Olympian Workouts for the Pool and Open Water

Bonnie Moss, a correspondent with SwimNetwork wrote about American Chloe Sutton's tough pool workouts as she prepares to represent American in both the 800-meter freestyle and the 10K at the 2009 World Swimming Championships in Rome.

In a recent interview with Bob Schaller, Chloe shared some of her goals for 2009:




Bob: Are you pool swimming as well or focusing on open water, because I remember you did very well at Trials in the 800 and nearly made the team, right?

Chloe: I’m actually trying to make World Team this summer in the 800. Every set we are doing, this is the 800-goal pace, which is set really high. I hope I can do some amazing things in the pool this year. I’ve been working on my turns and starts, things like that where I need to improve.

Bob: You and Bill Rose, your coach, have an interesting challenge then to balance speed and endurance?

Chloe: I feel like the speed I’m getting in the pool will transfer into the open water, so everything I’m doing is helping my overall swimming. Hopefully, coach Rose and I are planning and hoping to make both teams this year (800 and open water). I set my goals really high.

Chloe and her coach Bill Rose of the Mission Viejo Nadadores are focusing her training for both open water team and the pool swimming, knowing that it will take at least an 8:20 pace (1:02+ per 100 meters) to make the USA team in the 800 freestyle. Examples of their main sets include the following:

Example #1 in a 50-meter pool:

Broken 3,000-meter swim: 400 @ 4:40, then a 100 fast with a foot (flip turn) touch at the finish, holding a 1:02.5 or better. Repeat that six times. Total time for the 3,000 swim cannot exceed 37 minutes or a 1:13 pace.

Results: Chloe’s overall time was a 36:50. For the 100’s she swam the following times: 1:01.3, 1:01.1, 1:01.4, 1:01.0, 1:01.1, 1:00.1

Example #2 in a 25-yard pool:

30 x 100 @ 1:30. Chloe averaged 56.2 seconds per 100 yards.

Example #3 in a 50-meter pool:

'Divide, Multiply and Descend Set'

4,200 = 6 x 400-200-100 descending each round.

For each distance, Chloe divides the time of the swim she just finished in half, then beat that time. For example, if she swims the 400 in 4:40, then her 200 must be faster than a 2:20. If she swims the 200 in a 2:18, then the 100 must be faster than a 1:09. In addition, each round of 400, 200 and 100 must be faster than the previous round.

As Coach Rose explains, "We do the divide, multiply and descend set a lot, varying the intervals and distances. This is the most distance training done for control. The goal is to increase speed while dealing with fatigue. Our mantra here is for her to learn how to be comfortable being uncomfortable. When she can get to that stage, then we increase the intensity so that she is uncomfortable again. We’re always upping the ante. It works with Sutton because she naturally wants to become better."

Photos of Chloe taken at the USA Olympic Swim Team training camp by Colin A. Gift.

Busy Post-Olympic Lives

Chloe Sutton, America’s Olympic 10K Marathon Swim representative, has been leading a busy post-Olympic schedule. On September 28th in Malibu, California, Chloe will appear in the star-studded Malibu Invitational, sponsored by Oceana, to help raise funds for Lyon Herron who is fighting cancer.

Then she travels to San Francisco to race in the highly competitive RCP Tiburon Mile for $10,000. Immediately after that race, she heads to the White House to meet President Bush again with her Olympic teammates.

Besides Chloe, several Hollywood actors and legendary pro surfers will show their ocean prowess on longboards at the Malibu Invitational. These surfing actors will include:

• Simon Baker, a Golden Globe nominee for the new CBS TV show, the Mentalist, has also appeared in LA Confidential, The Devil Loves Prada and The Ring 2.
• Carmine Giovinazzo who stars in CSI: NY and has also appeared in Black Hawk Down, For Love Of The G ame, Red Zone and In Enemy Hands.
• Jesse Metcalfe who starred on Desperate Housewives and Passions.
• John Savage who has appeared in Message In A Bottle, The New World, Carnivale, Summer of Sam, White Squall and The Godfather: Part III.
• Veronica Kay Baker, a professional model and surfer.

Given Chloe's talents in the open water, it is natural that she supports an organization like Oceana, the largest international organization focused solely on protecting the world’s oceans.

Photo of Chloe Sutton at the pre-Olympic training camp with Dr. Genadijus Sokolovas. Photo by Colin A Gift.

A Clean Sport - Confirmed by FINA

FINA, the global governing body of pool swimming, open water swimming, water polo, diving and synchronized swimming, announced today that it conducted a total number of 890 unannounced out-of-competition tests on 621 athletes from the five aquatic disciplines between January-July 2008

All tests were negative.

A related story on swimmers and drug allegations was previously posted here.

After observing Dara throughout her career, during the Olympic training camp and at the Olympics, it was clear to this writer that her success is based on her unparalleled focus, an innovative scientific approach, efficient stroke technique and world-class physical gifts.

"Dara is the fastest [female] swimmer in the water," says Dr. Genadijus Sokolovas, USA Swimming’s Sports Science Director of Sports Science and the world’s leading expert on lactate testing. "She has great technique. We carefully analyzed Dara’s stroke at the US Olympic Training Center using the Swim Power device. After a detailed analysis of her technique, we made small adjustments in her technique before the Olympic Trials."

With unfounded rumors and speculation that Dara is taking drugs to enhance her performance, she is completely open to all current and future testing.

Dara not only has her urine tested frequently, but she has also volunteered to have her blood tested regularly.

"They can test me all they want," said Dara. Dara with confidence and a hint of frustration in her voice. "I need people to know I am clean. And, they keep my blood for years. They take five vials of blood each time and if there is some advanced analysis developed in the future, they can test my blood then."

With that kind of training regimen, focus and track record of success over 3 decades, it is understandable why Dara is breaking new ground for athletes of all ages, abilities and backgrounds…fairly and cleanly.

Photo of Dara Torres by Colin A Gift.

Great Open Water Swimming Photos

Check out Colin A Gift's photos at Really Cool Open Water Swimming Photos.

Copyright © 2008 by World Open Water Swimming Association