The 800 freestyle is distance swimming's proving ground: 32 lengths where the aerobic engine does the talking and technique economy compounds - or collapses - with every stroke. The middle 400 is a long negotiation with monotony and discomfort, making mental skills (counting, segmenting, staying present) as decisive as fitness. A well-swum 800 feels metronomic: same stroke count, same split, length after length.
| Level (Time) | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| beginner | 21:00+ | 23:00+ |
| novice | 17:30 | 19:00 |
| intermediate | 14:40 | 16:00 |
| advanced | 12:30 | 13:30 |
| elite | sub 10:50 | sub 11:45 |
Adult times, 25 m pool.
Where does your 800 Free land?
Log it once and the app places you on this table automatically, then tracks the trend.
Settle into your rhythm within the first 100 and defend it - the 800 punishes surges far more than slightly conservative pacing. Segment the race mentally (4x200 or 8x100) and check your stroke count every few lengths. Breathe in a sustainable pattern from the start; oxygen debt accumulated early never gets repaid. Long, patient strokes with a steady two-beat or four-beat kick conserve the legs. Train with 200-400 m repeats at target pace.
Beginner: build volume as 8x100 m with rest, then 4x200, then a continuous 800 at easy effort. Distance comes before speed at this event.
Log every result, see your progress over time, and know exactly where you stand.
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