I have been swimrunning all year, in all weathers. When the weather is nice it's usually pretty easy to find a swimrun partner, but once the winter sets in it can be a struggle to find anyone mad enough. That is, until I doscovered my dog, a Springer Spaniel named 'Jake', absolutely LOVES swimrunning!

Although he does get a bit intimidated by the larger waves he has since developed a passion for winter swimrunning, which brings its own set of challenges, but also has some advantages!

Actually I have found it beneficial for my training as the dog loves to run and keeps me going on the trails and Spaniels are good in the water too; when I swim with my shoes on he can keep up on the swimming legs too.

To Tether or Not to Tether?

When training with the dog I opt to tether him to me, mainly as I get the benefit from having a running partner willing to pull me up the hills! The dog loves it and thinks it's all just a big game.

I use a nylon belt with some hoops that my wife sewed onto the belt onto which I attach a carabina. I then have a 3m piece of para cord, looped at both ends, which I use to attach to the carabina and the dog.

This works great when running as the cord is attached to my waist and it's easy to hold the cord if needed to stop getting my feet tangled.

When I get to the water I simply swivel the belt around so the carabina is in the small of my back and then I tow the dog.

If needed I stop for a breather in the swim leg and let the dog catch up but need to be careful he doesn't shred the wetsuit as he will try and climb on my shoulders!

Sometimes though, accidents do happen, usually on the run, when it's really muddy, as in the clip below...!

I didn't even know that Head - you know, the guys who make all the tennis gear - made wetsuits to until I started getting more and more interested in swimrunning and followed the European swimrunning groups - Head are prime sponsors in many of the events and make a range of swimrunning gear. I decided to invest in one last year, the Head Swimrun Rough Shorty.

First things first, the wetsuit looks really nice and is very well made with strong stitching and tough logos on nylon coated neoprene throughout.

Logos are not overly intrusive and there are no cheesy swim running 'taglines' that you tend to get on the cheaper wetsuits.

The whole wetsuit is nylon coated neoprene which makes it tough and abrasion resistant. Think of a surfing wetsuit compared to a triathlon wetsuit - the surface of a triathlon wetsuit is smooth neoprene and we'll get shredded on the first rock or bramble it comes into contact with. It will also wear through very very quickly if it rubs against another neoprene surface such as on the inner thigh.

The wetsuit material is very thin throughout, probably no more than 3 mm and the interior is very soft and comfortable against the skin. I actually prefer to run in this even if I'm not swimrunning! Although I must admit it does cause some looks.

It typically dries out within 10 minutes of running.

Other features include a very soft neck and double-sided zip, which prevents rubbing and allows you to get the wetsuit off very quickly.

The double zip also allows you to quickly 'decab' (without needing help from your partner) for the running legs of your swimrun route, if that's your thing.  However I did find this a bit of a problem because when both zips are down the wetsuit naturally wants to fall down to your ankles! Personally I prefer to keep the wetsuit up for the whole swimrun though, so this is not an issue.

The arms of this shorty wetsuit extend to just below the elbow which can give a surprising boost in colder conditions. When it is hotter you can roll the sleeves up above the elbow.

There are no detachable arms on this wetsuit, but that's not to say you can't use them if you have any from other suits.

The legs extend down to just above the knee.

The front zipper has an integrated whistle in the zipper lanyard.

There are also some useful nylon loops at the base of the zipper on the front and back, which can be used to tether your partner. If you prefer not to be tethered together then you can use them to attach your hand paddles or foldable water bottle.

There are two internal pockets on either side of the front zipper, however in my opinion these are quite useless because once the wetsuit is on the snug fit means it's very difficult to get anything in those pockets anyway, especially as the pockets close with strong velcro.  Maybe these are preferred by some athletes though.

There is no external pocket on this model which is a shame, however I have hacked a basic mesh running belt together with a tough buckle and use this to carry my gels and other gear. I have also sewn on some webbing loops to the belt strap and can attach hand paddles if I'm using them.

Overall Rating

This is a really great wetsuit for the price (less than £200) and has lasted me a full season, into its second year and is not showing any signs of wear. 

The lack of an external pocket is unfortunate but frankly I find a running belt is a better bit of kit anyway as it can carry a bit more gear, can be swiveled to the front/back as needed, and no external pocket means nothing can get lost.

This wetsuit is really comfortable to run in and highly flexible for swimming, plus it looks pretty slick.

All in all I am very happy with this wetsuit and would strongly recommend it to anyone wanting to splash out on an entry level swimrunning wetsuit.

I get asked this a lot. There's no best answer, however a few tips and tricks might help you to make the best decision for your needs to help you start the amazing sport of swimrunning.

The review below is for several different types of shoe, having tried and tested all of them over the last couple of years. Reviews are split the reviews into key areas and do not get sponsorship from any of the manufacturers! 

All feedback is my own personal opinion.

If you want to try swimrunning but do not want to go and blow loads of money then you do not need to go out and buy specialist shoes. I started out using normal trail running shoes. In this case a pair of battered Salomon SpeedCross.

In fact, this type of shoe will invariably float and can give some propulsion when you kick, so are a perfectly feasible option for beginners. There are however a few things to be aware of:

Tongue

The tongue is not designed for swimming so will actually act like a brake when your feet are in the extended, pointed position in the water. Trim the tongue down so it is flush with the top of the shoe and sew up the cut, so there is no resistance in the water.

Drainage

The pair above were really beaten up with splits in the upper shoe but that actually helped drainage! If the soles have some life left in them, consider drilling some small holes between the lugs to aid drainage.

Shoe Body

Obviously the shoe body is designed for running so likely consists of a lace up shoe, which may or may not have a sewn in tongue. A sewn in tongue is better as it will help keep sand and grit out.

Weight

Although they may be marketed as super lightweight, once they get wet they are not. So choose a pair with no frills and minimal cushioning as this will just absorb more water.

Drop

This is the amount of drop from the heel to the ball of the foot. It is best to use minimal drop shoes if you have them, as swimrunning requires maximum flexibility and sensory input when scrambling out of the water into the run, so your toes can literally curl around the rock surface as if you were barefoot. Higher drop shoes are also heavier and in my experience cause more drag in the water.

Tongue

There is no tongue on this  swimrun shoe. They're designed for swimming so the upper shoe consists of a neoprone sock style and the flap you see above points downwards to minimise resistance and is designed just to cover the string tie..

Drainage

The upper shoe has numerous tiny holes throughout so water drains immediately.

Shoe Body

Consists of a neoprene sock that slips onto the foot. Tough nylon loops help you to pull the shoe on. The tight fitting sock design helps keep grit and sand out and keeps the shoe snug to your foot when swimming. Has a quick pull lace system.

Weight

Very light. No cushioning on the upper shoe, no water absorption.

Drop

Minimal drop, 3-4mm, means the feet are fairly responsive and good for long distances of 20km plus.

Sole and Tread

These have a great tread on the sole, absolutely essential for varied and wet terrain.

An extremely good swimrunning shoe and very well made, with well thought out features. They come with a more expensive price tag of around £120 but they are worth it.

Tongue

No tongue, upper shoe consists of a neoprone sock that fits closely around the foot. Extremely comfy sock-like feel.

Drainage

The upper shoe is nylon mesh and drains instantly.

Shoe Body

Neoprene sock variety. Very comfy fit. Nylon loops help you to get the shoe on and off. These shoes seem not to let in any sand at all so reducing the chance of blisters due to grit/sand on the foot. Quick pull lace system. Extremely tough and well made, the pair above have been in use for a year and show no signs of wear.

When you walk/run barefoot or use barefoot shoes your feet adopt a more natural shape with a wider forefoot and splayed toes. These shoes are designed to accommodate that and the result is a wider front area compared to 'normal' running shoes, which also helps with kick propulsion.

Weight

Very very light. Absolutely minimalist. No water absorption means they do not weigh any more when wet.

Drop

No drop. These are so-called 'barefoot' shoes, and you feel like you are running barefoot. This does take some getting used to and I had to change my running style (I think for the better), to more of a forefoot, natural style, which took some time to get used to. The effect in the water is also very positive and you can get decent propulsion despite the fact you're swimming with shoes on.

Sole and tread

Conclusion

There's an entire school of thought on barefoot running and minimalist shoes and you are sure to find loads of information on both sides of the debate, with protagonists of barefoot running saying it's good for the foot and other experts saying barefoot running damages them.

Personally, I am of the mind we humans evolved to run long distances barefoot, not in shoes. I will not deny they take gettiong used to - we have been wearing bad shoes for decades and your feet will need time to strengthen and splay. But, in truth, since I have been using minimalist shoes (I have several pairs of Vibram FFs now), I enjoy running more and have had less direct running related injuries such as twisted ankles, which I used to get all the time with clunky, high-drop trail shoes, purely because they remove all contact and thus all feeling between the foot and the ground.

I think that's another discussion though and it is ultimately a case of 'each to their own'!

The final message here is: swimrunning shoes are designed for just that - swimming and running.

Keep them simple, the less frills the better, and think about the drag factor and the drainage, because you'll only be dragging them through the water on the swims then trudging up cliffs or beaches on the other side!

Good luck!

If you've watched any videos of the latest, fastest growing endurance sport in Europe - swimrunning - then the chances are you have seen all of the participants with swim buoys and hand paddles.

Hand Paddles

Can come in a variety of designs and materials. The one pictured below are webbed, neoprene gloves which I used because they were flexible and much easier to stash when running, but the down side is they did not provide as much pulling power as the large plastic pool paddles.

Pull Buoy

Another accessory is the pull buoy, supposedly used to counter act the weight of the shoes and/or save energy in your legs.

There is no need to run out and buy one specially for swimrunning. If you want to try using one an old pool pull buoy will work - just drill dome holes in and use rubber tubing for the straps as shown below.

The pull buoys rapidly became more of a hindrance than any real help on the swim and if you choose the right shoes you can kick and get some propulsion. The swim buoy rapidly got on our nerves and were ditched within a few tries.

As for the paddles, I prefer not to use them, it is just one more thing to worry about, plus my swim pull is sufficient to propel me through the water at a decent speed. Paddles are also cumbersome when exiting the water on rocky terrain. John prefers to use them, but recently has been doing training swimruns without.

Fins

Yes, fins. It is perfectly 'legal' in a swimrun to use fins for the swims, as long as they do not exceed 15cm fin length.

Do I Need All this Kit to do Swimrunning?

No!

The key 'fun factor' with swimrunning and indeed the appeal it has to many endurance athletes is that the kit you take is really up to you...

The whole concept is to get from one point to the other, usually long distances, along tough terrain, including land and water by using muscle power. Anything else you want to assist you in this effort, needs to be carried.

In the end, I ditched both the hand paddles and the pull buoy and opted for the minimalist approach.

If you have good shoes, a pull buoy is not needed. If you have an efficient stroke, paddles are not needed. The less you carry, the less things can go wrong.

With this in mind you really do need to train and experiment using all of the kit, to see what works with you and what doesn't.

In short:

• Try out various kit.
• See what works, what doesn't.
• Adjust as needed.
• Less is more!

Kit Review of Zone 3 Versa Swimrun Wetsuit

The Zone 3 Versa swimrun wetsuit is an entry-level swimrun wetsuit at a very affordable price of £169.

First impressions and indeed our opinion after much use is that it is a well-made wetsuit for this price range and it has a couple of nice features that can be found in suits of a more expensive price range.

The outside of the wetsuit is a combination of smooth neoprene, or nylon coated neoprene, which gives an extra toughness and will not rip if snagged on rocks or thorns.

The shoulders, back and rib sections are nylon coasted and will allow you to sweat and your skin breathe when you're running, which is very important.

This wet suit comes with detachable arms which is a great feature for this price range.

The chest and stomach panels are smooth neoprene, which we assume is for speed through the water.

The key difference between a swimrun wetsuit and a triathlon suit is that the rule differ in that swimrun suits are not designed to enhance performance, and thus they are a lot thinner of more flexible, plus the zip can be found on the front in a swim run suit.

This allows you to open the front panel as soon as you start the run sections, exposing the chest in order to take in cooler air and cool off during the runs, which can often be 8km+.

In swimrun, you swim and run in the same gear and there are no transition stops/gear drops or anything like in triathlons.

The zip is very well built and sturdy, however it would have been nice if Zone 3 could have included a whistle on the zip pull like many other brands do so that you do not have to carry this as a piece of extra kit.  (A whistle is mandatory kit).

Inside the wetsuit around about the rib area are two open topped pockets which can be used for gels/kit. However the positioning of these pockets (on this and other models/brands) is dubious because they are just under the ribs and thus cannot be packed too full else it restricts your breathing.

In fact, items in the pocket are often difficult to get out forcing you to stop.  We find it is just as easy and just as secure to stuff things inside the wetsuit around the same area without the need for the pockets. 

This wetsuit does have an exterior pocket, which is a very nice feature for this price range. It is found on the rear in the small of the back and the zipper fastens in a downwards direction. it's a great feature but we wish the zip was a little heavier as we have experienced situations where the zipper has been jolted upwards during running and the contents have dropped out of the pocket. Not often but it has happened.

The leg sections are a kind of rougher neoprene which has been cut specifically to allow extra leg movement for running, which we found to be very very comfortable for running long distances.

The only flaw with the wetsuit design in our opinion is the area between the thighs and crotch which zone 3 decided not to coat with a nylon surface. This means that smooth neoprene is rubbing against smooth neoprene at the top of the inner thighs and within three runs we had worn our suit through completely. 

This is a major design flaw in our opinion and many other brands even ones at the same price have nylon coating between the legs.

Our solution was to just wear a pair of tight running shorts during training over the wet suit, but of course this adds to resistance when swimming, so it is not suitable for competitions.

Apart from that, the bottom half of the suit is very sturdy and we have not experienced any other problems.

The Versa is a shorty wetsuit but does have slightly extended legs that cover the knees. We have mixed feelings about this, sometimes it's nice to cover the knees when you have to go under something and need to go on your hands and knees, but other times we like the flexibility of having exposed knees.

All in all though we feel this wetsuit is a really good starter wetsuit and apart from the inner thigh/crotch area it has performed extremely well during some long, tough training and competitions in our first year of swimrun.

You can watch the full video review below....

Watch It

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If you fancy trying the fantastic sport of swimrunning, feel free to get in touch here.

After a few weeks of swimrunning training, we are coming to the conclusion it is a brutal but awesome sport!

"Awesome" as you are out in the wilds of nature the whole time. The highs you get from repeated trail runs and ocean swims are great. Just being in that environment is a great feeling.

Both John and I have military experience. We were immediately struck with how similar the training is to military training: Relentless, repetitive, fall over/pick yourself up, keep going, on and on and on.

I love trail running but I am no 'runner'. Whenever I do triathlons I tend to get a good lead on the swims, hold my own on the bike, then lose it all on the run! But a typical triathlon run is 5-10km. Swimrun is different. The run can total almost a full marathon of trail running, all offroad, interspersed with numerous open water swims and very few checkpoints to refuel.

You carry your water and nutrition. How much is up to you.

The terrain you go over means much of it is scrambling over rocks, or up steep ascents.

We have benefited from reverting back to what the military call 'tabbing' - power walking, stretching and recovering at the same time, swinging the arms to maintain momentum, yet still moving at a fast pace, still making the distance, helping us to maintain a fairly decent pace (less than 7 mins per km cross country) over the half and three quarter distance swimruns we are doing at this stage of our training.

By tabbing up steep ascents you can actually help your sore legs recover some, and reduce your heart rate and then pick it up again on the flats/downhills. By trying to run all the way, up hills, up rocky seascapes, over 40+km, you're asking for a world of hurt.

Anyway, "onwards and upwards"!

Next: we have been experimenting with various kit so will be doing a kit review...

Swimrun is a new sport and thus much of the kit is still 'new' and rather limited in terms of choice on the market.

Swimrun events take place in wilderness areas with very little in the way of rules and regulations, so too is the kit pretty much up to you to manage and master, often by experimentation.

Basic rules are:

• You need to use a wetsuit.
• The running segments obviously require trainer shoes, style is totally up to you.
• You don't need to swim in shoes, most do, but you could tow them in a swim tow.
• You need to carry a whistle and have this at the start and end of the event.
• Some events require a compass/maps depending on how far/off grid they are.
  
• You need to carry a reusable water bottle and have this at the start and end of the event.
• You can use hand paddles.
• You can use fins if 15cm or under measured from the toe.
  

That's pretty much it!

It is absolutely essential therefore that you build in time to try your kit, learn what works, what doesn't, get comfortable running and swimming long distances with the kit, unsupported, over rough terrain.

What works for others may not work for you. When watching videos of swimrun events we noticed most people using pull buoys, for example, but we found, being strong swimmers, that pull buoys were kind of clumsy and prevented us from kicking, which we both felt we could, even with shoes on. It's really up to you.

Here are a few options being mulled over prior to our second week of swimrunning....

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