Swimrun 101: Swimrun Training
Welcome to episode 165 of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swimrun Podcast!
This week we have another installment in our Swimrun 101 series. In the episode we share our thoughts on Swimrun training…thoughts formed from our many conversations with coaches, athletes, and our own training and racing experience. For this episode we break up our discussion on Swimrun training into three distinct training categories: physical fitness, fueling and hydration, and mental preparation.
Why are we doing this?
We’ve noticed in our own training what has helped us show up to the start lines confident for the challenges (known and unknown) and we’ve developed a pattern or rhythm to our training, with the help of our coach, to get prepared. We obviously don’t know or claim to know all there is to know about endurance training but we’d had a lot of guests on the show that do. Make sure to check the show to get hyperlinks to our interviews to the coaches and experts that we’ll be alluding to during this episode.
Anyway, we hope that you find our musings on training helpful.
Physical Fitness
Swim Training
We’ve found that building a giant base of swim fitness leads to better race experiences and that the base helps increase your run fitness in the process. We think that de-coupling your swimming so that it is something that is always happening in the background at least 2-4 times per week will get you more than ready for any Swimrun outside of something like the One Water Race.
There are a ton of resources out there to improve your swimming but at the very least any organized Masters Swim group will help get you on the path.
Run Training
When it comes to training for the run portion of any Swimrun, we’ve found that getting specific to both the distance and terrain in your training is the best approach. If your upcoming race is super hilly, then you know what to do. Remember that a Swimrun that has 17 miles of running doesn’t mean that you need to be able to bang out 17 miles in one shot before race day. Since the run sections are broken up, you’re usually able to get by with shorter runs in the lead up. Obviously, the fitter you are on the run, the “easier” the race will feel and the more fun you’ll have out there.
Strength/Cross-Training
We all know that we need to do more strength/stretching/yoga/cross-training. Our approach is to start small and try to be ultra consistent. Keep nailing the fundamentals and you’ll soon build the habit and see the results on race day.
Swimrun Training
Nothing simulates Swimrun better than a good’ole Swimrun practice. When you’re new to the sport these sessions are integral for you to learn the technique of Swimrun and work on all the little things that take up time during a race such as dealing with the tether, cabbing down, etc.
We’ve found that as we have gotten more experienced in the sport these sessions are less about making sure that we have all the mechanics down and more about working on intensity and pace. We definitely do less Swimrun practices that we used to but we’ve developed the muscle memory for what works for us.
Previous LTBz episodes about Swimrun training:
Mike Olzinski (EP 3 and EP 108)
Nicolas Remires (EP 14 and EP 126)
Nate Helming (EP 17)
Mario Fraioli (EP 30)
Gerry Rodrigues (EP 32)
Coach Jim Lube & Megan AMA
Ville Enburgh
John Stevens (EP 46 and EP 124)
Joe Friel (EP 115)
Fueling and Hydration
Gut Training
Just like anything else in Swimrun, you need to adapt to the unique challenges that these events can present. One of the biggest is fueling and hydration. Practicing what you will do on race day and having a nutrition plan in place is instrumental to maximizing your race performance on race day. Just as one would plan how they would tackle a difficult Swimrun course, you should also plan what you will do fueling wise.
This is definitely a place where we feel that we have learned a ton as a team. We feel so lucky to have been able to work with Precision Fuel and Hydration and it’s no coincidence that our race performances have improved as a result. We highly recommend checking out all the free information that they offer and start working on your fueling and hydration training for your next Swimrun.
Practicing Race Day fueling During Swimrun Training Sessions
This is a moving target that practice is key to nailing your strategy on race day. Just as you wouldn’t show up at a Swimrun without at least going through the paces a few times in your gear, practicing your strategy for race day is just as important.
Note that this is a moving target and as you get fitter, your fueling needs will evolve.
Previous LTBz episodes about Fueling and Hydration:
Abby Coleman (EP 120)
Mental Preparation
Getting ready for the adventure of Swimrun isn’t just about being physically ready for the challenge, it is also about being mentally prepared for what lies ahead.
Get Aligned on Goals
Swimruns are great adventures that will test your body and mind. Whether you are racing solo or as part of team, getting aligned on what your goals are is key. Susie Moonan recommends that athletes be able to answer the question of “why?” Why are you doing this race is a great way to crystallize what you're hoping to get from the experience and this will help you if/when you hit a low point during a race.
Be Realistic
What does success look like? Or what should it look like? If you can go into a Swimrun with clear expectation on what success looks like you will be way more likely to find what you’re looking for in the sport. Swimrunning well is its own skill so don’t expect to be an expert at it your first time out.
It has taken us years to get to the point where we feel like we know what we are doing…and we still take wrong turns sometimes.
Embrace the Ambiguity
Similar to being realistic, embracing the nature of Swimrun is also key to having a successful race. Distances aren’t exact, aid stations may not be where you thought they were, and the weather can change rapidly. At risk of sounding totally tautological The more prepared you are for the randomness that you will experience during a race, the less of a mental challenge it will be when random things happen.
Previous LTBz episodes on the Mental Side of Things:
Susie Moonan (EP 54 and EP 122)
Brad Stulberg (EP 88 and EP 164)
Summary
So in summary, we think Swimrun training should look something like this:
swim consistently at varying intensities;
plan your run workouts to simulate the type of terrain and course that you will be racing;
do enough Swimrun practices so that you are comfortable with your gear and the mechanics of Swimrun transitions;
train your gut and start practicing your race day fueling and hydration well before race day; and
think about why you’re racing Swimrun and line up your goals and expectations accordingly.
This is our best thinking on what Swimrun training, on a straight-forward level, should consist of. That being said, we highly, highly recommend that listeners interested in taking their performance to the next level to look into coaching resources such as Envol Swimrun, Tower 26, Simcoachen, Purple Patch, and TOT Endurance.
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