Annie’s guide to your first training season

You’ve got to start somewhere…

You’ve selected your swim challenge, but now what? Where do you start in terms of training? It can feel a little overwhelming at the beginning, and that’s whether you’re new to the challenge or not, it can still feel daunting. The hardest part is always getting started, once you settle into a training routine it becomes less scary and you’ll hopefully soon find you enjoy the process.

Patience and training structure

Remember that the sooner you start your training the better. With plenty of time a head of you before the race, you’ll be able to adapt and feel more confident as you approach the big day. Training takes time and patience and as much as we’d often like it to, there is not quick fix in preparing for a race, it takes time, so allow plenty of it. There are a number of free training plans online so be sure to have a look and find one that works for you. This will not only ensure you’re training efficiently, but it provides structure and routine, meaning you will be more likely to keep on track.

Food for fuel

You’ve got your training plan sorted, so now what? What about what you eat and drink? Ensuring you are well hydrating is extremely important, and can be something people forget to do when they swim. When you run, you can physically sweat which is a sure sign to rehydrate, whereas swimming you don’t. If you’re training in the swimming pool or you’re out doing open water training, take a bottle of water with you. Eating healthy is always important regardless of training, but when you’re following a training plan, eating sufficiently and the right food, is key.

Sleep is king

Do you feel ready to train when you don’t sleep well? No, me neither. A poor nights sleep can seriously impact our day in performance and general well-being. Much like a training plan having a sleep routine is a must. Rest and recovery is just as important as the workout itself, and when we sleep our bodies get a chance to recharge. Things like having a bath before bedtime, reading a book, having a hot drink or simply turning off all electronic devices, can play a positive part in getting a good nights sleep. I like to pop a dap of lavender on my pillow to encourage a calm environment and listening to Ocean sounds on my Calm app.

Different training

By following a training plan will definitely bring routine, but if you don’t want to follow something so specific, then the best thing to do is bring variety to your swim training. It could be you use different kinds of swim training tools to work on your swim stroke efficiency. There are lots of amazing swim tools to really help build your swim confidence. If that still feels a bit too structured, simply mixing up your kind of swim will certainly keep things fresh and exciting, this could be going open water swimming in your local lake instead of just a pool swim. Better yet? Swim at different pools and different OWS venues, that way you’re never going to get bored!

The main thing to take away is that everyone is different when it comes to races and challenges. Some have personal bests to beat and some simply want to complete, not compete and that is perfectly fine. What I will say is that you have to enjoy whichever path of training you want to take, be kind to yourself along the way and soak in the experience.