Event: South East Swim Run Series
Date: 19th May 2024

SwimRun, as the organisers explained, was invented by the Swedish as a way to explore their landscape. Swim to an island, run across it, and then swim to the next. Don’t know why they couldn’t just have used a boat but that would have stopped the 100-odd of us gathering at QuaySwim in Mytchett to leg it around the lake and jump into it a few times.

This was an intro event with a 2.5K or a 5K option, normally these things go on far longer. It was very much hosted as a friendly event, it’s more about exploring than a race, unfortunately, Sheena did not see it that way, so I geared myself up to get smashed by her swim power.

Sporting my trisuit, trail runners, swim hat, whistle and pull buoy, I was ready for action. As I looked around at the start line, I noticed I was one of maybe three people wearing a trisuit, the professional looking people around me were all sporting swimrun neoprene wear (yes, this is a thing and possibly your next bit of additional kit you never thought you needed). I suddenly felt that I might be about to get pretty chilly.

The klaxon went and off we all dashed for the first 1km trail run, the entry to the lake came soon enough and I heeded the advice of the organisers, taking it slow entering the water. You, like me, might have thought why bother bringing a pull buoy, turns out it keeps your bum up when trying to swim in trail runners, wonderful invention. Six hundred-odd meters later I exited the water and trotted off for 500m to the other side of the lake where I gently flopped back into the water to swim the last 400m back to the start.

Leg one of two complete, so around we went for a second time. Now I know what you’re thinking, was Peter putting on a brave face to stop the shivers or was he a smug git because it gets bloody hot running in neoprene? Smugness was the order of the day!

I crossed the line, as predicted behind Sheena, and after some gentle South African banter, we posed for photos and had some cake.

If you’re thinking of signing up for the next one, you only really need something to swim in, a pair of running shoes and a whistle. The whistle is mandatory in case you get in trouble. If you’re thinking of going for a longer distance event then definitely get a swimrun wetsuit (I was only smug because we stopped at 5K) and a pull buoy.

All in all, a really enjoyable event and we will be going to the next one in Richmond.