Swim Serpentine, the 3km swim in London’s Serpentine Lake, is on many runners’ lists for a reason…the London Classics.
London classics include the London Marathon, the Ride 100 (a 100-mile loop cycle ride from London) and the Serpentine Swim. And like many others, I just need to finish the swim to win that elusive “Classics” medal.
I actually signed up to swim for the last two years, but one year was canceled due to the Queen’s funeral, and last year the algae levels were close to dangerous levels so refunds were offered (this was two weeks before Bertie was born and I was probably undertrained, so I opted out).
For me, swimming three kilometers is FAR. It’s pretty scary so far. My plan is to swim next year with my friend Tam and give myself plenty of time to train!
For those training for Swim Serpentine this summer, or other long distance swims including Ironman, Henley Swim or Swim/Run events, I hope this guide is helpful to your training…
I spoke with Lara Giusti, co-founder and head chef of Veloforte, about fueling for swimming on this week’s episode of the Cook Eat Run podcast. You can listen to the episode here – and don’t forget that new buyers can save 10% on Xmiles with the code THERUNNERBEANS and for podcast listeners/regular customers, this August you can save 10% on Veloforte with the code COOKEATRUN.
How does fueling in swimming differ from running and cycling?
So the joy of running and cycling is that you have all these wonderful pockets to store your energy products, whether it’s in your running belt, your hydration pack, your running shorts (my current favorites with double pockets) in your bike bag, so if you If you run and cycle long enough for you to fuel, then easily, you put the fuel of your choice in your pockets. With swimming it’s a lot harder – everything you’re going to refuel with needs to be in a waterproof bag, needs to be easy to slip into your wetsuit or swimsuit, very quick to access, easy to open and put. liquid format.
What we find is that a lot of people who swim tend to focus on pre and post fueling.
Typically, very long swims have fuel stations or are supported, so it’s for the 90 minute swims that you may want to take some mid-swim fuel, like a gel. For swims below, if you refuel just before and after the swim, you should be just fine.
Why am I so thirsty when I swim?
There is a misconception because we are in the water, we do not sweat. You are absolutely sweating! And especially if you’re working out in a heated pool, you’ll sweat, you’ll lose vital electrolytes, and you won’t necessarily be as aware of it. It is therefore very important to stay on top of your electrolyte load.
Loading up on electrolytes before swimming, either alone or with carbohydrates, can help with hydration. Plus, you can keep a bottle on the pool deck and take a sip between sets. If you are swimming in open water, you may want to consider taking a gel containing electrolytes (all Veloforte gels contain electrolytes) or returning to a dock with a bottle if possible!
Additionally, having a hydrating blend as part of your recovery can help prevent any dehydration after swimming.
For those running ultra distances you should have support boats etc that can carry your hydration and fuel. It’s about planning and training your instincts so you know exactly what you need.
Should you train while swimming?
Training your gut while running is something I really advocate and it makes sense that the same is true for swimming – and in fact, just practice refueling while swimming!
If you’re considering taking some sort of gel midway or halfway through your swim, I suggest practicing during your longer swim workout, even if you’re in the pool.
You don’t want any surprises on the day of the event. It’s difficult to coordinate, to tread water, to open a gel, to take it. What do you do with the package? So putting it back in your swimsuit or wetsuit you have to practice and you have to know how it feels when you can’t touch the bottom and when you are slightly out of breath. So definitely practice it in your training. Even if you’re doing a shorter training swim, still practice tanking.
And where you’re going to put it – whether it’s in the sleeve of your wetsuit, pinned over your swimsuit, or tucked into your neck if you’re wearing a sleeveless wetsuit.
Should you carb load for swimming serpentine?
Even if it feels like it, 2 miles doesn’t equal a marathon swim. So while you want to ensure your glycogen stores are replenished by increasing your carb intake in the days leading up to your event, you don’t need to carb-load like you do for a marathon!
In the three days leading up to your race, you want to increase the amount of carbohydrates in your meals and snacks – add an extra spoon of pasta, another slice of toast or a scoop of granola, add an extra granola bar or bowl of fruit as finally a snack. Your body can only store enough carbohydrates for 60 to 90 minutes of exercise, so if you plan to be close to or above that, we want to make sure your carbohydrate stores (glycogen stores) are fully replenished before the event. Then, eat a carb-focused meal the day before and in the morning, along with a carb-focused snack about an hour before (depending on the timing of your event).
What to eat before swimming
Focus on carbs with a small amount of protein and healthy fats. It should be something you’ve eaten before and know your stomach can tolerate. No surprises on the day of the event!
So if you like oats, have some, but add some peanut butter or Greek yogurt and some fruit like a banana or berries, plus a little honey for more carbs. If you prefer eggs, eat eggs on toast or a bagel and a banana. Do this 2 to 3 hours before your race. Or if you’re swimming later in the day, have a sandwich or a bowl of pasta – but make sure you’ve practiced this in training!
About an hour before your swim, have a carbohydrate-rich snack, such as an energy bar or sugary drink, as well as an electrolyte drink. If you like caffeine, make sure to take it about 30-45 minutes before you start so it can reach peak performance while swimming! It takes 45 to 60 minutes for the caffeine to enter your system and work for about 3 hours.
20 minutes before you can have half a gel, a high carb drink or half a banana if you can handle it.
Choose foods that fit well in your stomach, that you have practiced in training and that you have time to digest!
Should I refuel while swimming?
If you ate a good amount of carbs before your event and you swim for 60-90 minutes, you shouldn’t need to consume carbs on the go. However, if you think it will take you longer or you feel better when your carbs are supplemented (I mean, who doesn’t?), then you may want to take a gel for about an hour or so. the 45 minutes.
The average finish time for the 2-mile Swim Serpentine race appears to be around 1 hour 20 minutes, although finishers typically take 40 minutes to 2 hours to complete the distance.
How to successfully recover after swimming
After your event, the most important thing is that you really take care of your recovery. If you failed to gain energy during those 80 minutes of swimming, your glycogen levels have gone through the roof, you have a huge glycogen debt. So you need to focus on recovery nutrition first on carbs and protein, ideally within that 30 minute “golden” window. Plus fluids/electrolytes.
As soon as you’re out of the water, warm up, eat something that’s concentrated in carbs and protein, and restore your electrolytes either with an electrolyte drink or by having electrolytes in your protein recovery shake. Next thing you know, you’ve checked that box, you’ve started your recovery, and then you have 2-3 hours to eat a well-balanced meal.
Do you have any final advice for people starting a swimming challenge or those new to swimming?
Try the different types of fuels offered (see my review of the best energy gels). Find one that you like, that you want to stock up on, because at that point you’re fighting a wave or even, like in the serpentine, where there’s a lot of swimmers around you, and it’s also a whole new experience. Normally your swim training will take place only in a lane or with very few swimmers, in a lake or elsewhere, but with this volume of swimmers, the splashes happening around you, the turbulence in the water, choose something thing that you you’re going to, you’re not going to, you’re not going to get ready to fill up, you’re going to enjoy the taste of and you, and you’re looking forward to, you know, integrating well into your digestion as well. So it’s all a question of practice!
Don’t forget to listen and subscribe to the Cook Eat Run podcast – and use code COOKEATRUN to save 10% on all Veloforte products at Xmiles.com.