A race that alternates open-water swimming and running across a series of segments.
Traditionally, SwimRun is a continuous race that alternates between open-water swimming and running. These courses string together stretches of water and land, sometimes along a shoreline or from island to island. Other SwimRun races are just a swim followed by a run, often on the same course as a triathlon.
There is not always a bag drop or changing area, where you might need to swim in your shoes and run in your wetsuit, carrying every piece of gear with you the whole way. These events can also be raced in pairs.
A course that pinballs between water and land. You climb out of the water soaking wet and start running in the same shoes, then plunge back in still wearing your wetsuit. There is no transition area to reset at — the switching is the race. If you race with a partner, it becomes a shared effort the whole way and a shared accomplishment at the end.
Triathletes and open-water swimmers who want something more adventurous, trail runners comfortable in the water, and anyone drawn to racing through wild coastline and lake scenery. Being at ease swimming in open water is the real prerequisite.
A wetsuit you can both swim and run in, shoes that drain and grip wet rock, and small swim aids like a pull buoy and hand paddles are common. There is no transition gear, since there is nowhere to drop it.
Recommended starting point
A shorter SwimRun with a handful of segments and a total in the 5–10km range. Enough to learn the rhythm of switching between water and land, and to test your gear, without committing to an island-hopping epic.
Why start here
SwimRun's challenge isn't any single leg — it's the constant switching, soaking wet, with no break to reset. A short course teaches that rhythm and your gear choices on a forgiving scale, before you take on a longer, more remote course.
Best starting point. A handful of segments to learn the swim-run rhythm.
More segments and more time on course. The step up once short feels comfortable.
Island-hopping, point-to-point courses. Where SwimRun becomes a full endurance day.
Train in your full kit
SwimRun has no transitions — you swim in your shoes and run in your wetsuit. Practice in the gear you'll race in so the drag, the weight, and the wet feel are familiar by race day, not a surprise.
If you're racing as a pair, train together
SwimRuns can be team events, often tethered. Swim and run connected in training so you learn to match paces and the tow line helps the slower swimmer instead of tangling you up.
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