3 x 800 m Steady Aerobic Set
A 4000 m advanced session with three 800 m swims on short rest, the middle one with a pull buoy and the last one a little faster.
- Duration
- 1 h 25 minestimated
- Distance
- 4,000 m
- Effort
- 102
- Level
- Advanced
- Focus zone
- Endurance
Your values
Targets relative to your threshold values. Enter your values to see absolute numbers.
100% is your threshold pace. Higher values are faster, lower values are slower.
| # | Step | Length | Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Warm-upEndurance Easy freestyle | 600 m | 85-92% CSS pace |
| 2 | Rest | 20 s | |
| 6 ×Repeat these steps | |||
| 3.1 | Warm-upEndurance Freestyle, build each 50 | 50 m | 85-92% CSS pace |
| 3.2 | Rest | 15 s | |
| 4 | IntervalEndurance First 800, freestyle, steady | 800 m | 86-90% CSS pace |
| 5 | Rest | 40 s | |
| 6 | IntervalEndurance Second 800, pull buoy, steady | 800 m | 87-91% CSS pace |
| 7 | Rest | 40 s | |
| 8 | IntervalTempo Third 800, freestyle, a little faster | 800 m | 90-94% CSS pace |
| 9 | Rest | 1 min | |
| 4 ×Repeat these steps | |||
| 10.1 | RecoveryRecovery Easy backstroke | 100 m | 75-85% CSS pace |
| 10.2 | Rest | 15 s | |
| 11 | Cool-downRecovery Easy choice of stroke | 300 m | 75-85% CSS pace |
About this workout
Eight hundreds are long enough to feel like a race distance and short enough to keep the pace honest. This set strings three of them together with 40 seconds rest, so you swim 2400 m at a steady aerobic effort with just two short breaks.
The first 800 is steady freestyle at about 10 to 15 seconds per 100 m slower than your CSS. The second is swum with a pull buoy at a similar effort, which gives the legs a break and lets you concentrate on a long, even stroke. The third is freestyle again and a little faster, about 7 to 10 seconds slower than CSS, so you finish the set with some speed on tired arms. Check your 200 m splits on each one.
The session suits experienced swimmers and long distance triathletes in the base and early build phase. For a shorter version swim 3 x 600.
Tips
- Treat the first 800 as a long run-in to the right pace.
- Keep the stroke count of the pull 800 within one stroke of the swim 800s.
- Take a drink in the rest after the second 800.
Good forPoolOpen waterHalf-distance triathlonFull-distance triathlon
Season phaseBaseBuild