SwimRun Victoria 2020- A Human Powered Racing Event

Swimrun is a multiple-stage competition which involves participants running and swimming over a race course, or loop-course, that involves at least two transitions between the swim and run stages of the race. Participants must carry all equipment all the way to the finish line. Equipment includes a pull- bouy (or fins), pull paddles and shoes. You can wear a wetsuit. These races are very popular in Europe. You can do swimrun as a team where you are tethered to you're partner, or solo.

**Long course swim start of the SwimRun !**

As 2020 is a strange year with Covid 19, all races have been cancelled, except for this event. If things were 'normal” I would have been tapering for my first 100 mile trail race , the Cascade Crest 100. With the race being in Washington and the USA border closed, it is postponed to 2021. I was really excited to see that this Human Powered Event event was a go! Registration was limited to 50 people to keep within the Covid restrictions. Due to Covid this was a solo event. The distances are 5 km swim and 22 km of running for full course, and 3 km swim and 10 km of running for the short course. The event venue was supposed to have been Thetis lake, but due to a sudden blue green algae bloom the race director had to make a temporary move to Durrance Lake . This is 2020 after all, such a strange year. The race organizer Rob Dibden of Human Powered Racing made a last minute quick transition to hold the race using the Xterra race course. I'm sure that was stressful with the last minute changes, but it seemed to go off without a hitch.

I've always wanted to try a SwimRun event. I love trail running and I'm a stronger swimmer with paddles and pull buoy so this suited my strengths. Also nice to do something new and different. Having finished many triathlons and trail races this was a new adventure. How do you swim with running shoes on? How do you carry a pull buoy and paddles when you're running? What is the race strategy and how do you carry nutrition when there are no aid stations on the course. Thank goodness for YouTube; which answered a lot of my questions. I used a screwdriver to make holes in my pull- bouy and put lace locks through the holes so I could attach it to my thigh when running . For the swim I simply switched it around to the inside of my thigh as a flotation device. This worked really well, was secure and i didn't even notice it was there. I used a pair of INOV8 minimal trail shoes that I picked up at Distance Runwear for $50. They worked like a charm because they don't hold much water and are super light and dry fast. I could have bought race specific shoes for this sport but they are expensive ($300 USD) and would have needed to order on Amazon. Too rich for my blood. I already had paddles and a very expensive ITU triathlon race suit so I was set. Other mandatory gear was a whistle and a first aid kit.

**On the run with pull bouy attached to hip and paddles in hand.**

I did a lot of training (like most others) at Thetis lake. I know the trails there like the back of my hand and have swum in the lake hundreds of times. I even had a few group swim sessions with coach Tenille Hoogland of Elements Racing which was helpful. We practised open water technical tips and worked on form. Swimming has always been a struggle for me, but being able to use a pull buoy and paddles is a different ball game.

**The swim in Durrance lake was awesome!**

David Marlor and I did a race pre-view run at Durrance the day before the event. I'd forgotten how beautiful the lake was. The trails are a bit more technical than at Thetis, meaning more roots and rocks, which is not my strength, but doing multiple laps of the swimrun course has its advantages to learn the terrain and its more spectator friendly. The laps were a 750 metres swim and the run just shy of 5 km per loop.

Having not raced since February (Orcas 50k), I forgot what it feels like; the nervous energy I always feel before an event. The excitement and anticipation of doing something difficult, the nerves of going out of my comfort zone, I have a love/ hate relationship with racing. I woke up at 4 am race morning as I couldn't sleep well. Normal for me before any race.

Race start 7:30am

Leg 1: David and I arrived to Durrance at 6;30am. I did a quick warm up run, got the pull buoy on and went down to do a short warm up in the lake. As I was about to go in the lake for my warm up swim, Rob says “okay racers on your mark, get set, go” I was taken by surprise as it started a few minutes earlier than I expected. I used the first of four legs of the 750 metres swim as my warm up. Everyone took off but I ended up catching quite a few people by the last turn. Exiting the swim I had my bottles of Tailwind hydration pre-mixed and David was there for moral support. I took a big swig and off I went.

Onto the run wearing paddles on my hands, good in case I trip and fall. I was running with a guy ahead of me who had tripped on a root, but was okay. He said he had raced one of these in Europe and was speedy in the technical sections. I couldn't stay with him on the downhills. I was taking it cautions and conserving some energy early in the race.

Leg 2 - Entering the lake for second swim, my goggles were foggy as I wore my swim cap and goggles on my head running. This made it hard to sight the buoys. I almost missed the 3rd buoy as I was blinded by the sun. Luckily Chris on the paddle board pointed me in the right direction. I felt strong here feeling grateful for paddles. I was surprised more people didn't use them.

Exiting the swim again, I re-hydrated with Tailwind hoping that would give me enough calories to keep going since I couldn't carry hydration with paddles on my hands. I was feeling good and again caught the guy ahead of me only to lose sight of him as he was quick in the single track around the lake, which was rocky and rooty. There were a couple of good climbs on the second half of the loop. One called “The Beast” which I hiked up. This was long with big loose rocks, and not not really runable unless your name is Kilian Jornet the human mountain goat. A father and son running together passed me, so I tried to stay with them, This was good motivation and I liked to follow their line. We came into the swim transition together along with another guy, Luis, all of us at a safe social distance from each other.

Leg 3 – I was starting to feel the effects of the paddles on my shoulders but was still okay. I was feeling pretty thirsty so, I hate to admit, I drank some of the lake water thinking 'good thing we're not in Thetis” and “I'm sure I'll be okay”. I had passed the father and son and exited the lake making good ground. After a quick refuel of Tailwind, I was onto the run feeling more comfortable on the single track and my splits were pretty consistent. I heard people yelling my name. I was thinking “how do they know my name? Oh ya its on my shirt bozo.” Feeling strong and steady and getting more comfortable every lap, I pushed myself to go faster. I was having fun ! Mike Neil cheered me on “one more swim!“ Yes and one more run.

Leg 4- I was starting to feel the effect of the paddles. My arms felt like wet cement and felt slow and like I had been lifting heavy weights . I focused on using my lats (big muscles of the back) rather than my shoulders and pulling deep in the water like Tenille had taught me. Thoughts of “geez I hope I can work tomorrow,” or “I wish I'd booked a massage” entered my mind. I reassured myself that I have done events way longer than this and I will be fine! Almost at the shore i had again caught up to the fast trail runner like we were playing cat and mouse the entire race. I knew he would be gone as soon as we hit the single track as I have lots of endurance but no speed. I took a big swig of tailwind and David shoed me off “see you in 35 mins.”

The last run was the best I felt, I knew every rock and root on that trail. I wanted to finish strong and not let any of those guys catch me, lol, was my motivation.

I finished my first swimrun, 3 km of swimming and 20 km of running, First female in the long course. Most of all I had a great day because I was having fun and feeling grateful to be racing this event. I also felt grateful that my body could still do these crazy things at my age of 50, grateful that I live in a community of health like minded people, and most of all, grateful for living in Victoria BC, in our low case Covid- bubble (and hopefully it stays that way). Events like this make me realize I feel I took what we had pre Covid for granted, and missed the post race social interactions that we used to have. I hope that when we are able to race again like we did pre-Covid not to take those experiences for granted again.

Maybe in the end, this is a lesson we all need. To not take our life for granted, try new things and don't be afraid of the unknown. To accept the situation and control what we can and let go of what we can't control. Lets hope 2021 is a better year for all of us :)

Thank you to Rob Dibden and Mike Neil from Human Powered Racing and all the volunteers that gave their time to make this event happen and spectators cheering.Thank you to sponsors Arbutus Physio, Endur, Six Mile Pub and Driftwood Beer. Thank you David Marlor for being there for my support and taking race pictures .

Now that “race” season is over I look forward to some back country camping and hiking . Happy trails. Be calm, be kind , be safe . Dr. H.