If you thought 10 x 400 was tough, it is about to get much harder at Clay's Saturday morning workout. Right at the beginning of the set (after a good warm up), you will do a SPRINT 100 much faster than your regular pace, then return to 3x400s at the pace you have been going. This will mimic an ocean swim. At the finish of the 3x400, then another 100 sprint- and then again, 3x400s. Finally, one last round of sprint 100 and 3x400s and ending (finally) in one LAST sprint 100.. This is much more difficult than going straight through the even-paced 400s. This will only be for those in swimming shape and who have already experienced our 400s workouts over the last few weekends. If you are new to this workout, Clay suggests that you sit out and rest the 100s instead of swimming them hard.Why these hard 100s screwing up these otherwise nice paced 400s? Because that is the way it is out in the real world. Ocean swims or triathlons never mimic normal, even-paced swims, and no two races will ever be the same. You therefore should prepare for abrupt changes. So, when you have achieved the ability and the endurance to pace yourself for a 200, a 2,000 or a 2 miler you then practice adversity and increase your ability to regain your composure and return to an effective pace. Tactically most ocean races for serious swimmers should start and end with speed (come to one of Clay's ocean clinics in Santa Monica, Venice, Manhattan Beach to find out WHY). And always it will be inevitable that during a race you will need to apply some speed, like get around some slower swimmers, beat people to a buoy, catch the waves, et cetera. And once again, you will have to return to an effective pace. So for the next couple of weeks at Santa Monica College (SMC), Loyola Marymount University (LMU) in Westchester, and the San Fernando Valley pool (VNSO), you can expect this workout.
For those of you swimmers stuck at this workout you can change it. Just stay with the interval of your lane. If you want to do middle distance go instead of rounds of three 400s, one 400, one 200 and one 100. If you are an IMers try doing three 300s IM. And for some of you guys that want an all out sprint workout go three 100s.
[Check this page often for both swim clinics and ocean clinics: Link]
