Low Tide Boyz, a Swimrun Podcast9 Jan 2020

Swimrun 101

Swimrun 101

We got some great feedback from listeners that they wanted a primer on Swimrun. So this week we’ve released a special episode to cover all the basics about Swimrun.

What is Swimrun?

A Swimrun is a multiple-stage competition which involves participants running and swimming over a race course or loop-course that involves at least two transitions between the swim and run stages of the race. All equipment used by participants has to be carried all the way to the finish line. (Thanks Wikipedia!)

When was it invented?

The sport was invented in 2002 in Sweden when 4 friends made a bet at a bar about who could get from the Island of Utö to the Island of Sandhamn (more that 75 kilometers away across 26 islands) using just their “4 limbs.” It took them more than 24 hours to complete the distance and the rest is history!

Who is it for?

This sport is really for everyone. Having an endurance background is very helpful but not required. Swim experience is definitely required and comfort in open water is a must. In general though endurance swimmers, trail runners, etc. are well suited for these type of adventures. Similar to how Spartan races or other OCR events are great ways for Crossfitters to use their fitness in different ways, Swimrun offers endurance athletes a way for them to use their training in more of an adventure setting.

The sport is very welcoming and chill while still creating challenging experiences for participants. We definitely encourage folks to find their local races and support the race directors that are trying to grow the sport in the US. You can see a list of events on our website.

How does it work?

The whole point of the sport is to get from A to B as quickly as possible. The sport allows for things like hand paddles, pull buoys and fins to be used on the swim to help get this accomplished. We will discuss equipment for swimrun later in the show notes.

The sport is mostly team based and there are four categories at most events.

Solo: Kind of the anti-team category. More events are offering this option to help grow the sport and encourage participation from people who may not have access to a partner or couldn’t get one in time for an event. (We don’t recommend this, we think that one of the things that makes this sport special is the team aspect of it.)

Men’s, Women’s and Mixed Teams: These are all self-explanatory.

These categories compete on a course that’s either short, long or very long. The courses are either a loop course or point-to-point with alternating legs of running and swimming. Each race will have its unique challenges, whether elevation on the run, “swim-heavy” or “run-heavy” courses, participants can essentially select what suits their strengths or try something outside of their comfort zone.

Race strategy for each event will be different and teams need to make sure that they have planned for such things as pacing, nutrition and water currents. The longer the course, the more race strategy will play a role in having a successful event.

Partner selection is also important. You want to make sure that you and your partner are pretty compatible pace-wise. Since the sport requires that teams be tethered together on the swim, a gross mismatch of swim ability might be problematic.

What equipment is required?

There is definitely gear that is required for the sport. Whatever you bring to a race must be carried at all times by the teams. We will outline the key gear below:

Wetsuit: There are Swimrun specific wetsuits that are designed for running and swimming. There are a bunch of companies in the space that are making these types of wetsuits, and similar to triathlon or open water swimming wetsuits, each brand will have its own take on sizing, cut and neoprene thickness.

Pull Buoy: Our favorite swimrun accessory! Most are DIY’d to make sure that you can carry it while running with most efficiency. You can now buy pull buoys that are already set up for swimrun but we recommend that new athletes to the sport make their own. We see this as a rite of passage in the sport.

Tether: Yes, a tether. As mentioned above, during the swim legs of an event partners are expected to be connected via a 3ish meter tether so that they remain in contact. This takes some getting used to so we recommend practicing in open water with your partner. More on this later. The tether is made of paracord and also be easily DIY’d.

Shoes: Yes, you swim with shoes on. They make swimrun specific shoes but in general you want shoes that have good drainage and some decent tread on the soles since most of the run courses will be on trails.

Paddles: The last piece of a swimrunner’s arsenal in the water are hand paddles. Paddles in conjunction with a pull buoy are the most helpful things to get through the swim legs of an event quickly.

Multisport Watch: This isn’t mandatory but it’s helpful to know distances and the like. We like watches like the Garmin Fenix 5 that have a multi-sport setting specific for swimrun.

Personal Flotation Device: Athletes competing in solo categories are required to use one of these during the swim legs of a race for safety.

Some optional equipment for race include collapsible cups, shin guards, shin flotation sleeves and fins.

There are also some mandatory items that most races require teams to carry throughout a race. These include a tether, compass, whistle, course maps and a first aid compression bandage. Make sure to check your events race rules to make sure that you meet their requirements.

How do you train for it?

Basic endurance training is obviously required but we recommend race-specific training. Swimrun bricks in open water and covering terrain similar to the race course is helpful to being ready for the adventure on race day. For example, if a course is “swim-heavy” then some longer steady state swim sets to match the course.

We also recommend testing out and practicing with your gear to make sure that you can race well with whatever gear you will end up racing with. Swimming with a tether early and often can’t be overstated!

If you are enjoying the Low Tide Boyz, please be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast player. We are on Apple Podcast, Spotify and Google Podcast. You can also follow along on Instagram and Twitter. If you want to drop us a line, email us at lowtideboyz@gmail.com.

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Fueling Masterclass for ÖTILLÖ, The Swimrun World Championship

Welcome to episode 272 of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swimrun Podcast!We’ve got nothing short of a masterpiece/masterclass episode this week. In 2022, Andy Blow joined us on Episode 118 for our Countdown to ÖTILLÖ series to share his thoughts on how to best approach fueling for ÖTILLÖ, The Swimrun World Championship. We decided to re-release this episode since it is still solid gold advice almost three years later. What he shared was nothing short of a continuous knowledge bomb that should be mandatory listening for anyone racing Worlds in September and frankly, anyone racing a Swimrun. Full stop. 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 rating and review since that’s the best way for people to discover the show and the sport of Swimrun. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, and on YouTube. Check out our website for Swimrun resources including gear guides, tips, how-to videos and so much more. Also make sure to check out our meme page @thelowtideboyz on Instagram. If you have any suggestions for the show or questions for us, send us a dm or an email at lowtideboyz@gmail.com. Finally, you can support our efforts on Patreon…if you feel so inclined.Thanks for listening and see you out there!- Chip and Chris

20 Mars 57min

Top 5 Worst Swimrun Advice Nuggets

Welcome to episode 271 of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swimrun Podcast!We’ve got something new for everyone. In this week’s episode we break down the 5 worst pieces of Swimrun advice that we’ve heard and have some fun reframing these into good advice. Don’t commit Swimrun malpractice and make sure that you’re not making these mistakes whether you’re a beginner or grizzled veterans like us. 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 rating and review since that’s the best way for people to discover the show and the sport of Swimrun. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, and on YouTube. Check out our website for Swimrun resources including gear guides, tips, how-to videos and so much more. Also make sure to check out our meme page @thelowtideboyz on Instagram. If you have any suggestions for the show or questions for us, send us a dm or an email at lowtideboyz@gmail.com. Finally, you can support our efforts on Patreon…if you feel so inclined.Thanks for listening and see you out there!- Chip and Chris

13 Mars 22min

Ötillö Catalina Course Preview with Ötillö USA Race Director Lars Finanger

Welcome to episode 270 of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swimrun Podcast!ÖTILLÖ Catalina is just under two months away and, in case it wasn’t already apparent, we’re super stoked for the return of this amazing event. Joining us today to get everyone who may not be on our level of stoke (yet) is our dear friend and race director Lars Finanger. In this conversation we cover course changes, share course previews for all three event distances, and run down memory lane of the 2020 edition. You’ll definitely want your notepads out for this one…and maybe have the course map open to follow along.00:00 Introduction to the Three Races00:44 Deep Dive into Ötillö Catalina01:06 Gratitude and Reflections03:25 What is Swimrun?06:27 Course Changes and Challenges14:46 Experience Race Overview19:57 Sprint Race Insights28:23 World Series Race Breakdown32:49 Starting Strong: The Initial Run and Swim35:26 Navigating the Slippery Swim Exit35:47 Tackling the Deer Trail Run37:41 The Challenging 10K Run40:52 Fueling Strategies for Success43:58 The Iconic Parsons Landing Swim50:21 The Long Swims and Scenic Views54:03 Final Push: The Last Swim and Run55:54 Race Registration and Final Thoughts01:00:04 Outro and Thanks~~~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 rating and review since that’s the best way for people to discover the show and the sport of Swimrun. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, and on YouTube. Check out our website for Swimrun resources including gear guides, tips, how-to videos and so much more. Also make sure to check out our meme page @thelowtideboyz on Instagram. If you have any suggestions for the show or questions for us, send us a dm or an email at lowtideboyz@gmail.com. Finally, you can support our efforts on Patreon…if you feel so inclined.Thanks for listening and see you out there!- Chip and Chris

6 Mars 1h 1min

Team Poppy and Branch

Welcome to episode 269 of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swimrun Podcast!We’re wrapping up Partners Month with an epic “meet up right the before the race” story of Team Poppy and Branch, a.k.a. Hannah Calton and Aaron Palaian. If these names sound familiar it’s because Aaron is a race director and Hannah runs social media for ÖTILLÖ USA. In this conversation we chatted about their first Swimrun experience at the Mackinac Island in 2024, what it’s like to meet up on race morning and take on a Swimrun, what the near future holds for ÖTILLÖ, and so much more. 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 rating and review since that’s the best way for people to discover the show and the sport of Swimrun. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, and on YouTube. Check out our website for Swimrun resources including gear guides, tips, how-to videos and so much more. Also make sure to check out our meme page @thelowtideboyz on Instagram. If you have any suggestions for the show or questions for us, send us a dm or an email at lowtideboyz@gmail.com. Finally, you can support our efforts on Patreon…if you feel so inclined.Thanks for listening and see you out there!- Chip and Chris

27 Feb 57min

Team H2O

Welcome to episode 268 of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swimrun Podcast!Partners month continues with yet another great story of siblings coming together to do cool stuff! Joining us to talk about their Swimrun partnership is Team H20, A.K.A. Halie and Hunter Olsen. In this conversation we talked about what it’s like to race with your sibling, whether it fills their parents with joy, racing ÖTILLÖ before they were “ready,” and so much more. 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 rating and review since that’s the best way for people to discover the show and the sport of Swimrun. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, and on YouTube. Check out our website for Swimrun resources including gear guides, tips, how-to videos and so much more. Also make sure to check out our meme page @thelowtideboyz on Instagram. If you have any suggestions for the show or questions for us, send us a dm or an email at lowtideboyz@gmail.com. Finally, you can support our efforts on Patreon…if you feel so inclined.Thanks for listening and see you out there!- Chip and Chris

20 Feb 43min

Team Twisted Sisters

Welcome to episode 267 of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swimrun Podcast!Partners month continues with a great story about Canada, sisterhood, and Canadian sisterhood! Joining us to talk about their Swimrun journey is Team Twisted Sisters, A.K.A. Karen and Lorraine Natho. This was a great conversation where we discussed what it’s like to race with your sister, what it’s like to have been the first women’s Canadian team to race ÖTILLÖ, The Swimrun World Championship, and so much more. 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 rating and review since that’s the best way for people to discover the show and the sport of Swimrun. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, and on YouTube. Check out our website for Swimrun resources including gear guides, tips, how-to videos and so much more. Also make sure to check out our meme page @thelowtideboyz on Instagram. If you have any suggestions for the show or questions for us, send us a dm or an email at lowtideboyz@gmail.com. Finally, you can support our efforts on Patreon…if you feel so inclined.Thanks for listening and see you out there!- Chip and Chris

13 Feb 58min

Team Sight the Beam!

Welcome to episode 266 of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swimrun Podcast!Welcome to the 4th Annual Partners Month where we highlight one of our favorite features of Swimrun…the team aspect. To kick things off this month we have Team Sight the Beam, a.k.a., Justin Young and James Noonan from Sacramento California. These guys are super stoked on the sport (obviously) and their Swimrun journey is a great one.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 rating and review since that’s the best way for people to discover the show and the sport of Swimrun. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, and on YouTube. Check out our website for Swimrun resources including gear guides, tips, how-to videos and so much more. Also make sure to check out our meme page @thelowtideboyz on Instagram. If you have any suggestions for the show or questions for us, send us a dm or an email at lowtideboyz@gmail.com. Finally, you can support our efforts on Patreon…if you feel so inclined.Thanks for listening and see you out there!- Chip and Chris

6 Feb 46min

ÖTILLÖ Catalina Training Guide w/Nicolas Remires

Welcome to episode 265 of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swimrun Podcast!We’ve got a great show for everyone this week! Joining to talk about training for ÖTILLÖ Catalina is the one and only Nicolas Remires, founder of Envol Coaching. (He is also the winner of the World Series distance at Catalina 2020 in the Men’s team division with his partner Francesc De Lanuza Gimeno.) We asked Coach Nico to come on to help get everyone that is racing (or thinking of racing) the 2025 edition in late April get to the start line as prepared as possible. We covered a lot of ground in this conversation and you’ll definitely want to get out your notepads for this one.Are you still on the fence about signing up for ÖTILLÖ Catalina? Use the code LTBZ10 to save 10% off of your registration. Trust us, this race is “a whole vibe” and you don’t want to miss it!ÖTILLÖ Catalina World Series Distance Leg by Leg BreakdownTotal distance: 38km/ 23.5mi8 runs7 swims19% swimmingLeg 1: Two Harbors to Isthmus Harbor Beach (2.3 miles or 3.7 kilometers)Leg 2: Isthmus Harbor Beach to Big Fisherman Cove (1640 yards or 1500 meters) Leg 3: Big Fisherman Cove to Ballast Point Beach (2.9m or 4.8k)Leg 4: Ballast Point Beach to Catalina Harbor Boat Ramp (440y or 400m)Leg 5: Boat Ramp to Parsons Landing (5.3m or 9.5k) Leg 6: Parsons Landing Bay (765y or 700m) Leg 7: Parsons to Emerald Bay (1.1m or 1.9k)Leg 8: Emerald Bay to Howland’s Landing (1400y or 1300m)Leg 9: Howland’s to Big Geiger Cove (1.3m or 2.2k)Leg 10: Big Geiger Cove to Lion’s Head Cove (1750y or 1600m)Leg 11: Lion’s to Fourth of July Cove (2.2m or 3.6k)Leg 12: Fourth of July Cove to Isthmus Harbor Beach (875Y or 800m)Leg 13: Isthmus Harbor Beach to Big Fishermen Cove (3m or 4.9k)Leg 14: Big Fishermen to Isthmus Harbor Beach (1530y or 1400m)Leg 15: Beach to finish line (.2 miles)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 rating and review since that’s the best way for people to discover the show and the sport of Swimrun. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, and on YouTube. Check out our website for Swimrun resources including gear guides, tips, how-to videos and so much more. Also make sure to check out our meme page @thelowtideboyz on Instagram. If you have any suggestions for the show or questions for us, send us a dm or an email at lowtideboyz@gmail.com. Finally, you can support our efforts on Patreon…if you feel so inclined.Thanks for listening and see you out there!- Chip and Chris

30 Jan 59min

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