Don’t let someone else kill your vibe!

Do you find yourself reeling from unsolicited opinions about your training plan? Marathon swimmer Sarah Thomas shares her advice on how to stay focused on your goals, and how to tailor your training plan to your own needs.

In my many years of swimming and coaching, one thing I have noticed: If you share your training plan with someone, they’re going to have opinions. There is no easier way to spark debate than to mention you have a big swim coming up and then to discuss your training plan. It doesn’t matter if you’re training for a one-mile swim or a 100- mile swim; doesn’t matter if you’re a newbie or super experienced long-distance swimmer. The second you mention that you’re training for something, one person will tell you that you’re vastly undertrained and another will tell you that you’re wildly over-training.

Personally, I like to keep the big picture plan to myself to avoid needing to defend my tried and true practices to someone who doesn’t know my background or abilities.

However, if you find yourself debating the merits of your training schedule with someone, no matter how well-meaning, you may find yourself reeling from all the unsolicited input.

When you’re on the receiving end of an armchair coach, I really encourage you to pause and ask yourself some questions before you throw a perfectly good plan out the window. Ask yourself: “How do I feel about this plan? Does it make me feel strong? If I follow this plan, will it give me the confidence I need to complete my goal?” Ask yourself, “Am I feeling overwhelmed and frustrated?” The right training plan finds the perfect balance of hard work and recovery. Only YOU know what that balance is. If you feel good, no one else’s opinions matter.

However, if you are having doubts, it’s ok to take a long hard look at your plan and pivot. A good training plan considers several various factors and should be customised to you and your needs. If you’re not sure how to proceed, I highly recommend working with a coach to get an expert opinion, keeping in mind there is no exact recipe to follow for the perfect swim.

Things that should be considered for a quality training plan:

• What is your swim background? Sometimes, newer swimmers need to train more than a more seasoned veteran while you’re building up a base. The first season can feel the hardest.
• How fast are you? Time in the water matters, so slower swimmers may need less yardage, whereas faster swimmers can easily put in more distance in the same amount of time.
• What is the distance of your swim? There is the old rule of thumb that your weekly training should equal 80% of your swim – but that’s not always the best advice. If you’re aiming for a 10km race, I’d definitely recommend swimming more than 8km in a week!
• Do you want to finish or do you want to go fast? Just finishing is fine – but if you’re here to race, you might need to up your volume.
• Is your swim in flat water or are their currents to consider? A current-neutral race is more predictable, but a good training plan should consider the differences in a swim done with either favorable or unfavorable currents.

Good luck, happy swimming, and don’t let someone else kill your vibe!