Ruby5 Lake Wanaka Swim Training Session 47

Swimming, January 16, 2026

Week 12 marks the final taper week of the Ruby5 Swim Success Formula. The hard work is done — now the focus shifts to arriving at race day feeling fresh, confident, and ready to swim at your best. This week deliberately reduces overall load while maintaining key movement patterns, rhythm, and feel for the water. The sessions are designed to keep your technique sharp, reinforce pacing awareness, and allow fatigue to fully dissipate, so you stand on the start line recovered, relaxed, and mentally prepared for your Ruby5 swim.

Build the endurance, confidence, and open-water skills to conquer your 5 km Ruby Island challenge.

Are you ready to take on the iconic Ruby5 Swim in beautiful Lake Wanaka? 🏊‍♀️🏊‍♂️

Whether it’s your first 5 km open-water swim or you’re looking to improve your performance from previous years, the Ruby5 Lake Wanaka Swim Training Plan is designed to get you to the start line feeling confident, prepared, and ready to enjoy every stroke. 🌊

For swimmers who are after a workout greater than 3,000m. This series of workouts, the sessions are all targeting athletes looking to swim the Ruby5 swim in Lake Wanaka.

Read this article here for an explanation of Swim Intensity.

https://youtu.be/cSBHNhC14hE

Session 47

  • 300 WU;
  • 6x 50 Drill 15RI;
  • 8x 100 20RI;
  • 6x 50 30RI;
  • 400 CD (2,100)

Start the workout with a Warm Up (WU) covering of 300m. During the warm-up feel free to stop and stretch as needed.  It doesn’t need to be a continuous swim.

For the next set complete six, 50m drill reps. Feel free to use fins whilst doing this set.  Do the following drills once through:

  1. Kick On Side (KOS) left side 
  2. Kick On Side (KOS) right side 
  3. 6/1/6 
  4. 6/3/6
  5. Popov
  6. Broken Arrow

The main set is made up of eight, 100m reps. Take a twenty-second Rest Interval (RI) after each rep.

The second main set is made up of six, 50m reps with a 30-second Rest Interval (RI) after each rep.

Complete the workout with a 400m Cool Down (CD). Unlike the previous sets which have to be freestyle, the Cool Down (CD) (like the Warm Up (WU)) can be any stroke you wish to swim.  You can also stop and rest after any length.  I encourage you to stop and stretch during the cool-down.

 

If you would like further advice feel free to contact me.

I am the Head Coach & Director of Qwik Kiwi Coaching.

I specialise in assisting first-timers and recreational athletes to achieve their sporting goals. I can be contacted at coachray@coachray.nz and 021 348 729.

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