Swimruns

Swimrun is a growing multi-stage sport in the UK. Swimruns alternate between open-water swimming and cross-country running, with at least two transitions but no upper limit. Normally, they are done in teams of two, but some races permit individual participation. No kit changes are permitted, so you must swim with shoes on, and run with your wetsuit on. Flotation devices are often advised for the swimming section. There are not currently any established distances or number of transitions, so all races vary, but they can generally be split up into six categories: super-sprint (less than 10km), sprint (between 10-20km), regular (between 20-40km), long (between 40-75km), ultra (beyond 75km), and multiday (longer than 24 hours). The first official swimrun race was in 2006 in Sweden, where it also has the name ÖtillÖ (meaning Island-to-Island). In the UK, races take place in lakes or the sea, and on coastal paths or mountain trails. Breca was the original organiser of swimrun events in the UK, but there are now several options to choose from.