Distance Training | Mediterra Swim & Run

Surviving or Comfortable or Competitive? Part 2

by Coach Mat | 5 Jan, 2019

Continued from Part 1. How Much Is Enough To Be Comfortable? When someone asks me a version of this question, I need to know a few things to help guide them toward an answer that is more suitable to their personal situation: How do you want to finish this event:...

Surviving or Comfortable or Competitive? Part 1

by Coach Mat | 5 Jan, 2019

I am often approached by swimmers thinking about preparing to swim a much longer distance than they have done before – like 3.8K (Ironman tri), 5K, 10K or 20K, or even 40K (for the English Channel). I receive this question in various forms, and it essentially...

Distance Swimming in Kaş

by Coach Mat | 29 Sep, 2018

As I write this I am sitting on our ‘command boat’ in the sea next to the peninsula in Kaş, Turkey. 30 minutes ago our swimmers begin the first strokes of their challenge swim on this final training day of our open water distance camp. The weather is...

Avoid Hitting The Wall On A Long Swim/Run

by Coach Mat | 10 Jun, 2018

The question about feeding has come up with some swimmers preparing for long swim (more than 2 hours). Something like, “I start to feel suddenly quite tired after an hour or so, and I think I need some food to keep going. What should I eat and drink? This...

You Must Use Momentum – Part 2

by Coach Mat | 25 Nov, 2017

This discussion is continued from Part 1… If body shape, stroke pattern and stroke length were equal between two swimmers, but one swimmer is sending her recovery arm forward with better momentum and directing that into her sleek Skate Position, she would be...

Train To Extend Your Energy

by Coach Mat | 13 Aug, 2017

If you are aspiring to swim longer distance – whatever is ‘long’ to you – I want to recommend to you a different way to view what you need to focus on in your precious training time. In the first half of practice, when energy is abundant and...