. On the other hand, rough water, choosing to swim a wider course, and the presence of other swimmers to contend with can slow you down. For these reasons, it can be hard to draw a direct comparison between swim times in the race versus in the pool.

If you are well-prepared and can comfortably swim the distance, you should be fine.

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