Yeah but theyre old ladies trying to do aquarobics so it doesnt really count…
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I would consider it cheating. At a push I’d use my buoyancy shorts.
Yes, in open water you have a wetsuit providing buoyancy, but then you also have to deal with sighting (most of us swim a fair bit longer due to this) and don’t get the benefits of pushing off the walls. I just checked the 1500m mens LC world record is over 20 seconds slower than the SC record, to give some indication of the benefit that gives.
I was surprised a the other day when I realised that strictly speaking the bike isn’t 180km/90km and swim isn’t 3800m/1900m as miles are the official distances. As you’ve pointed out the IM swim is actually closer to 3900m than 3800m.
provided you are a swimmer not a triathlete who cant turn 
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You’re doing it for yourself as a pretty much solo challenge loosely under IM branding. Can do whatever you like that gives you sense of accomplishment.
That said, my opinion would be breaks is definitely too far. I’d also say if you’re going to the extent of battering yourself and calling it an ironman then should follow their rules where possible.
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I was wondering that after I posted. However, I think I’m such a crap swimmer I definitely benefit from the glide, even despite the lack of turn skill or dolphin kick.
even a good touch turn and push off you’ll be faster. The streamline position is the fastest any swimmer will be during a race including triathletes as you don’t get close to being as hydrodynamic when trying to breath. I don’t even coach young triathletes to dolphin off the wall. We work on the streamline and transition/breakout as the kick slows you down if not performed well. Not many distance swimmers dolphin more than once of the wall either due to the lack of efficiency. It’s faster but at an energy cost . Perfect for sprinters.
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Not to mention the nice big extra breath you get doing a touch turn compared to missing one doing a tumble turn.
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But no drafting 
FTWY
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Right, after finally being able to get back in the pool the week before last I was surprised to find that I’d been really missing swimming. All year I’ve been nursing niggles after niggle and the moment I got back in the water my body immediately felt better. That was a nice surprise. My dramatic loss of form was less pleasant but not unexpected.
With no competition on the horizon for me till later in the summer next year I’m looking for some interim goals and have decided that now might be the time to finally get under 6 mins for 400m with a view trio finally breaking the 1hr barrier for an IM swim. Previously the best I’ve managed is 6.20 for the 400m and I’ve swam 1.02 for IM a couple of times.
I’m going to be re reading this thread from start to finish to get some pointers but may well be coming back for thoughts and advice in the future.
In the meantime, does anyone have any advice for managing swimmers ear? I’ve only been in the water twice a week so far abut already it’s back with a vengeance and as I look toward swimming 5x per week I’d be good to have some idea about how to manage this so I don’t spend my entire life with my finger in my ears in a futile attempt to ease the itch!
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I don’t swim without earplugs otherwise I get lots of infections. I use Macks earplugs if that helps, not the ones that look like a lump of plasticine though.
Good luck with the sub 6, it was always my target but only got to 6:2x I think, not helped by poor turns.
thanks @jeffb I’l take a look at them.
I’ve always avoided plugs in the past but anything has got to be better than the itch!
Thats some really good endurance you have (or lack of top end!).
A 6:20 400m is 1:35/100m, and a 62min 3.8k is 1:38/100m!
I swam 1:01, but have done a 5:45 400m.
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Typical one pace triathlete!
If I was to coach that scenario I would work a lot on top end there in a block (if you raise the ceiling, you have further to go) . Then target the 400 with doing 16x25 off 5sec holding 20secs. Then move to 8x50s holding 40s off 10, then sets of 4 x100 holding 1.20s off 1.30 then you will be ready. ( part of a main set in key sessions, all part of a wider session and plan)
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Swam my mile again this week 
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Awesome - many thanks for this @Hammerer - that’s my winter sorted out.
You and @stenard are absolutely right. I’ve got good endurance but zero top end and that’s the same in all three disciplines.
Running – I’ve banged out a couple of 2.51 marathons but never gone under 17.30 for 5 K (not that I’ve run more than about 3 of them)
Bike - I use trainer road and can do 350W for the 20 min FTP test but then when I’m doing their 9x2 mins vo2 max intervals I can barely cling onto 385W
I do tend to include a fair bit of high end work across all disciplines throughout the year but I’m just not very good at it. This has got me thinking… I reckon that even after doing this for well over a decade I’m still doing my long 'slow’ sessions too hard leaving too little in the tank for when I do the hard stuff. Time for a change.
I’ve been looking back at this thread and was interested to note that @Poet’s swimming gains came when he was injured and swimming 5 days a week (maybe more?) I remember hearing Mark Livesey saying something similar years ago and that his swimming progress also came when he couldn’t bike or run. I’m not injured but am seriously thinking about focusing almost entirely on swimming for the next 3 months to see what can be achieved.
Thanks again
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Yes, you’re totally correct there.
Went from 8mins per 400m to 6mins per 400m over a few months of 10-12k swim weeks.
It then took a year of “normal” training to whack that 400m time down a bit more.
I managed a 57minute 3.8km in the pool, but that never translated to OW.
Blimey, you have some real attributes across all three disciplines then!
Run wise I only have a 17:22 5k pb and have done a 2:48 marathon, so that seems kinda reasonable to me. There’s a big difference between 4:00/km and 3:25/km, especially as 5k is still not really “top end”.
Cant get anywhere near your bike numbers though. I did find zwift racing really helped me this year at the shorter, punchier intervals. With no structure at all, just racing, I added 5% to my all time FTP best, having started from my all time lowest after a long break/holiday. The natire of the racing just led to improvement. And suddenly, when I could hold 300w for 5mins, or 280w for 20mins, targeting 215w for a HIM bike leg seemed pretty straightforward. It was fairly simple to tack on the endurance over a few weeks.
It’s a similar approach to what’s being discussed for swimming. I was cycling basically every day during the heart of lockdown. And that same type of approach worked for me in swimming too. My IM year was commenced with a solo holiday to Lanza where I swam a minimum of 2k every day. A 15k week, compared to my normal 7k or so, seemed to springboard me forwards for the rest of the year.
Thanks @stenard - yes I’ve been pleased with my progress over the years with biking and running, it’s just the swimming that remains the poor cousin overall. time to change that.
While I’m here thought. I might ask @Hammerer and all you other swimmers about the issues I’m having with flip turns as I know getting these right will be pivotal to getting under 6 mins for 400.
I learned to do flip turns about 5 yrs ago and whilst I can technically do them I find them very difficult to fully incorporate into my swimming mainly because of the struggle I have with breathing. I’ve never managed to do them both ends of the pool and even only doing it at one end I still struggle to maintain them after about 300m especially if I’m swimming relatively fast (for me).
A few years ago I was doing more structured swimming sets that had some hypoxic sets built in. I found these extremely difficult and physically distressing and it’s this kind of discomfort that seems to be keeping me from consistently and confidently tumble turning.
I’ve got a pretty low maximum hr (about 157 for running and about 153 for cycling) and I sometimes wondered if that is a limiter. I think I’m just grasping at straws hoping that it’s not just a case of me needing to get accustomed to that kind of discomfort.
Any advice thoughts greatly received.