Check out these great training plans from Sam. You can follow the Pool or Open Water program depending on where you can swim. Click on the week and you can then read / download / print the relevant week’s sessions pdfs.
Pool Week 1 – Getting back in the water
Pool Week 2 – Backing it up
Pool Week 3 – Starting to feel ok in the water
Pool Week 4 – Recovery week
Pool Week 5 – Upping the level
Pool Week 6 – Three more weeks!
Pool Week 7 – Getting faster
Pool Week 8 – Recovery and taper before the virtual pier to pub
Open Water Week 1 – Getting back in the water
Open Water Week 2 – Backing it up
Open Water Week 3 – Starting to feel ok in the water
Open Water Week 4 – Recovery week
Open Water Week 5 – Upping the level
Open Water Week 6 – Three more weeks!
Open Water Week 7 – Getting faster
Open Water Week 8 – Recovery and taper before the virtual pier to pub
Read on below for important information from Sam on the different types of sessions, how to tailor them, what equipment to use etc.
It feels like only yesterday that we were all enjoying ourselves in the height of summer swimming what was a magnificent 40th edition of the Powercor Lorne Pier to Pub. Since then, 2020 has thrown a spanner in the works for everyone, and subsequently the 2021 Pier to Pub has gone virtual.
It has been a year where some swimmers will have spent their longest period out of the water with local pools closed and many swimmers living too far away from the beach to go for an ocean swim. To support all swimmers getting back in the water, Lorne SLSC courtesy of Sam Sheppard (7 x Pier to Pub winner and Australian Swim Team Dolphin) and Powercor are providing all swimmers with a eight week “get back in the water and enjoy yourself training program” to lead all swimmers into the virtual Pier to Pub. There are two types of programs, one for swimmers who have access to a pool and one for swimmers who have access to a beach, this is the program for the pool. If you are one of the lucky swimmers that have access to both you can combine the two programs for the most benefit.
The eight-week Powercor Lorne Pier to Pub Virtual 2021 Training Program is specifically designed for a swim of 1.2km. It includes three training sessions per week, divided into two four-week training blocks with a recovery week at the end of each block. There are three levels for each training session (beginner to advanced) ranging in distance from 1 to 3 km. The training sessions are mostly all less than 50 minutes in length, unless you are one of those swimmers that stops and talks at the end of the lane, we are all culprits of this.
The training sessions are only a guide and can be adapted or changed depending on how you feel on the day. If you only want to swim twice per week, great! If you want to swim four times per week and add another session that is great too. The goal with each training session and this training program is to get you back in and enjoying the water. The training sessions are very freestyle dominated being specific to the Powercor Lorne Pier to Pub Virtual 2021; however, feel free to add more form strokes into the session to mix it up if you find yourself wanting a bit more variety.
Note that all distances in the Open water program are approximate, if you want to swim further or less that is ok. If you have some perfectly laid out boating buoys for example use them, this training session is only a guide.
As always when swimming in the open water, swim with a training buddy, only swim at locations that you’re familiar with and let someone know where you are going.
The eight week training program can be shortened if you find yourself being one of those swimmers that forget to train for the Pier to Pub each year until two weeks beforehand, we have all done this before. Only swimming one session before the Powercor Lorne Pier to Pub Virtual 2021 will give you an advantage over your friends and family in the swim if they have done no training.
The three training sessions per week are divided into the following categories:
Each session has 3 different options depending on your ability, experience and starting fitness level:
| Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | |
| Avg session distance (km) | 1.2 | 2.1 | 3.0 |
| Avg weekly distance (km) | 3.6 | 6.3 | 9.0 |
| Total program distance (km) | 28.8 | 50.4 | 72.0 |
If you do not have the specific swimming equipment where mentioned in training sessions, try to complete it without equipment or swim where it has fins kick for example.