About four weeks ago, I published the first part of a 12 weeks swimrun training plan designed to take you to the finish line of an Ö till Ö qualifier. it is now time for the second part!
In the first bloc, we’ve focused on developing your strenght. This means that by now, your body should be able to take faster paces and longer distances. You should find yourself to be stronger, more stable and solid both with your swimming and your running.
It is time to take the next level and increase the intensity of your training. During the next four weeks, the speed picks up. Your runs should be longer and faster, remember: you’re aiming for a strong finish! On the swimming side, open water swims and race simulation are part of the plan too.
Swimrun training in Sweden during Winter.
For the swedes, open water swim training in februari is obviously a challenge. Here are a few tips to help your with swimrun training through the swedish winter:
- Find a swimming pool with a gym where you can swim and run several times.
- Do less transitions and run to the pool, do your session and run back
- Pool running is also a great compromise. You can do some serious workout and intervals in pool running.
- Sign up for a training camp in Southern Europe!
Click here for a printable version of the training plan.
How is the training working for you so far? What are your challenges? Don’t hesitate to send me feedbacks or question by e-mail, or in the comment section below.
12 weeks Swimrun ÖtillÖ qualifier program - Week 5 to 8
| Swimming Wu: Warm up Wd: Warm down Inc.: including Pb: pullbuoy Pa: paddles Mt: meters | Running Inc. including Km: kilometre Reps: repetitions Min: minute | Swimrunning Min: minute | Extras/Others | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week5: EFFORTS Compulsory: - 4 swims - 4 runs - 1 swimrun Optional (Recommended): - 1 swim (45-60min of technique) - 1-2 runs (60-90min easy pace) | Pool: - Technique: 60min inc. drills and test 3x300mt with 60” rest - Strength: 4000mt inc. 3x1000mt pb/pa (breathing pattern), Wu/Wd - Efforts: 3200mt inc. 1000mt drills/kick, 12x 150mt with 10” rest (8 without gear/4PbPa), Wu/Wd Open water: - Strength: 60min inc. 6x6min PbPa with 30” rest, Wu/Wd without gear | - Long: 2h15 comfortable - Distance/Efforts: 90min 3x4km increasing the pace non stop (from comfortable to hard) - Efforts: 60min inc. 5x 2km at 90% of your max with 90” rest - Distance: 90min comfortable pace | - 2h easy swimrun with swims between 2 to 10min and runs between 5 to 20min | Core and strength: 2x 30min of specific swimming and running strength/flexibility |
| Week6: EFFORTS Compulsory: - 4 swims - 4 runs - 1 swimrun Optional (Recommended): - 1 swim (45-60min of technique) - 1-2 runs (60-90min easy pace) | Pool: - Technique: 60min inc. drills/kick and breathing pattern exercises - Strength: 4200mt inc. pb/pa 3x (600-400-200mt with 600mt slower than race pace, 400mt at race pace and 200mt faster than race pace), Wu/Wd - Efforts: 3200mt inc. 1000mt drills/kick, 2x (6x 100mt + 6x75mt all with with 10” rest) with 100mt easy in between the 2 sets , Wu/Wd Open water: Strength: 70min inc. 4x (8min at race pace + 2min hard) PbPa with 30” rest, Wu/Wd without gear | - Long: 2h30 with some change of paces in specific race landscape (the day before or after the 2h swimrun) - Efforts: 60min inc. 5x 2km at 90% of your max with 90” rest - Distance/Efforts: 90min 4x15min increasing the pace non stop (from moderate to hard) - Distance: 90min comfortable pace | - 2h easy swimrun with swims between 4 to 5min (inc. 2x800mt) and runs between 5 to 30min (inc.2x5km) | Core and strength: 2x 30min of specific swimming and running strength/flexibility |
| Week7: EFFORTS Compulsory: - 4 swims - 4 runs - 1 swimrun Optional (Recommended): - 1 swim (60min of technique) - 1-2 runs (60-90min easy pace) | Pool: - Technique: 60min inc. drills/kick and breathing pattern exercises - Strength: 4400mt inc. 4x800mt pb/pa with the swimrun partner (first/second easy, third at race pace, fourth increasing the pace to hard), Wu/Wd - Efforts: 3200mt Inc. 1000mt drills/kick, 8x200mt with 10”rest, Wu/Wd Open water: - Strength: 75min inc. 4x(10min PbPa at race pace with 1min hard every 3min) with 30” rest, Wu/Wd without gear | - Long: 2h30 comfortable in specific race landscape (day before or after the 2h15 swimrun) - Distance/Efforts: 90min 5x2.5km increasing the pace non stop (from moderate to hard) - Efforts: 60min inc. 6x 1.2km at 95% of your max with 60” rest - Distance: 90min comfortable pace | - 2h15 easy swimrun with swims between 4 to 20min (inc. 1000 and 1200mt) and runs between 5 to 40min (inc. 5 and 7km) | Core and strength: 2x 30min of specific swimming and running strength/flexibility |
| Week8: Easier week Compulsory: - 3 swims - 3 runs - 2 swimruns Optional (Recommended): - 1 swim (45-60min of technique) - 1 run (45-90min easy pace) | Pool: - Speed: 2500mt inc. 1000mt drills/kick, 20x50mt change of pace, Wu/Wd Open water: - Strength: 90min inc. 2x (6-5-4-3-2-1min race pace pb/padd) with 30” rest, inc. 15min at race pace | - Continuous: inc. wu: 10min+10x (60” hard/60” easy + 2x20min non stop pb/padd | - 90min with race partner - 2h30 easy swimrun with swims inc. 2x600mt and 1600mt and runs between 5 to 50min (inc. a 10km) | Core and strength: 2x 30min of specific swimming and running strength/flexibility |
About Nicolas Remires
Nicolas Remires is a French endurance sports coach based in Stockholm, specialised in triathlon and swimrun. Nicolas coaches athletes of all levels, for races from sprint triathlon to ironman distance, 5km to ultra marathon, open water swimming, swimrun and cycling.
His swimrun achievements include: 4th and 3rd ÖtillÖ World Championships (2016-2015), 1st Utö Swimrun (2015), 1st Borås Swimrun (2015-2016), 2nd Ångalöppet (2014, 2015).
