Jamie Tout Is Taking DEFCON Training To A Whole New Level
DEFCON is an acronym for defense readiness condition or a start of alert used by the United States Armed Forces. The DEFCON system prescribes five graduated levels of readiness for the U.S. military.
World-record holder and 68-year-old author Jamie Tout of Austin, Texas uses a similar system to prepare for his events.* His hardcore-to-the-bone DEFCON training approach is defined below:
He explains, “My DEFCON training regimen is a minimum of 12 weeks long with the goal being 5 months. DEFCON 5 is 5 weeks. I think this training regimen is good for someone how has not swum a marathon swim in awhile or who has never swum a marathon. I you have a few marathon swims under your belt, you can get by with a couple of months of 35,000 to 40,000 yards a week. Although 5 months is the goal in DEFCON 5, I would say you made it if you complete 12 weeks at 50,000 yards plus the 8-mile swims.“
But Tout hit a major bump in his aquatic journey.
He explains, “I just started back swimming after seven months off with the exception of the ʻAu I Nā Mokupuni ʻEkolu Swim Challenge we did in last August. My hip operation on December 15th was more of a problem than I thought it would be. But I’m attempting a 34.2 km crossing of Lake Tahoe – the long way – with Reptile Tom (Linthicum) on August 25. It’s going to be tough, but as Mark Spratt put it, ‘I going to have to take my training awfully seriously to go for 0 to Tahoe in 5 months. Gotta get serious about training.
That is my theme for this year: ‘0 to Tahoe in 5′ or ’02Tn5’.
I’m starting off in DEFCON 1 so we will see if my DEFCON training regimen works for me as well in 2022 as it did in 2015 when we swam across the Catalina Channel and around Manhattan Island a few days apart.”
If successful across Lake Tahoe, the 69-year-old to be would break the oldest successful crossing of the-then 66-year-old Pat Gallant-Charette.
He recalls, “One of my doctors told me that there was nothing but a thin red line that separated me from death. My diagnosis of congestive heart failure on July 21st 2011 took everything away from me. I had been symptomatic for years, but the diagnosis was something different. It devastated me. I couldn’t lift anymore and running or riding was out of the question.
I may be biting off more than I can chew, but I am happy to be back in the water.
Tahoe is going to be very difficult for me – just like Hawaii was. It seems that everything I do at my age is the toughest thing I’ve done.”
DEFCON 1
First month of training: 4 weeks of 10,000 yards a week including a 4-mile swim with no days off.
“The training is very easy with an emphasis on the 4-mile swim. This is the time you make financial and work/family commitments to do the swim. This, in the long run, is the most important part of the training. If you start off making some wrong decisions, they will only multiply later on in your training. If you train with a masters group stop training with them prior to starting DEFCON 1. “
DEFCON 2
Second month of training: 4 weeks of 20,000 yards a week including a 5-mile swim with no days off and the emphasis still on the 5-mile swim.
DEFCON 3
Third month of training: 4 weeks of 30,000 yards a week including a 6-mile swim with no days off, but the emphasis shifts to the weekly yardage.
DEFCON 4
Fourth month of training: 4 weeks of 40,000 yards a week including a 7-mile swim with no days off with the emphasis continuing on the yardage.
DEFCON 5
Fifth month of training: 12 weeks of 50,000 yards a week with eight 8-mile swims, nine 9-mile swims, one 5-hour swim, one 6-hour swim, and one 7-hour swim.
“If you come along too fast, you will fall apart at six weeks into DEFCON 5. On the other hand, if you get through the 12 weeks of DEFCON 5, you are ready.
The last time I was able to complete DEFCON 5 was in 2015 when I swam across the Catalina Channel at age 62 11 hours 18 minutes, flew across the U.S., and four days later, swam my fastest Manhattan Island Marathon Swim of the ten circumnavigation swims I have done in 7 hours 31 minutes [see below].
Free tip: try to negative split the 9-mile swims. Do the first 3 miles in 29 minutes, then the second 3 miles in 28 minutes, and the third three miles in 27 minutes (each).”
When I can’t manage my DEFCON training program, I turn to a 14-week program that I got from The King of the Manhattan Island Swim Kris Rutford. I call it Kris’ Program.
Weeks #1-4: 3 weeks of 35,000 yards
Weeks #5-8: 4 weeks of 40,000 yards
Weeks #9-12: 4 weeks of 50,000 yards
Week #13: 36,000 yards
Week #14: 20,000 yards
including: 2 x 4-hour swims, 1 x 5-hour swim, and 1 x 6-hour swim
Jamie Tout‘s Oldest to Swim Records
- Triple Crown of Stage Swims completed on August 29th 2021 at 68 years 3 months 5 days
- ‘Au I Na Mokupuni ‘Ekolu Maui Nui Swim on August 29th 2021 at 68 years 3 months 5 days
- Kalohi Channel crossing on August 27th 2021 at 68 years 3 months 3 days
- Pailolo Channel crossing on August 29th 2021 at 68 years 3 months 5 days
- SCAR Swim Challenge on May 1st 2021 at 67 years 11 months 9 days
- SCAR Swim Challenge – Saguaro Lake crossing on April 28th 2021 at 67 years 11 months 6 days
- SCAR Swim Challenge – Canyon Lake crossing on April 29th 2021 at 67 years 11 months 7 days
- SCAR Swim Challenge – Apache Lake crossing on April 30th 2021 at 67 years 11 months 8 days
- SCAR Swim Challenge – Roosevelt Lake crossing on May 1st 2021 at 67 years 11 months 9 days
- 8 Bridges River Swim on June 22nd 2017 at 64 years 29 days
- 8 Bridges River Swim – Stage 1 (29.4 km The Islands) on June 15th 2017 at 64 years 22 days
- 8 Bridges River Swim – Stage 2 (31.8 km The Lighthouses) on June 16th 2017 at 64 years 23 days
- 8 Bridges River Swim – Stage 5 (31.8 km The Beast) on June 20th 2017 at 64 years 27 days
- 8 Bridges River Swim – Stage 7 (29.1 km) on June 22nd 2017 at 64 years 29 days
- END WET Red River Swim on June 15th 2019 at 66 years 22 days
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