5 Keys to a Successful Marathon Swim
Few athletic feats are as challenging as a marathon swim, which is an open water swim of at least 10km (6.21 miles). We checked in with Coach Conny Bleul to get her keys to completing a marathon swim.
1. A Trained Support Team
Conny, who has completed the English Channel, Catalina Channel, the Manhattan Island Swim, and more, says that she couldn’t have completed these swims without her support team. Your support team has a “huge responsibility, so they have to be well trained… this takes a lot of time and trust.” Once this trust is built and the team is confident and well-prepared, you can solely focus on your swim.
2. Marathon Swim-Specific Training
Your training should be focused on your goals, and will differ based on the challenges associated with your upcoming swim. “(Marathon swim-specific training) is the most important part for a successful marathon swim,” says Coach Conny. “Without a marathon specific training plan, the risk for injuries, demotivation, and an unsuccessful swim is high.”
3. A Customized Plan
What are your strengths?
What are your weaknesses?
“Every person is different, and so must be each training plan.” While many training plans are similar, no two plans will be exactly the same. A good marathon swim training plan is designed around your strengths, weaknesses, and the unique challenges of the swim you’re training to complete.
4. Get Out of the Pool
“Marathon swimming is very different from swimming competitively in the pool.” While you can build endurance in the pool, pool swimming is just one part of marathon swim training. A significant portion of your marathon swim training will take place in the open water.
5. Surround Yourself with Experienced Help
Coach Conny describes marathon swimmers as a “community that lives on sharing information.” She shares her knowledge and experience to pass forward this and the help she’s received over the years. “A lot of people helped me on my swims and without this information, I would have made a lot of mistakes.” Conny says that due to the time, personal, and financial commitment involved in marathon swimming, “it’s crucial to have as much information as possible besides being physically optimal prepared.”
Odyssey Open Water Swimming now offers Marathon Swim Training. Learn more here!