Also by choosing colder temp race dates the events usually do not clash with triathlons
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Running with a tether however is tricky with undulating terrain. But even that can be done with good communication. In our race in NC where I would not recommend it at all, the winning female team did exactly that. But they know the course well now.
I’m guessing with Kristen and Jenny it’s more a matter of knowing (and trusting) each other than it is knowing the course! They have done a few of these, including Otillo.
Did that race require you to race as part of a 2-person team? The whole team concept is a real problem to me b/c I literally know no people in my area who would be compatible partners.
The 2 person team concept came about in the sports inception. They needed a teammate because they would be swimming in the Swedish Archipelago and crossing several shipping lanes. Plus, being in the cold water in the middle of the ocean, having someone with you is probably a good idea.
What they found, however, was that it truly added an additional experience to the race. I truly don’t think this is something that can be described and is something that isn’t understood until it is experienced. I’ve raced a swimrun event that allowed a solo option and it just isn’t the same. To me, it was too much like racing any other event. Granted, there was all the physicality aspects of a swimrun, but doing it alone was similar to any other endurance event that you do alone. I didn’t enjoy it near as much as the many swimruns that follow the standard, team format. Again, I truly feel it is something you have to experience to understand.
If you can, really try to find a partner to do one. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed in the least.
These are not all, but the ones that came to mind
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SwimRun Virginia - 10/20/2018
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I’m a little interested in the sport… but looked at SwimRun VA and it looks like its rougly $500 for a team. Seems a little $$$ to me and it seems like you almost have to have the specialty type of wetsuit… so another cost to try the sport.
I know a few people that did the ones in VA and NC but haven’t had a chance to talk to them yet… will be interesting to hear how they liked/didn’t like the events.
I have not done VA nor have I been on course so I can’t speak about details.
You do not need a specific SwimRun wetsuit but you might want to. If you have an old sleeveless or old regular suit, you can cut it down to fit the need and that works perfectly fine. Especially since your team mate can help you with the rear zipper and you can help him/her.
But if you have to buy a suit because you only have Triathlon ones you want to keep as is, then it is smarter to buy an entry level SwimRun suit like the Orca Core ($200) instead of buying a cheap other suit online that really is still not perfect for the job.
Our SwimRun NC race is $375 for new teams but that works only because we work without paying ourselves. We put a lot back into the race and the athletes. We had awesome swag for all athletes. Plus it is expensive to run such a race. Bibs alone for our race were $4000 or $40 per team. And we bought the park a mobile firefighting unit for one of their ATVs.
I would be shocked actually if someone who did SwimRun NC felt that they did not get their money’s worth
Did that race require you to race as part of a 2-person team? The whole team concept is a real problem to me b/c I literally know no people in my area who would be compatible partners.
The 2 person team concept came about in the sports inception. They needed a teammate because they would be swimming in the Swedish Archipelago and crossing several shipping lanes. Plus, being in the cold water in the middle of the ocean, having someone with you is probably a good idea.
What they found, however, was that it truly added an additional experience to the race. I truly don’t think this is something that can be described and is something that isn’t understood until it is experienced. I’ve raced a swimrun event that allowed a solo option and it just isn’t the same. To me, it was too much like racing any other event. Granted, there was all the physicality aspects of a swimrun, but doing it alone was similar to any other endurance event that you do alone. I didn’t enjoy it near as much as the many swimruns that follow the standard, team format. Again, I truly feel it is something you have to experience to understand.
If you can, really try to find a partner to do one. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed in the least.
Marc - Thanks for your insights. Having done a number of team sports while growing up including swimming, wherein you have relays and team competition, and tennis where you have doubles plus team comp, I am only too aware of the whole team concept and for that very reason I prefer solo comp. That way, if you have a bad day, you haven’t let anyone else down except yourself. Just my $0.02.
Points taken … but I am not sure that swimming without wetsuit increases the risk of drowning because of temperature fluctuations. Nobody has drowned (or died) at SOS. Ever. The entire wetsuit argument … at least at some level … is a bit circular. First we needed wetsuits (were invented) because the water temperature was cold … and now we have to swim in cold water because people think that swimming without wetsuits is not safe enough? 
My 2 cents is that we only get to see the full beauty and potential of swim-run events once its advocates see beyond Otillo style events. It’s not just the cold water.
Points taken … but I am not sure that swimming without wetsuit increases the risk of drowning because of temperature fluctuations. Nobody has drowned (or died) at SOS. Ever. The entire wetsuit argument … at least at some level … is a bit circular. First we needed wetsuits (were invented) because the water temperature was cold … and now we have to swim in cold water because people think that swimming without wetsuits is not safe enough? My 2 cents is that we only get to see the full beauty and potential of swim-run events once its advocates see beyond Otillo style events. It’s not just the cold water.
I think there’s a big difference between SOS and OtillO. Here’s the course for OtillO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0qM3w3mSgI
From what I understand (I’ve never done it) is that the typical water temp at SOS is in the mid to upper 60s. When I did OtillO, the water temp was 54, with air temp not much higher. Couple that with the fact that we had 15-20 MPH winds, it made for a very chilly day. I think another factor that went into it was that with the exception of the one 13 mile run, most of the runs were short, so we were in and out of the water all day. This seemed to get more frequent as we got closer to the finish line which caused the body’s core temp to consistently drop over the runs and swims. Surviving that race without a wetsuit is not possible.
Rockman in Norway was even colder. Some of the upper elevation lakes we swam, temp was 47-48 and it was raining Wetsuit is certainly a safety factor in conditions like these.
Nope, that’s not white sand on the banks. 
With that said, there are some of the races in the states that you could potentially get away with it without a wetsuit. At SwimRunNC this year, there were folks having hypothermia symptoms, but it may have more to do with the amount of time they spent in the water and could even speak to a limited amount of training in colder water/temps. Dunno. It was pretty cold to me, but I’m used to it.
As for non-wetsuit events, they do exist.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElmnBehy1LY
-M
Sorry … I should have quoted the previous posts that I replied to. Inherently, there are huge differences between SOS and Otillo. Not just the water temperature. My point was largely that it would be nice to have more run-swim events where wetsuits are not needed because the water is warm
Points taken … but I am not sure that swimming without wetsuit increases the risk of drowning because of temperature fluctuations. Nobody has drowned (or died) at SOS. Ever. The entire wetsuit argument … at least at some level … is a bit circular. First we needed wetsuits (were invented) because the water temperature was cold … and now we have to swim in cold water because people think that swimming without wetsuits is not safe enough? My 2 cents is that we only get to see the full beauty and potential of swim-run events once its advocates see beyond Otillo style events. It’s not just the cold water.
I think there’s a big difference between SOS and OtillO. Here’s the course for OtillO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0qM3w3mSgI
From what I understand (I’ve never done it) is that the typical water temp at SOS is in the mid to upper 60s. When I did OtillO, the water temp was 54, with air temp not much higher. Couple that with the fact that we had 15-20 MPH winds, it made for a very chilly day. I think another factor that went into it was that with the exception of the one 13 mile run, most of the runs were short, so we were in and out of the water all day. This seemed to get more frequent as we got closer to the finish line which caused the body’s core temp to consistently drop over the runs and swims. Surviving that race without a wetsuit is not possible.
Rockman in Norway was even colder. Some of the upper elevation lakes we swam, temp was 47-48 and it was raining Wetsuit is certainly a safety factor in conditions like these.
Nope, that’s not white sand on the banks.
With that said, there are some of the races in the states that you could potentially get away with it without a wetsuit. At SwimRunNC this year, there were folks having hypothermia symptoms, but it may have more to do with the amount of time they spent in the water and could even speak to a limited amount of training in colder water/temps. Dunno. It was pretty cold to me, but I’m used to it.
As for non-wetsuit events, they do exist.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElmnBehy1LY
-M
I’m a little interested in the sport… but looked at SwimRun VA and it looks like its rougly $500 for a team. Seems a little $$$ to me and it seems like you almost have to have the specialty type of wetsuit… so another cost to try the sport.
I know a few people that did the ones in VA and NC but haven’t had a chance to talk to them yet… will be interesting to hear how they liked/didn’t like the events.
One thing when taking into consideration of the cost factor, there’s no need for a $10,000 bike, nor the $150-$250 airplane cost to ship it (one way) or all the other pain-in-the-arse that goes along with traveling with a bike. For our Norway race, we took everything we needed for the entire trip, including race gear, in a single backpack. zero checked luggage. Just sayin…
Here’s the report that I did on this year’s NC race.
https://speedylizard.com/2017/11/12/slippery-when-wet-swimrunnc-report/
Here’s the report that I did on LAST year’s VA race. I haven’t completed one for this year (yet).
https://speedylizard.com/2016/10/25/swimrun-connects-nature-to-the-concrete-jungle/
Hope this helps.
I’d do swimrun Bahamas
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The people who were hypothermic likely moved too slow. No one in the frontt 2/3 of the field had these issues. We will be much stricter next year who we let in. And folks who get pulled, drop out* or do not finish sub 6 hours will need to finish another swimrun before applying again to ours.
- If a team drops out that has previously placed well we will let them back in. And we will reserve judgment case by case
i’ll second what Marcus said. traveling for a swimrun is very convenient. no checked bags needed. the larger Orca backpack in the photo below had all the racing equipment i needed for ÖTILLÖ.
Herbert:
“I would be shocked actually if someone who did SwimRun NC felt that they did not get their money’s worth”
So would I. I’ve done SwimRun NC both years and feel that it is a very well run event by volunteer race directors, you definitely get a great return on race fee investment. Great swag, the best post race meal you will ever find, beautiful setting, friendly competitors, awesome race pics that you don’t have to buy (just give credit to photographers). Think of what you spend on a 70.3 (which for many of us is a race of similar duration) and it is a bargain.
Tim
I heard they will be adding a bike segment soon. Everybody will get e-bikes because biking is hard.
Try it…then make a feeble attempt to shit on it. It 'aint like triathlon. Not a bit.
lol. You’ve got no idea what I’ve done or not done. Don’t ever assume.
I recommend highly to folks to actually try a SwimRun before making wise comments about it.
Gladly! We need more swimrun races in the U.S. first though!!!
SwimRun Boston Harbor Islands - new for June 16, 2018
SwimRun Casco Bay Islands - 3rd year, Aug. 12, 2018
SwimRun San Juan Islands - new for Sept. 23, 2018
The people who were hypothermic likely moved too slow. No one in the frontt 2/3 of the field had these issues. We will be much stricter next year who we let in. And folks who get pulled, drop out* or do not finish sub 6 hours will need to finish another swimrun before applying again to ours.
- If a team drops out that has previously placed well we will let them back in. And we will reserve judgment case by case
Only two of 190 teams withdrew from SwimRun Casco Bay Islands due to hypothermia in 2017. Prepared…and tough most were.
lol. You’ve got no idea what I’ve done or not done. Don’t ever assume.
No assumption needed, you affirmatively expressed a cynically sarcastic view. = shit on.
I recommend highly to folks to actually try a SwimRun before making wise comments about it.
Gladly! We need more swimrun races in the U.S. first though!!!
SwimRun Boston Harbor Islands - new for June 16, 2018
SwimRun Casco Bay Islands - 3rd year, Aug. 12, 2018
SwimRun San Juan Islands - new for Sept. 23, 2018
Yea, I know more and more are popping up… This is exciting! Living in Wisconsin, I am holding out for a race in Minnesota or Wisconsin, which I imagine is on the horizon. You’d think the Land of 10,000 Lakes (Minnesota) would be able to host a good course once the demand is there. My point is more they are few and far between and that I am hoping to try one once one comes around that does not require a long flight and lodging expenses.