Low Tide Boyz, a Swimrun Podcast

Welcome to this bonus episode of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swiun Podcast!Ödyssey Swimrun Casco Bay is coming up in a few weeks and we wanted to share an addendum to our 2021 Casco Bay Course Preview episode. As some of you may know, the Casco Bay course changes every year or so and we wanted to make sure that everyone had the latest and greatest intel going into this year’s edition. In this addendum, we are joined by frequent guest of the show John Stevens to walk us through the new long course that he designed.If this is your first time racing Casco Bay we recommend that you check out our Course Preview episode for all the details about Portland Maine and the mechanics of the race. You can also check out our 2021 Casco Bay Race Report to get some more intel about the race.2022 Short CourseIf you’re racing the short course this year, check out our recent Couch to Casco episode (with John Stevens) where we discuss everything you need to know about short course with some training and gear tips thrown in.2022 Long Course Leg-by-Leg BreakdownThe Long course clocks in at 23-ish miles total with 18 miles of running and about 5 miles of swimming over 13 run sections and 12 swim sections.We asked John Stevens to give us a leg-by-leg breakdown of the course and he did not disappoint. Our chat with John had a lot of great insight from the guy that designed the course to help everyone be as prepared as possible for the race. We recommend listening to his breakdown with the race map and the leg-by-leg breakdown from the show notes handy so you can orient yourself with the course while listening.(2022 North to South Route)Run 1: Chebeague Island (1 mile)Swim 1: Chebeague (460 yds)Run 2: Chebeague Island (3 miles)Swim 2: Chebeague to Little Chebeague (685 yds)Run 3: Little Chebeague (.5 miles)Swim 3: Little Chebeague to Long Island (685 yds)Run 4: Long Island (1.65 miles)Swim 4: Long Island (930 yds)Run 5: Long Island Sandbar (81 feet)Swim 5: Long Island to Vaill Island (380 yds)Run 6: Vaill Island (.55 miles)Swim 6: Vaill to Long Island (530 yds)Run 7: Long Island (1 mile)Swim 7: Long to Cow Island (1375 yds) * Longest swim of the dayRun 8: Cow Island (.6 miles)Swim 8: Cow to Great Diamond (300 yds)Run 9: Great Diamond Island (1.65 miles)Swim 9: Great Diamond to Peaks Island (775 yds)Run 10: Peaks Island (3.1 miles) * Longest run of the daySwim 10: Peaks to Cushing (975 yds)Run 11: Cushing Island (3 miles)Swim 11: Cushing to House (800 yds)Run 12: House Island (.75 miles)Swim 12: House to Peaks (725 yds)Run 13: Peaks Island finish (350 feet)SummaryThe 2022 edition of Casco Bay is going to be challenging and fun. We hope that this addendum helps you prepare for the race. If you were on the fence about signing up and this episode nudged you in the right direction, use the code LOWTIDEBOYZ to save 15% off of your registration for Casco Bay and all of Ödyssey’s 2022 events.That’s it for this bonus episode. If you are enjoying the Löw Tide Böyz, be sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast player and leave us a five-star review. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast, and on YouTube. You can also follow our meme page on Instagram. Email us at lowtideboyz@gmail.com with any feedback and/or suggestions. Finally, you can support our efforts on Patreon…if you feel so inclined.Thanks for listening and see you out there!-  Chip and Chris

14 Jun 202220min

Welcome to episode 127 of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swiun Podcast!This week we have another installment in our Swimrun 101 series. In this edition, we are opening up the LTBz mailbag and answering the most recurring questions that we get in our emails and DMs. Enjoy!The LTBz MailbagAre wetsuits required at every Swimrun?Yup. As far as we know, every Swimrun requires a wetsuit. Swimskins won’t cut it. Our best thinking on this is for safety reasons including maintaining your core body temperature and added buoyancy. You can learn more about Swimrun wetsuits on our Gear Talk episode “Wetsuit Suit Out.”You can also check out the gear guide on our website for all things Swimrun gear.What paddles should I use?If you’ve seen any Swimrun race content you’ll notice that almost everyone is using swim paddles as part of their race kit. Using paddles helps compensate for the drag created by swimming with shoes on. They also make you faster. Our recommendation in choosing swim paddles are to make sure that you get the right size for you. Check out our Gear Talk episode all about swim paddles to learn more…from people smarter than us.Our favorite paddles are made by Frank Paddle. They are carbon fiber paddles that are super stiff and move a ton of water. You can check out our full review about these swim paddles on Gear Talk.What is the consensus on wearing underwear under your wetsuit?Like with anything Swimrun, you need to test it in practice to see what will work for you. That being said…Chris has converted a bunch of people to not wear underwear under wetsuits. Ladies typically wear a sports bra on top and/or pair it with a kangaroo top for extra storage. Check out our Gear Talk episode all about Swimrun undergarments.Should you use a pull buoy? And if so, what size? YES!!! The Swimrun pull buoy is an essential piece of kit that provides a ton of flotation to keep positioned properly in the water while counteracting the drag created by swimming with shoes on. The general rule of thumb that we follow when we advise people about what pull buoy size to get it to go with the largest that you can handle to get the most buoyancy possible. Check out our review of the pull buoy that we use: The Ark Sport Keel+.What shoes should I wear for swimrun?This is one of the most common questions that we get. While Swimrun-specific shoes do exist and are great, we recommend that you start by looking in your current stable of shoes for trail shoes that might work for Swimrun. Any shoe that has good lugs on the bottom and drains water well are good choices. Like with anything Swimrun, testing in practice is key. Check out our deep dive into all things Swimrun shoes on Gear Talk.Addressing the myth of blistered feet from running in wet shoes.So the myth usually goes something like this: you get blisters from running with wet socks. This has not been our experience. If you use thin, synthetic fiber socks, you are unlikely to get blisters if your shoes fit properly. Ill-fitting shoes are more likely to cause blisters than Swimrunning. We address Swimrun socks on our Undergarments episode and on our Swimrun Gear Guide.What to do if you can’t swim without earplugs?For some folks, swimming without earplugs can lead to headaches, disorientation, and experience less fun in open water. Wearing ear plugs solves these problems but in Swimrun this solution is problematic because of the need to communicate with your partner during the race. We highly recommend Surf Ears which block water out but allow sounds to go in. They also have a lanyard and mini arms to keep the ear plugs in place.How do I find a partner? The age old question. We’ve answered this question in a couple of previous Swimrun 101 shows all the way back on Episode 4 and again on Episode 111. If you don’t want to listen to those shows, our recommendations for finding a partner are basically to look to folks in your training group or pool and see if anyone is up for the adventure and make sure that whomever you partner with has similar goals.Where can someone find/borrow used Swimrun gear?We love getting this question because we want everyone to be able to find Swimrun gear so that they can get out there and try the sport. In that spirit, we created the Swimrun Swap Meet on FB so folks could sell/buy/trade Swimrun gear.That’s it for this week’s show. If you are enjoying the Löw Tide Böyz, be sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast player and leave us a five-star review. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast, and on YouTube. You can also follow our meme page on Instagram. Email us at lowtideboyz@gmail.com with any feedback and/or suggestions. Finally, you can support our efforts on Patreon…if you feel so inclined.Thanks for listening and see you out there!-  Chip and Chris

9 Jun 202232min

Welcome to episode 126 of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swiun Podcast!This is the third edition of our “Countdown to ÖTILLÖ” show where we discuss our journey to the start line of the 2022 ÖTILLÖ, The Swimrun World Championship. Joining us on this episode is the Swimrun coach who’s legend keeps on growing, Nicolas Remires from Envol Swimrun.A big thank you to our supporters Ödyssey Swimrun, Frank Paddle, and Precision Fuel and Hydration for helping make this show possible. Make sure to use the code “LOWTIDE22” to save 15% off of your first order from Precision Fuel and Hydration. Use the code “LOWTIDEBOYZ” that is good for 15% off of your registration for any and all of Odyssey Swimrun’s 2022 events. Finally, Frank Paddle has some new paddles launching on June 15th so make sure that you mark your calendars if you want the new hotness.How’s the Body? How’s the Mind?We are both still feeling super motivated for the race and our training efforts definitely reflect that. While we have been dealing with a variety of challenges outside of Swimrun, we are working on staying mindful and present and so far so good on that front.Up next for us is Ödyssey Swimrun Casco Bay in mid-July. This race will be our last “tune-up” for ÖTILLÖ and we are really looking forward to being at the start line for the newest edition of this super cool event.Nicolas RemiresNicolas has a wealth of knowledge about the ÖTILLÖ course and we were lucky to be able to pick his brain for an hour about what training should look like for the big day. In this conversation we covered his experiences at the World Championship, what training should be looking like three months out, gear considerations, where to sample the terrain style of the course, and so much more. This interview is definitely a “get your note pads out” situation. Enjoy! That’s it for this week’s show. If you are enjoying the Löw Tide Böyz, be sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast player and leave us a five-star review. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast, and on YouTube. You can also follow our meme page on Instagram. Email us at lowtideboyz@gmail.com with any feedback and/or suggestions. Finally, you can support our efforts on Patreon…if you feel so inclined.Thanks for listening and see you out there!-  Chip and Chris

2 Jun 20221h 11min

Welcome to episode 125 of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swimrun Podcast!We are stoked to have Gilles LaFleuriel, founder of TSR Swimrun on the show this week. Gilles does an amazing job calculating The Salamander Rankings and creates a lot of super-niche Swimrun content. As purveyors of super-niche Swimrun content ourselves, Gilles is a kindred spirit and we know that you will enjoy our conversation with him.But first... Training UpdateÖdyssey Swimrun Casco Bay is 7 weeks away and we have been putting in the work in the pool, on the track, and on the trails. We’ll be getting in some Swimrun practices in the next few weeks but until then we are working on speed on land and sea/pool. Shoutout/Feats of Endurance ComboWe have a very special shoutout/feats of endurance award for our friend Sarah Fergot. A few weekends ago she tackled the Miwok 100, a brutal 100km trail run with almost 12,000’ of elevation gain in the Marin Headlands (A.K.A. our local stomping grounds) and finished the race with just a few minutes to spare before the finishing time cutoff. This race is notorious for its tight time cutoffs and Sarah showed her mettle to get it done under the wire. Major, major kudos Sarah!Make sure to sign up for our LTBz Strava Club and join Swimrunners from around the world as they train for stuff.This Week in SwimrunWelcome to the LTBz news desk. Swimrun season officially kicked off in Sweden with ÖTILLÖ Swimrun Utö taking place over the weekend. The conditions were classic with chilly air temperature and just as frosty water temps. The new Sprint and World Distance courses looked hard/fun and the podiums were staked with friends and former guests of the show. Congrats to everyone that raced!Over in the UK, Mad Hatter Sports hosted the Hokey Cokey Swimrun. Fun was had by all by the looks of the photos and congrats to all our friends and listeners that raced their first Swimrun at that event. Special bonus shoutouts to Emily from Precision Fuel and Hydration and Tim Wood on racing your first Swimruns! If you want to learn more about Mad Hatter Sports make sure to check out our recent interview with Race Director John Yelland.That is it for this week. Feel free to reach out and let us know if there’s anything that you’d like for us to mention on the show.UpdatesLooking for some casual gear to show your Low Tide Pride? Make sure to head over to our online store for hats, shirts, hoodies, and other stuff. As our friend and co-founder of Ark Sports, Christofer Sundberg, recently posted about our swag, this is “the Gourmet Shit of Swimrun apparel.”Gilles LaFleuriel, TSR SwimrunIt was great to finally connect with Gilles. We’ve been following TSR Swimrun since we launched our Meme account (and podcast) and it is definitely a “game recognize game” situation. He is doing his part to help grow the sport that we love and it was great to hear from him about how he found Swimrun and what led him to start his labor of love, TSR Swimrun. We covered a lot of ground in this interview and think that you will enjoy it as much as we did.That’s it for this week’s show. If you are enjoying the Löw Tide Böyz, be sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast player and leave us a five-star review. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast, and on YouTube. You can also follow our meme page on Instagram. Email us at lowtideboyz@gmail.com with any feedback and/or suggestions. Finally, you can support our efforts on Patreon…if you feel so inclined.Thanks for listening and see you out there!-  Chip and Chris

26 Mai 20221h 10min

Welcome to episode 124 of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swimrun Podcast!We’ve got something new for everyone this week. Ödyssey Swimrun Casco Bay is roughly eight weeks away and we thought it would be cool to do a show where we give everyone that’s on the fence about trying Swimrun (or help anyone that trying to convince their friends to try Swimrun) a road map for prepping for this year’s Casco Bay short course. So welcome to “Couch to Casco.”Joining us for this episode is literally the best person that we could ask to have this discussion with…none other than Purple Patch Coach/Ödyssey Swimrun Race Director and Casco Bay course designer/elite Swimrunner John Stevens. John’s been on the show multiple times and we pretty much bug him anytime we need some sage wisdom.We are breaking up this discussion into three sections that will help any and all Swimrun-curious athletes to get a good understanding of what Casco Bay is all about. We discuss the Casco Bay short course, how to train for the race, and what gear you’ll want to have.Casco Bay Short CourseThe Casco Bay Short Course is a great route for both beginners and experienced athletes. It is similar to some of the original Swimrun courses in Europe and it is a lot of fun! John designed the course and shared with us a course overview.10.5 Mile Short Course Leg By Leg Breakdown:Run 1: Little Diamond Island (.6 miles)Swim 1: Little Diamond to Great Diamond (285 yds)Run 2: Great Diamond Island (.45 miles)Swim 2: Great Diamond to Peaks Island (775 yds)Run 3: Peaks Island (3.1 miles)Swim 3: Peaks to Cushing (975 yds)Run 4: Cushing Island (3 miles)Swim 4: Cushing to House (800 yds)Run 5: House Island (.75 miles)Swim 5: House to Peaks (725 yds)Run 6: Peaks Island finish (350 feet)Training for Casco BayWith the race eight weeks away at the time that this episode is released, athletes have plenty of time to get ready for a great Swimrun adventure. If you’re a triathlete in training then you are already in good enough shape to take on the short course. If you’re just getting started with training and have some swimming under your belt then you have plenty of time to get ready. While the overall distance may seem daunting, in our experience all the different legs alternating between swimming and running during a Swimrun make it easier on the body and it’s not like running for 10.5 miles or swimming that distance for that matter.Gear ConsiderationsWhile there is some specific gear for Swimrun, in general you can use any trail shoes that you already own and can take a used wetsuit and cut the legs above the knees and the arms above the elbow. The typical Swimrun kit consists of shoes, swim paddles, pull buoy, wetsuit, goggles, and a tether if you’re racing with a partner.We have a lot of resources to help folks get the gear that they need to have a good experience. Check out the resources tab on our website and some of our previous Gear Talk episodes that cover a lot of the gear in detail. Finally, check out our Swimrun Swap Meet on facebook for used gear for sale or trade from fellow Swimrunners.Final ThoughtsWe are firm believers that the best way to get hooked on Swimrun is to get out there and experience one. Casco Bay is one of the original Swimrun events in the U.S. and one of our favorites. Whether you’re in hardcore triathlon training mode or more a casual endurance athlete, participating in a Swimrun is a great way to use your training and try something different or challenge yourself in a safe and supportive environment.If we accomplished our goal and you’re ready to sign up for Casco Bay, use the code “LOWTIDEBOYZ” that is good for 15% off of your registration. Feel free to reach out to us if you have any other questions about Casco Bay or Swimrun in general.That’s it for this week’s show. If you are enjoying the Löw Tide Böyz, be sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast player and leave us a five-star review. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast, and on YouTube. You can also follow our meme page on Instagram. Email us at lowtideboyz@gmail.com with any feedback and/or suggestions. Finally, you can support our efforts on Patreon…if you feel so inclined.Thanks for listening and see you out there!-  Chip and Chris

19 Mai 202243min

Welcome to episode 123 of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swimrun Podcast!We have a great show for everyone this week. Joining us in Studio G is John Yelland, one of the founders of Mad Hatter Sports and organizer of the upcoming Hokey Cokey Swimrun taking place on May 21st in Cornwall, UK. This was a great interview filled with lots of laughs, a feel-good origin story, and, of course, Swimrun content.But first... Training UpdateWe are back at it after taking a light break the week after Swimrun Lake James. We are now upping the swim volume, the run volume, and, well, just a lot more volume all around as we barrel towards ÖTILLÖ, The Swimrun World Championship in September. Want to learn more about our ÖTILLÖ build? Check out our Countdown to ÖTILLÖ episodes.Next up for us is Ödyssey Swimrun Casco Bay on July 17th. Based on our calculations, it is 9 weeks away!ShoutoutsWe haven’t given out any shoutouts the last few weeks so here’s an outsized shoutout for our new Patrons on Patreon. Thank you Nick and Hannah M., Jeff H., and Dave D. for supporting our brand of super niche content and helping to fund our random sticker giveaway. (BTW, another giveaway is coming soon!)We also want to give a special shoutout to a fellow Bay Area Swimrunner Jonathan Pascual. He was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 paraganglioma cancer, a rare and aggressive form of cancer and he began chemotherapy and radiation last week. If anyone wants to help him and his family cover some of their upcoming medical expenses, his friends have set up a gofundme page to accept donations. Feats of EnduranceThis week’s winner is Abby Rose. She’s been crushing some major open water swims lately including the 5 Cove’s of Death swim in Aquatic Park (5 loops around the perimeter of historic cold water home of the Dolphin and South End Rowing Clubs…and training ground of the Löw Tide Böyz), then a casual 4-hour, 12,000yd-ish swim, and she even swam in the green waters of Foster City. Strong work out there Abby!Make sure to sign up for our LTBz Strava Club and join Swimrunners from around the world as they train for stuff.This Week in SwimrunWelcome to the LTBz news desk. We got a long one for everyone today so buckle in.Swimrun season is open all over the world and we have a few weeks of races to catch up on!Here in the states, Swimrun Maryland took place on Sunday, May 8 at Greenbrier State Park. We were told that the water was chilly but good times were had by all.In Europe, there were a couple of races this past weekend, including Swimrun Portugal’s Lagoa Swimrun which looked ridiculously epic and the Anjou Swimrun which also looked amazing.But that is not all, in the last few weeks since our last TWIS update, there have been a bunch of awesome Swimruns, including Swimrun Costa Brava and Swimrunman Gorges du Verdon. Both of these events looked world class and so was the podiums that featured a lot of former guests of the show including, Victor Dahl, Alexis Charrier, Hugo Tormento, Desirée Andersson, and Sabina Rapelli. (Sabina was even bitten by a dog during the ultra distance course at Swimrunman and still won the Women’s division and came in 3rd overall!)In the bummer news department, like super bummer news, Breca Swimrun has announced that they are canceling all of their events in the UK and New Zealand for 2022. This news might not come as a total surprise given the messages that have been coming out from them but it’s still a bummer.But all hope is not lost! 3D Events (based in Cambridge, UK)  announced that they have been working behind the scenes and will be putting on the Jersey Swimrun on September 3rd, 2022. A lot of folks might be racing another event in a Scandinavian country around that time but we’re stoked that the Jersey Swimrun will go on!Finally, ÖTILLÖ is just a week away from kicking off their 2022 season with their Swimrun Utö event. Both the Sprint and World Series distances have new courses so it should be a fun adventure for everyone.That is it for this week. Feel free to reach out and let us know if there’s anything that you’d like for us to mention on the show.UpdatesWe have some discounts for everyone!!The awesome folks at Precision Fuel and Hydration have set up the discount code LOWTIDE22 that’s good for 15% off of your first order. Our friends at Ödyssey Swimrun gave us the code “LOWTIDEBOYZ” that is good for 15% off of your registration for any and all of their 2022 events. John Yelland, Mad Hatter SportsIt was great to chat with John. In this conversation we covered a wide range of topics including the origin story for Mad Hatter Sports, how Swimrun came onto their radar, the Swimrun scene in the UK, and a lot more. We seriously need to make a trip to the UK at some point to check out his events!You can learn more about Mad Hatter Sports on their website.That’s it for this week’s show. If you are enjoying the Löw Tide Böyz, be sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast player and leave us a five-star review. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast, and on YouTube. You can also follow our meme page on Instagram. Email us at lowtideboyz@gmail.com with any feedback and/or suggestions. Finally, you can support our efforts on Patreon…if you feel so inclined.Thanks for listening and see you out there!-  Chip and Chris

12 Mai 202252min

Welcome to episode 122 of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swiun Podcast!Welcome to the second edition of our “Countdown to ÖTILLÖ” show where we will be discussing our journey to the start line of the 2022 ÖTILLÖ, The Swimrun World Championship in September. Joining us on this episode are The Swimrun Monks to catch up and talk ÖTILLÖ preparations and Susie Moonan of Push On Coaching to help us prepare mentally for the big day. A big thank you to our supporters Ödyssey Swimrun, Frank Paddle, and Precision Fuel and Hydration for helping make this show possible. Make sure to use the code “LOWTIDE22” to save 15% off of your first order from Precision Fuel and Hydration and code “LOWTIDEBOYZ” that is good for 15% off of your registration for any and all of their 2022 events. How’s the Body? How’s the Mind?We are both still feeling super motivated and encouraged after a strong showing at Swimrun Lake James a few weeks back. Our communication has been really dialed and we are both feeling like our teamwork is getting to the next level.Our next training block is already upon us as we ramp up the volume and intensity on our way to Ödyssey Swimrun Casco Bay in July.The Swimrun MonksIt was great to have Sean and Philip back on the show (for the third time) to chat about their World Championship experiences. Right after we found out that we qualified, Philip reached out to tell us that there were things that we needed to know. We are grateful for their friendship and their advice for us as we barrel towards September.Susie Moonan, Push On CoachingWhat can we say about Susie Moonan? Every time we chat with her we feel like we have gained a better perspective of racing. She joined us to talk about how to think about approaching a race like the World Championship and have a clear vision of our values going into the race and how to deal when those values are tested when things get tough. She is a wellspring of knowledge and we feel super lucky to have her share her insights with us.That’s it for this week’s show. If you are enjoying the Löw Tide Böyz, be sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast player and leave us a five-star review. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast, and on YouTube. You can also follow our meme page on Instagram. Email us at lowtideboyz@gmail.com with any feedback and/or suggestions. Finally, you can support our efforts on Patreon…if you feel so inclined.Thanks for listening and see you out there!-  Chip and Chris

5 Mai 20221h 39min

Welcome to episode 121 of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swimrun Podcast!We’ve got our first race report of 2022 to share with everyone this week! We just got back from Swimrun Lake James in North Carolina and we’re super stoked to share all the details of our latest Swimrun adventure. (Spoiler alert: we had a blast!)It was great to meet so many Swimrunners at the LTBz/Wild Swimrun shakeout and at the pre-race briefing. We tried to remember everyone’s names and we apologize if we missed you in our shoutouts.Swimrun Lake James certainly lived up to the hype and the unexpected warm weather made it for a pretty straight forward race experience. We went into the race with the plan of focusing on nutrition, pacing well, and having fun. We achieved all three! We ended up finishing in 3:38:29 which was good for 4th place men's team and 5th overall behind Bronwen and Greg Dierksen of the Boston Wetsox who won overall, Marcus Barton and Kawika Tarayao, Caleb Batey and Joe Day, and Lee Greene and Jay Seymoure. We were 4ish minutes behind Lee’s team which was a surprise to us.We are super stoked with our race execution/result and the progress that we have made during our first training block. There are a lot of people to thank for all that progress and you know who you are. Up next for us is Ödyssey Swimrun Casco Bay in July. Hope to see you there!That’s it for this week’s show. If you are enjoying the Löw Tide Böyz, be sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast player and leave us a five-star review. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast, and on YouTube. You can also follow our meme page on Instagram. Email us at lowtideboyz@gmail.com with any feedback and/or suggestions. Finally, you can support our efforts on Patreon…if you feel so inclined.Thanks for listening and see you out there!-  Chip and Chris

28 Apr 202252min