Week 8: Taper and Your 1.5km Time Trial
Eight weeks ago this intermediate swim workout started at 1,000m a session. This week you swim 1,500m in one unbroken effort and put a number on it. Two easy sharpening swims first, then the test, all in Salty Johnson recycled ocean plastic swimwear that has done every metre with you.
Week 8 at a glance: 2 taper sessions plus 1 time trial · 25m pool · volume down, rest up · the 1.5km is the whole point.
Session 1: Sprint (1,000m, ~40 min)
Introduction: Race pace rehearsal on generous rest, sharp without any cost.
- Warm-up: 300m freestyle.
- Main Set: 6x50m at goal time trial pace, 45s rest; 4x25m fast, 40s rest.
- Cool-down: 300m easy.
Technique: Lock in the exact stroke rate you want to hold on Sunday, and feel it.
Tips: If the goal pace 50s feel hard this week, your goal pace is too ambitious. Adjust now, not at 800m.
Motivation: Sharpening, not training, the work is already done!
Session 2: Mixed Strokes/IM (900m, ~35 min)
Introduction: A loosener across all four strokes at easy effort.
- Warm-up: 300m (100m freestyle/100m backstroke/100m breaststroke).
- Main Set: 2x200m IM easy, 45s rest.
- Cool-down: 200m easy.
Technique: Smooth and long, no racing, no clock watching.
Tips: Leave one or two full rest days between this and the time trial.
Motivation: Feeling fresh is the goal this week, not feeling worked!
Session 3: Endurance (1,500m nonstop time trial, ~55 min)
Introduction: 1,500m continuous freestyle, the classic distance, timed.
- Warm-up: 300m easy freestyle with 4x25m build.
- Main Set: 1,500m continuous freestyle. Time it and record your 500m splits.
- Cool-down: 200m very easy.
Technique: Even or slightly descending splits. The first 500m should feel too easy.
Tips: Count in blocks of 100m and let the walls take care of themselves.
Motivation: 1,500m timed and unbroken, that is an ocean swim entry waiting to happen!
What to do after week 8
Take three easy days. Then either repeat the block chasing a faster 1.5km, step up to the advanced 8 week program, or take that 1.5km fitness into salt water. Our free Salty Sundays community run, swim and coffee in Bondi is the easiest place to make the pool to ocean jump with people around you.
Salty Johnson Spotlight: Roughly 32km across eight weeks, and the swimwear should still fit like week 1. Ours does, women's one-pieces and men's briefs in recycled ocean plastic with UPF 50+. Shop www.saltyjohnson.com.au/collections/sustainable-womens-one-piece-swimsuits for her or www.saltyjohnson.com.au/collections/sustainable-mens-swim-briefs for him.
Thirty two kilometres later and our suits still have not sagged, which is a better eight week result than most!
Intermediate swim workout questions, answered
What is a good 1500m swim time?
For an intermediate swimmer, 25 to 33 minutes is a solid range, roughly 1:40 to 2:10 per 100m. Under 25 minutes is genuinely quick for a non-competitive swimmer.
How long should a swim taper be?
For an eight week block, five to seven days is plenty. Cut volume by around 40 percent, keep a small amount of race pace work, and add rest days. Longer tapers suit longer training blocks.
Does a 1.5km pool time predict my ocean swim time?
Add roughly 10 to 20 percent. A 28 minute pool 1.5km usually becomes 31 to 34 minutes in the ocean, depending on chop, current and how well you sight.
Should I move to the advanced program next?
Only if week 7 at 1,500m per session felt controlled rather than survivable. The advanced block starts at 2,500m and finishes at 3,500m, which is a significant jump in weekly hours.
Keep the series going
- Previous: Intermediate Week 7, Peak Volume (1,500m)
- Start again: Intermediate Week 1 (1,000m)
- Level up: Advanced Week 1 (2,500m)
- All free plans: Salty Johnson swim workouts and Salty Sundays in Bondi