Lock to Lock Swimrun

September 18th 2022

(12 miles - 1.2k swim, 8k run, 1.6k swim, 0.3k run, 1.0k swim, 7k run)

A swimrun! Competing in one of these events has been on "the list" for sometime, ever since my bike training had to be binned in favour of parenting. I'm still swimming - great cross training - and still running, meaning a swimrun was really appealing.

For those that don't know, a swim run involved multiple entries and exits from the water (rather than an aquathlon, where one swims, transitions, then runs). All equipment must be carried on your person, meaning yes, you swim either wearing or carrying shoes, and you run with your wetsuit. I decided to wear my shoes to reduce faff, using a pull buoy to keep my feet buoyant with shoes on. Another option would have been neoprene calf sleeves, of which I do have a pair, but I found tired my calves extremely quickly on the run.

The logistics of this event, it being my first attempt, were the biggest factor in my "training" (3 weeks, inc 1 week's holiday...). I tried out various combinations of kit, gradually building from just a wetsuit, shoes and swim hat and goggles, to adding sock, paddles and a buoy. I have looked like a proper idiot, running through my local (technically no swimming) park in a suit and hat, but all for a good cause right? I eventually dispensed with the paddles, realising I am just not strong enough to get the turnover speed from my arms whilst using them. They were actually slowing me down to the extent of 30s per 500m....

Kit selected, I set off very early (4am) on a Sunday morning towards Oxford. A familiar (2 years of work) but boring drive, I kept myself awake through energy drinks and loud music, and arrived at a dark car park where I was able to register and select a hat colour - of my choice! From the car park it was a 10 or so minute walk to the start, where dawn was arriving, and I could see the lovely quiet stretch of river in its full glory.

Eager to begin, I started dressing and visited the (one!) portaloo, knowing that despite the front-zip characteristic of a swimrun wetsuit, once I was in the suit I wasn't coming out. It was fairly chilly (8deg air temp) and I did my best to keep warm, relinquishing the jacket at the last minute before crossing the bridge to start. Here we were supposedly counted into the water, and I made my way across to the start boat.

The water was....cold! Last time I had swum, just a few days before, the lake had been 18 degrees. This river was barely 14 degrees, and the main implication of this was that after the first swim - a melee of shoes for the first 400m, then a very lonely draft-free swim for the rest - I could no longer feel my hands and feet. Pretty disastrous on tricky trail, I stumbled my way along the river bank, and up the first hill. Very glad I hadn't used paddles as I didn't have the dexterity to deal with them, but also wanting to fuel and not being able to, I made my way up the surprisingly large hill, then down and back around towards the river. Upon reaching the river I stupidly assumed entry would be imminent, zipping up my suit and readying my goggles. 1.5 miles later I finally found the entry point (if I hadn't been following people I would have been worried!) and shuffled into the water. I was finally starting to get tingles of feeling back in my extremities, just in time to be chilled again...

For the duration of the next swim, I was lucky enough to be able to sit directly on the feet of a competitor, relishing in the fact that I was conserving a good bit of energy relative to the pace. The second run was very short, and whilst I could have overtaken him, I decided that I'd quite like to take the benefit of the draft for the next 1k swim. I did spot him managing to fuel (as did I) during this short run, which must have helped as I was working a good bit harder in swim 3 to keep up! We overtook a couple of others, but were also overtaken, frustratingly by people I'd already overtaken in run 1 - the nature of the sport I suppose.

Once out of the water, I set off to track down said competitors again, keeping my pace and effort as steady as I could, knowing I had to repeat that first hill (twice!). This was a tough run, but with feeling in my feet, and knowing it was the final push, I actually felt better than during run 1. There was some unwelcome tarmac leading up the first hill (swim run shoes do not seem to provide any cushioning), but I enjoyed the downhill before the final mile or so climb to the finish, which was understandably, less enjoyable.

And just like that, I was a swimrunner! Elated to be over the line in one piece and with all relevant equipment (plus some very waterlogged cliff bloks, there's a lesson there!) a collected my medal and began my recovery journey with some tea and cake. Bliss.

The recovery continued with the 35 minute walk back to the car (thankfully downhill), over the most bizarre toll bridge I've seen. Manned by two people, it charged 5p (cash only!) per car, and 10p per larger vehicle. Grateful that my route home avoided the 2 mile traffic jam this had and must regularly cause, I made my way home.

The results were out reasonably swiftly and it turns out I was the 2nd lady, only a minute or so off the first. Not bad for a first attempt I think :)