Open Water Training | Mediterra Swim & Run

Open Water Sun Protection

by Coach Mat | 3 Jul, 2014

How do I protect myself from the sun while swimming in open-water? That’s a very important question, and one I hear often at this time of the year. Here are my two recommendations: 1) A rash-guard or swim-shirt. If you want no hindrance while swimming the fit...

Preparing For Your Open Water Race

by Coach Mat | 29 Jun, 2014

How Do I Prepare For My Open Water Race? Would you like to make your next open-water race experience as pleasant and successful as possible? Here is a way to maximize your chances of that… Here is summary of my advice for how to prepare for your next open-water...

Metrics In Open Water: Measuring Improvement

by Coach Mat | 21 Jun, 2014

When training in open-water how do I measure improvement? The best arrangement is to set up two fixed points (as described in the previous post), and then measure 2 of the 3 variables in the Pace equation: Pace = SPL x Tempo More specifically, for calculating Pace at...

Metrics In Open Water: Measuring Distance

by Coach Mat | 18 Jun, 2014

Now that open-water season is more widely opened up in the Northern Hemisphere we should discuss some ideas about translating pool practice into open-water. It takes an adjustment in mindset to move from pool practice to open-water practice. When asked I let swimmers...

Metrics 103: Pacing Failure And Success

by Coach Mat | 24 May, 2014

By gradually increasing distance you will challenge your abilities to hold your chosen SPL x Tempo combination. It will get difficult and you will reach what feel like limits to your ability for that day. Yet ‘failure’ of this type is an important part of...

Accumulation Of Small Advantages

by Coach Mat | 16 May, 2014

At our mini-open water camp in Kas today one of my swimmers was expressing his delight with the improvement he experienced with one or two particular focal points. He kept jumping back in the sea to review it over and over. I was pleased of course, that he identified...