SWIM PLUS MASTER 10KM
RHYS MAINSTONE In November 2011 we fi lmed Australian 10km open water swimming team member Rhys Mainstone's triumphant victory at the West Australian 10km championships, in which he swam an amazing 1 hour 51 minutes. We gave Rhys a Garmin 910XT watch to track his pace throughout the swim, but rather than adopt the even-paced approach that we'd recommend to most age-group swimmers, you'll see from the graph that Rhys's pace was very erratic. Why? Because this was a race for the championships, and when you have 15 other swimmers at the pointy end of the fi eld all seeking to win the state titles, you have to be able to do something to break up the pace and to drop the minor medals off your toes! Check out the pace between 3-5km at an average speed of 1'04"/100m to drop all but one swimmer (another Australian team member) and then the progressive build up from 8-10km to take the title. Scintillating stuff to watch I can tell you. This is 10km open water racing at its very best and could be likened to a road cycling event, where the stronger cyclists aim to make a breakaway well before the fi nish to assure victory.
Taper Your fi nal week should be relatively steady, with a few lit le pick- ups at CSS pace, but preferably no more than 1,200m in a given session. Get some good sleep in and eat and drink well. Again, don't make any drastic changes in the lead-in to the event. It is worth highlighting here, that the best programmes are balanced, and contain a good mix of technique and specifi c fi tness work throughout – albeit with a subtle change in focus as you move through the plan.
RACE CONSIDERATIONS
Nutrition Ideally you'll be consuming 0.8 to 1.0g of carbohydrate per kg of body weight per hour and 500 to 800ml of fl uid per hour in sessions longer than an hour. This ensures you're put ing back into your energy reserves what you are taking out, and will allow you to fi nish strongly and recover quickly. During the event itself you might be restricted to fuelling once per lap on a typical four-lap course, which, depending upon your speed, could mean a fuel stop every 30 to 60 minutes. On some of your longer practice swims in the open water set up a similar lapped course to allow you to fuel as you will in the race. This way you can work out what works and what doesn't in the race.
Draſt ing Draſt ing or 'slipstreaming' off another swimmer can save you up to 38 per cent of your energy expenditure if done correctly. This could get you through your fi rst race in a much less fatigued state, and be the diff erence between winning your age-group or being out of the medals. Draſt ing is a skill like any other, and requires practice and due diligence, so be sure to add some structured time to your routine to go through this with friends. Draſt ing can be done at around 50cm behind another swimmer, or directly to their side with your head positioned at about waist level. If choosing the side-draſt ing option, aim to breathe in towards the swimmer and not away.
Race Suit
In many 10km events you'll have the choice to swim with or without a wetsuit. Depending upon your natural buoyancy wearing a wetsuit could save you 2-3 minutes per kilometre, which over 10km is signifi cant. Although the hardcore open water swimming fraternity may
frown upon your use of a wetsuit, if it is your fi rst 10km event we recommend that you use one. When it comes to your health and your safety, a wetsuit might just make the diff erence.
Tactics
The best way to race a 10km event is mimic what you've done in training – with perfectly even splits, holding a consistent pace. Avoid set ing off too fast and resist energy-sapping surges during the swim. ○
Rhys stops to refuel during a race
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THE BEST WAY TO RACE A 10KM EVENT IS MIMIC WHAT YOU'VE DONE IN TRAINING –A CONSISTENT PACE AND EVEN SPLITS
Photo © Swim Smooth
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