In August 2019, I’m aiming to swim 21km (plus potentially a little more) at Vidöstern Simmet, which is billed as Sweden’s toughest open water race. At Outdoor Swimmer we frequently get asked for ideas for training sessions, so I started sharing the training sessions I’m doing for that on Twitter @SimonDGriffiths for anyone else that wants to try them. I’ve now decided to move them here as I kept running out of characters on Twitter. These are mostly sessions I’ve done with Teddington Master Swimming Club and created by the club coaches (thank you Ian, Lorraine and Veronica). Others I do with friends (AKA “The 400 Club”). Tuesday morning sessions are often adapted from sets originally created by Fiona Ford from Triathlon Europe, who is a Swim Smooth coach and contributor to Outdoor Swimmer.

Training sessions often appear to be written in code so please ask via Twitter if anything is not clear. Abbreviations I use include:

FC = Front crawl, BA = Backstroke, BS = Breaststroke, Fly = Butterfly, IM = Individual Medley, +10s = take about 10 seconds rest before starting the next swim.

The main pools I use are Hampton Pool (36m long), Richmond Pools on the Park (33.3m long), Teddington Pool (25m) and Hanworth Pool (25m)

Adapt the distances for the length of pool you’re training in and adjust the times to suit your own swimming speed. Let me know via Twitter how you get on.

Training sessions from 1st to 15th Jan

90-minute TSCM Club session

Warm up

200m FC, 200m BA, 200m FC, 200m BA, 200m FC

Build

8 x 50m FC off 45s (approx. 5 to 7s rest after each)

4 x 25m FL sprints

4 x 50m off 40s (approx. 2 to 3s rest after each)

50m easy

Main set

2 x 200m FC steady, sprint last length (15s rest after each)

50m easy

2 x 200m FC steady, sprint first length (15s rest after each)

4 x 25m kick (FL, BA, BS, FC)

4 x 100m FC off 1:25 (approx. 7s rest after each)

4 x 25m FL

4 x 100m FC off 1:25 (approx. 7s rest after each)

100m easy

8 x 50m FC off 45s (approx. 7s rest after each)

4 x 25m sprints (FL, BA, BS, FC)

Cool down

150m easy

Total: 4,350m

This relatively short but intense sprint set was harder than it looks.

Warm up

12 x 1 length FC – 5s rest after each. Stroke focus on breath on least comfortable side (total 400m)

6 x 2 lengths as 1L FL, BA, BS, 1 length FC (total 400m)

Main set

3 rounds of:

• 3 x 33.3m FC sprint (aim for 100m race pace) off 40s
• 1 length easy

2 rounds of:

• 3 x 66.7m FC sprints (aim for 200m race pace) off 1:20s
• 1 length easy

4 x 100m FC sprint (aim for 400m pace) off 2:00 (approx. 45s rest after each)

2 lengths easy

2 x 200m FC fast (aim for 800m race pace) off 4:00 (approx. 85s rest after each)

Cool down

4 x 100m FC steady, stroke focus and bilateral breathing, off 1:45 (approx. 10s rest after each)

Total distance: 2933m

Another Critical Swim Speed set adapted from one originally created by Fiona Ford.

Warm up

200m FC, 100m BA, 100m kick

4 x 3 lengths as FL, BA, BS off 2:00, increasing speed

Main set

6 x 100m FC off 1:35 (approx. 15s rest after each)

1 x 200m FC off 3:10 (approx. 30s rest)

6 x 67m FC off 1:00 (approx. 7s rest after each)

200m BA

6 x 67m FC off 1:00 (approx. 7s rest after each)

1 x 200m FC off 3:10 (approx. 30s rest)

4 x 100m FC off 1:35 (approx. 15s rest after each)

Cool down

200m easy

Total distance: 3,400m

My first 5km training session of the year.

Warm up

600m mix easy FC and BA

Main set

8 x 400m FC off 6:15 (approx. 30 to 40s rest) as 1 to 4 steady, 5 & 6 medium and 7 & 8 fast.

Second set

12 x 33.3m FC steady, focus on best possible technique and breathing to least comfortable side. 5 to 10s rest after each.

6 x 100m FC, focus on bilateral breathing and staying as relaxed as possible. Slow right down. 5 to 10s rest after each.

Cool down

200m easy BA

Total 5,000m

One hour club session with Teddington Masters. Well done to coach Lorraine for staying on pool deck despite a bitterly cold wind.

Warm up

18 lengths steady FC, 2 lengths BA

Main set

4 x 2 lengths off 1:05 (approx. 5 to 7s rest)

4 x 1 length fly (approx. 30s rest after each)

4 x 2 lengths off 1:00 (approx. 2 to 3s rest after each)

2 lengths easy

12 lengths FC, swim strong

1 x 4×1 individual medley

6 x 2 lengths FC off 1:00 (approx. 2 to 3s rest after each)

4 x 1 length, one on each stroke

6 x 2 lengths FC off 1:00 (approx. 2 to 3s rest after each)

Cool down

8 lengths steady FC

2 lengths easy BA

Total distance: 3,456m

TSCM club session at Hampton (28-degree water temperature) followed by Cold Water Swimming Championships at Tooting Bec (3-degree water)

Warm up

24 lengths as 2L FC, 1L medley order (drill on FL)

Main set

1. Continuous FC set as:

1 x 12 lengths off 7:00 (approx. 1 minute rest)

2 x 6 lengths off 3:30 (approx. 30s rest)

4 x 3 lengths off 1:45 (approx. 15s rest)

6 x 2 lengths off 1:15 (approx. 15s rest)

12 x 1 length off 40s (approx. 10s rest)

Aim for consistent pace throughout.

2 lengths easy

2. 12 x 2 lengths 1L FL, 1L easy FC off 1:45 (approx. 15s rest)

3. 4 x 4×1 IM off 2:45 (approx. 20 to 25 rest)

Cool down

4 lengths easy

Total distance 4,680m

Second extra-cool down: 1 width of Tooting Bec (30m)

90-minute Teddington Masters session.

Warm up

200m FC, 200m BA, 200m FC, 200m BA, 200m FC

Build

4 x 50m FC off 45s (approx. 5s rest after each)

4 x 25m FL sprints

4 x 50m FC off 40s (approx. 1 to 2s rest after each)

4 x 25m medley order sprints

100m easy

Main

4 x 100m FC off 1:25 (approx. 5 to 7s rest after each)

4 x 25m sprints (not FC)

4 x 100m FC off 1:20 (approx. 2 to 3s rest after each)

400m FC steady pace, focus on “long and strong”

8 x 50m FC off 45s (approx. 5s rest after each)

4 x 25m easy

8 x 50m FC of 40s (approx. 2 to 3s rest after each)

4 x 25m easy

4 x 50m FC off 40s (approx. 2 to 3s rest after each)

50m easy

4 x 50m FC off 40s (approx. 2 to 3s rest after each)

Cool down

100m easy

Total distance: 4,150m

Today’s speed and sprint set was harder than it looks. This was done in a 33.3m pool but can be adapted easily for 25m or 50m pools.

Warm up

400m alternating FC/BA

3 x 4×1 IM, increasing pace on each

Main set

3 x 100m FC off 2:00 as:

2 lengths easy, 1 length sprint

1 length easy, 2 lengths sprint

3 lengths sprint (aim to beat your 400m FC race pace)

1 length easy

Repeat the above four times then do:

4 x 100m FC off 1:45, aim to hit 400m race time on each 100.

67m easy (2 lengths)

6 x 33m fly off 1:00

Cool down

6 x 33m easy FC, stroke focus

Total distance: 3,000m

Another threshold pace set based on a session devised by Fiona Ford of Triathlon Europe

Warm up

1 x 200m FC

1 x 100m BA

3 x 33m FC kick

Main set

5 x 67m as 1 length easy, 1 length sprint, mixed strokes

10 x 100m FC off 1:35 at 1500m pace (approx. 15s rest after each)

1 x 200m easy BA

10 x 67m FC off 1:00 at 1500m pace (approx. 5 to 7s rest after each)

Straight into 1 x 200m FC at 1500m pace

Cool down

12 x 33m alternating 1 length stroke focus, 1 length sprint (choice of stroke)

1 x 200m easy

Total distance: 3400m

I thought last Monday’s 400s were hard, but they were a breeze compared to today’s. Racing over the weekend has taken a toll. Pace about 20s per 400m slower than usual.

Warm up

400m mixed strokes

Main set

8 x 400m FC off 6:15 (approx. 15 to 20s rest after each)

Cool down

1 x 200m BA/FC very easy

Total: 3,800m

A second day of racing at the SE Masters in Crawley

Pre-race warm up

8 x 50m easy FC, focus on technique, 5s rest after each

200m easy BA

4 x 50m FC building pace

4 x 50m alternating FC/BS

Total warm up: 1000m

50m BA (35.76s)

400m FC (4:59.53)

No training today. Racing (in the pool) instead at the South East Masters Long Course Championships in Crawley.

Pre-race warm up

200m FC

100m BA

100m FC

4 x 50m at 800m race pace

4 x 50m as half length easy, half length sprint

50m BA

50m FC

Total warm up: 900m

Races

100m FC (1:02.89)

50m Fly (31.88)

50m BS (36.84)

800m FC (10:29.64)

A short, relaxed, pre-race swim with some sprints and drills.

Warm up

12 lengths alternating 1L FC 1L BS (432m)

Main set

12 lengths alternating 1L FC single arm drill, 1L FC (432m)

8 x 3 lengths relaxed FC with half length sprint at end of each. 15s rest after each. (864m)

12 x 1 length as ½ length sprint, ½ length easy. 10s rest after each. (432m)

Cool down

12 x 1 length easy, focus on best possible technique (432m)

Total: 2,592m

Shaking things up today with some high intensity speed work.

Warm up

133m FC, 100m BA, 67m BS, 33m Fly (twice through) – total 667m

Main set

4 x 67m as 1 length IM order, 1 length easy FC

4 x 100m FC as 67m easy, 33m sprint off 2:00 (approx. 30s rest after each)

67m easy

4 x 100m FC as 33m easy, 67m sprint off 2:00 (approx. 35s rest after each)

67m easy

4 x 100m FC @400m race pace off 2:00 (approx. 40 to 45s rest after each)

67m easy

4 x 100m FC @400m race pace off 1:45 (approx. 25 to 30s rest after each)

Cool down

266m easy swim mix FC and BA

Total: 3000m