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ÖTILLÖ Isles of Scilly: swim-running in the Cornish Atlantic

This years rabble of swim-runners were treated to beautiful sunshine and calm seas across seven swims and seven runs that traversed the islands of St Mary’s, Bryher, Tresco and Saint Martin’s. Competitors from 17 nations would have to scramble over boulders, tackle sandy trails, fight through thick clumps of seaweed for a total of 38km (30km on land, 8km in water).  

Shiny and new

This was the first outing for the Wolke – Scott version of the Bruderwunderz and our first opportunity to see how we stacked up against the best teams in the world. 

We set ourselves the target of a top 5 finish, which on reflection was achievable but ambitious given the strength and depth of the field – which not only included the current golden bib holders in the men’s, women’s and mixed categories but professional triathletes, former olympians and a number of semi-professional teams. Sporting our new ARK swimrun wetsuits  we looked like we knew what we were doing. Now was the time to back it up – and with kit this technical, light and fast there were no excuses.

Executing our race plan

Our race plan was to start steadily on the long swims and attack the longer island trails where we expected to make up time. We knew the Swedish men’s and women’s teams would be strong in the water, but were surprised by just how quickly they were moving on the first 2km swim from St Mary’s to the southern tip of Tresco.

We exited the water in 11th place as we fought through the seaweed to get onto land. I temporarily lost a paddle but thankfully we were not long delayed as we gave chase (both of us very quickly realizing that we had to up our intensity to get ourselves nearer to the sharp end of the race).  Race footage accompanied by some excellent commentary here:  https://youtu.be/PWffH4k5gZY?t=4107

The first half of the race

Alan was the powerhouse on the first two swims and was looking strong with his new dinner plate sized hand paddles. This left me relatively fresh to lead out the next two runs (3 km on Bryher and the following 6.8km on Tresco), both of which were punctuated by two short and refreshing swims. We put the hammer down to good effect and started to reel in our competitors, moving ourselves up to seventh, only narrowly behind the mixed golden bib pair as we exited the water onto Saint Martins –  https://youtu.be/PWffH4k5gZY?t=7158

We caught and passed them on the undulating and technical coastal trails but had to push hard, knowing that we needed a decent buffer going into the final 2.5km swim back to St. Mary’s.

A moment to take it all in

I sometimes wonder whether racing is the best way to experience a place because the arena of competition requires you to shut things out and to focus on the path ahead, not the views on either side. But like the glance of a beautiful woman, the Isles of Scilly beckon you to look at them and appreciate their perfection. As we reached the highest point on Saint Martin’s, the sun beating down on a stretch of smaller islets in front of us, we temporarily eased off to appreciate the splendor of Scilly.  It’s a credit to the race organisers that the course takes it competitors around all of the main islands (with the exception of St Agnes). For anyone short on time and high on energy there are few better whistle stop tours available!

The second half of the race

As we approached the final swim we were informed that the team in front of us were flagging – at this point we didn’t know that this was Richard Stannard (multi-time world aquathlon champion) and Mark Threlfall (a former pro triathlete). As we had feared, we were passed in the water, about a quarter of the way into the swim, by the leading mixed team and the Dyson brother’s, meaning we were now relegated to seventh position.

All we could do was empty the tank on the final 7km and see who we could catch. Alan set off like a bat out of hell, scything through the ferns and bracken- legs pumping, arms driving, brow glistening. They say fortune favours the brave, and it seems like fortune was looking down on us as we turned ourselves inside out in the hope that we might catch our competitors on the trails ahead. It turned out that the leading mixed team made a wrong turn (we beat them but didn’t pass them on the course), and we caught Stannard and Threlfall with less than a kilometer to go – mostly owing to the fact that they had blown up spectacularly after setting out too hard on the early swims and runs. As we approached our heavy legged competitors we put in a final acceleration, knowing the end (and cold beer) was just around the corner.

Bringing it home

Cheers and whistles greeted us as we headed along the promenade towards the finish line; the fantastic support on the course having been a constant feature and source of energy throughout the race. After 4 hours and 51 mins we crossed the line in fifth – two Bruderwunderz in arms. https://youtu.be/PWffH4k5gZY?t=18787

Full results here: https://otilloswimrun.com/races/isles-of-scilly/results-2018/

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Swimrun: Training with Hand Paddles

Swimrun Strength Endurance

Markus from the mighty ‘German Sparkle Party’ racing Breca Buttermere 2016 & showing us how its done!!

Strength Endurance pretty succinctly summarise what swimrun swimming is all about. Dragging yourself in your wetsuit, race bib, pull buoy, shoes and socks through large expanses of open water for stints that can stretch to well over a kilometre. And if you are looking to go fast you will almost certainly want to use hand-paddles. All of these factors lead to a massively increased load on the shoulders during swimrun swimming when you compare it to normal laps in the pool. So Strength endurance is key.

How to Build Up to Race Day

Hand Paddle Selection

Like with so many things in life, start small and work your way upwards, Rome was not built in a day and your upperbody strength wont be either. To much to soon = sore shoulders, injury and set back. If you have some experience using hand paddles then by all means use the ones you have, provided they are not to big. If not, i suggest starting with finger paddles. Here are some you can easily get online: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/speedo-biofuse-finger-paddle/  As you can see by following the link, hand paddles are pretty cheap so growing into larger sizes is not going to break the bank.

Swim Technique

If you are new to swimrun and are using hand paddles for the first time you may find the hand paddles slipping off while swimming. If this is the case there is a strong possibility that you have an issue with your swim technique. One very common thing  is dropping the elbow during the catch part of the stroke. If this happens the paddle can start to slip off meaning you will really struggle. If this is happening its time to get some help as you need to have a half decent stoke to use hand paddles. A good test for this is to use a hand paddle that has no straps. This means you must keep pressure on the paddle in the right direction during the stroke, if you don’t they will slip off. These particular paddles are great for technique and come in different sizes:  http://www.wiggle.co.uk/finis-agility-paddle/

Building Up Over Time.

Now (January) is the best possible time to start building up swimrun strength endurance. Start incorporating the hand paddle swimming into your sessions now and build up that strength endurance. Like anything your body and muscles will adapt, but it takes time. Gradually  you will be able to increase the load and duration, so by the time the season comes around you will be ready for the open water sessions in a wet suit….. and Shoes!!

Bigger Isn’t Always Better

If you have ever raced or seen a race over in Sweden (the home of swimrun) you can’t help but notice some Swedish thoroughbreds using bloody great dinner plates they call hand paddles. Yes this might work for them, but everyone knows a tiny chassis cant support a huge engine. If you weight 50 kilos then dare i say monstrous sized hand paddles are not going to do you any favours. Use the pre-season to find your suitable hand paddle size. You must be able to maintain technique, keep a decent stroke turnover and most importantly not overload your shoulders. If in doubt stick with the smaller paddles for this season and re asses next year.

Ankle Bands & Drag Pants.

As your swimrun training progresses its worth incorporating some kind of drag into your training. This will go some way to simulate what it is like to swim with your trainers on. Start off with a pull buoy and strapping on an ankle band (simply ties your ankles together to stop you kicking, very easy to home make) and doing some lengths like this. If this becomes easy you can try removing your pull buoy which will cause your feet to start to sink, increasing drag. Another option to use drag is ‘drag pants’ which catch the water as you swim. A cheaper alternative to buying drag pants is just to swim with baggy board shorts on!! Either way it makes life harder and increases the load.

Resistance Work

Finally doing some on land strength work is going to really help set you up for getting the best from hand paddles. Press ups and wide arm pull ups are a great start to building up some upper body. Then if you want to add in a little more; some triceps dips along with some resistance band work will really help, especially if you have limited  pool time. Check out this specific band work out article:  9 Stretch Cord Exercises To Improve Swim Strength And Technique

Consistency

Constancy, perseverance and discipline. Want to improve rapidly and successfully then stick to the plan. Don’t skip sessions, keep working at it. There is so much literature out there pointing to success coming from dedication to training/practice more than any other factor.  The most ‘talented’ performers are simply the most dedicated trainers. Building up your strength endurance ready for the swimrun season requires focused training and consistency. Start this week and build to the summer!

 

 

 

 

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Long Weekends with Some Training Thrown in!

The Long Weekend….

With the off season well and truly under way i had the opportunity to take some time off and head off for a few long weekends. As it happens i had two back to back trips which involved popping over the North Sea to visit Stockholm for the weekend and heading up to the Lake District the following weekend. Both of these were r and r trips rather than training, however what better places to combine some culture, good food, beautiful scenery and a dash of great trail running to keep things ticking over.

Nat and Markus at the Abba Museum mid run.
Pootling along the river, it was currently about 1 degrees!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stockholm:

My girlfriend knew she was going out to Sweden to run a training course just north of Stockholm so we decided it would be a great opportunity to turn it into a long weekend in Stockholm and i flew in on the Friday. As luck would have it a good friend and fellow swimrunner Markus Rossel of the world famous “German Sparkle Party” was living out in Stockholm with work and generously offered to put us up for the weekend and show us around. Having only visited Sweden during the summer for swimruns in the past this was a great opportunity to see Stockholm in a different light.

The weekend involved a couple of runs around the city taking in some great tourist spots with the help of ‘Run with Me Stockholm‘ a great running group that is run by another friend i met through swimrun.

The gang out on the Trails, those plank bridges are like ice, soooo slippy!!
Can you guess which is which: Cardamon, cinnamon and saffron… Apparently they are made with ‘love and butter!!’

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also managed to fit in a 25k trail run on the Saturday in the Tyresta National Park. This offered stunning scenery, technical trails and plenty of fresh air! On top of the training we got to wonder the city, take in some sights, sample some really tasty food including the famous cardamon, cinnamon and even saffron rolls at the coffee shops! 

The weather during the trip was very crisp but aside from a little dusting of snow we didn’t have any rain! As a long weekend goes i could not recommend Stockholm highly enough. There are always cheep flights into Stockholm Arlanda and its a super simple bus into the city centre from there! The food is great, there are plenty of opportunities for shopping if that’s your bag and there are no end of attractions to visit including the Abba Museum!!

Some of the easier parts of the trail

The Lake District:

Believe it or not The Lake District was actually a longer journey than it was to Stockhom. We made the wrong choice and drove… It was a 7 hour door to door trip from London. With the benefit of hindsight i would say pay the extra cash and jump on the train as it haves the journey time and quarters the stress! Once up in the lakes we checked into a lovely B & B called Virginia Cottage in Bowness-on-Windemere and headed out for a good meal and pint of ale. On the Saturday we headed to a fell race which we had located by doing some research prior to the trip. There are always fell races to be found this time of year, so with a little research before hand you can find yourself a friendly local event! The best part of these are that they are super friendly, cheap as chips (usually £5) and offer free tea and cake afterwards…. Winning!! The Kirkby Moore 10k fell race did not disappoint!! With the greeting of hail seconds before the start gun the race was tough, cold, muddy, technical and hilly and as always with fell races very humbling. That being said there is nothing better than taking a step out of your comfort zone into some good old fashioned fell running running where you have to pack your map, compass, full length water proofs, wooly hat and be prepared for anything! Both of us were made to fell very welcome and had a great time while being left under no illusions that we truly are Southern Softies!!

£33 gets you your own boat for an hour!!

The rest of the day was spend warming up, eating, and even taking a boat trip out on Lake Windermere where i was ambushed by the local bird life when i started to feed the swans. The evening was spend tasting some local craft beers at the Baha Bar and replacing the days calorie deficit.

Sunday was a little more sedate, we popped out for an easy trail run over and around the fells finding a course online that we could follow, then finished up checking into a spa for a little pampering before jumping back into the car. Thankfully it was a much faster trip back into town. As trips away go the Lake District is never going to disappoint, the train is certainly the way to go and once you are up there taxi’s are fairly good value if you need to get anywhere.

All in all both locations off a perfect place to relax and unwind after a busy season of racing while still offering a fun environment to roll out some very unstructured training keeping the body ticking over in the off season.

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The third Bruderwunder: introducing Max Wolke

We are well into the winter season now. The nights are long, the days are short and we’ve switched from drinking cold refreshing lager to hearty, sustaining stout. A summer of intensive racing and focussed training is behind us, and it feels like now is an opportunity to pause, reflect and consider whats in store for the year ahead. It’s also an opportunity to welcome a new Bruder into the Bruderwunderhood – Max ‘Der Panzerwagon’ Wolke. 

I feel honored to have been invited into the Bruderwunderhood for the 2018 Swim Run season and can’t wait to stake my claim as part of a lean, mean international swim running machine. So how did I end up here, and why am I putting away my bike for the winter and deciding to run around in a cut off wet suit next summer? As with every decision, it has a point of origin.

For me that moment came in the final strokes of the Breca Buttermere sprint race, swimming to victory in synchrony with my close friend and training partner, Tim Murphy.

Continue reading “The third Bruderwunder: introducing Max Wolke”

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Bruderwunderz Origins – Breca Buttermere #RaceReport

The story of the Bruderwunderz began in the Lake District in 2015 at the first ever Swimrun in the UK – the inaugural edition of the British classic Breca Buttermere. The founding Bruders Alan Scott and Hamish Cropper won the race, also defeating Knut, who on this occasion was competing under the colours of the The German Sparkle Party.

The pure and honest nature of the Cumbrian fells makes the race a one of a kind in the Swimrun scene and one of our personal favourites. We have returned to Buttermere for every edition of the race and Alan currently stands with a track record of three wins. At the 2017 edition, Alan and Knut competed together for the first time and Max made his debut Swimrun appearance at the sprint race.

One of the peculiarities about the previous editions of the race, was all teams being accommodated at the Buttermere YHA. Bunkbeds and packed rooms added a special kick, creating kind of a school trip feeling. Unfortunately, housing in Buttermere is scarce and the increasing number of teams racing called for an update of the housing concept forcing a relocation to Keswick.

For this year’s race, the start was moved west to Fangs Brow and the finish line was placed at the edge of Derwent Water in Keswick, making it a point to point race. But much of the course is still on the same trails, just now and again running in the opposite direction to previous years.

However tough this race was before, the new course for sure stepped it up a notch. Whereas the incredible scenery and unpredictable weather conditions have remained untouched, the new course have introduced some interesting changes. One of the biggest being the extension of the run section from Buttermere up to Dale Head by another ~5k (now total 14,4k). Thereby also adding more trails and more elevation. The extended trails and upped ascent at this point being a key feature of which the Bruderwunderz failed to take note prior to the race.

The new route somehow gave the race completely new dynamics. On the old course, an early swim as well as technical trails and heavy climbing in the early stages separated the teams early on. Already on the first kilometres, the field was fairly well sorted. This time, slightly longer and easier runs made the first sections very fast. We kept ourselves in the front of the race trying not to invest too much energy early on. After all, we were (to some extent) aware of what was to come further down the road. However, pacing yourself is a challenge when the distance back to the chasing teams is short. Sub 4min k’s on the first runs only goes to prove that there is still some room for improvement.
 By the time we hit the big climbs, our advantage on second place was less than 5 minutes and the lead felt far from safe. The relief of seeing the distance increase going up the hills made the suffering significantly more enjoyable. On the other hand, realizing that the hardest run section was now even harder than expected, caused some additional mental provocations.

By the time we hit the finish line, we had worked up a good 20 minute lead and fortunately did not have to worry about a photo finish. All in all a happy coincidence since we also outdid the estimated “fastest finish” time and the photographers were not yet around 🙂

The point-to-point course added some new features to this unique competition. Combined with the additional sprint race (yes, 18k is a sprint), we expect to see more teams from outside the UK on the start line next season. In any case, one thing is for sure: The Bruderwunderz will attempt a fourth strike!

2017 Breca Buttermere Race Video

Pics by Paul Mitchell

 

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Article Written for Inov-8 on: Swimrun – The 10 Things You Need To Know.

Swimrun -The 10 Things You Need To Know.

Swimrun recently celebrated its 10th birthday. Since the first race in 2006, swimrun has picked up momentum and it is the new go-to multi-sport adventure race and for good reason. Typically undertaken as a team of two, you and your partner will traverse rugged areas of natural beauty, running in your wetsuits and swimming in your trainers. You wear the same kit throughout the various swim and run sections (of which there are typically several) – so if you want to swim with a pull buoy and hand paddles, don’t forget you also have to run with them!

An avid triathlete, I (Alan Scott) cut my teeth in Swimrun back in 2014 when racing the Otillo World Championship in Sweden. The Otillo is to Swimrun, what Kona is to Ironman. Since then my team-mates and I have continued to race and develop as Swimrun athletes, achieving such results as 6th place at the Otillo World Champs, 3 x winner of Breca Buttermere and 3rd at the inaugural Otillo 1000 Lakes.

Here are my top-10 tips that should help you in your Swimrun adventures:

1. GET THE RIGHT KIT

Having the correct equipment and getting used to it is a key aspect of Swimrun (this topic probably merits an entire blog post in itself!) In short, the key bits of kit you will need are:

Wetsuit:

Either Swimrun specific or an old triathlon wetsuit cut above the knee. Depending on conditions you can decide on cutting the arms off above the elbow or not. If it’s your first race don’t worry about using an old suit – I have always raced in an old triathlon wetsuit, it won’t hold you back.

Shoes:

Your shoes need to drain well and have good grip on the trails. I have always raced in inov-8 X-TALON shoes, which are lightweight and offer amazing grip. Also, thin socks are a must as they stop grit working into your shoes and rubbing like sandpaper.

Hand paddles:

Not essential but these will help you. If you do want to race with them you must train with them first and build up your strength endurance (see tip 5). Start with small paddles and build from there.

Pull buoy:

You fasten this to your body via a bungee cord – as don’t forget, you will have to run with it too. It acts as flotation, helping your feet sit higher up in the water while swimming, which will certainly help reduce the drag of swimming with your shoes on.

Mandatory kit:

Read the race brief as most races insist on some form of mandatory kit be carried at all times such as a compass, whistle and pressure bandage.

Lube: Chaffing can be a big issue with Swimrun so healthy dollops of Vaseline will help alleviate this problem. Yes, it’s not good for the suit, but unfortunately the water based lubricants just don’t last the day, so it’s your skin or the suit!

Extra layers:

If it’s going to be a cold race then consider neoprene base layers, gloves and hats, all of which can make a big difference in the long swims. Last year we raced the Otillo 1000 Lakes in October in Germany in 7 degree air temperature and 11 degrees water temperature. The extra layers we wore proved to be the difference between 3rdplace and a DNF!

breca swimrun 2 photo by Wildman Media

2. PRACTICE TRANSITIONS

There will be upwards of 20 transitions between land-to-water and water-to-land during a Swimrun and so you need to make sure you practice this before race day. Where are you going to put your hand paddles for the run? Are you going to strip the wetsuit to the waist for the longer runs? Think about when it is best to take off/put on your goggles and swim hat. By perfecting your transitions you can save a lot of time over your rivals.

3. NAIL YOUR NUTRITION

This is the ‘3rd’ discipline of Swimrun racing, just like it’s the ‘4th’ in triathlon. Nailing your nutrition can be the difference between a great day and a horrible day! Find out what is going to be provided on course, then practice taking this nutrition and have a plan for race day. It’s a long day and you need to stay fuelled. I always keep a spare caffeinated gel tucked in my suit for emergencies. Nothing is worse than bonking mid-race!

breca swimrun 3. photo by Widman Media

4. PREP FOR THE COURSE

Swot up on the course and write down the distances of each swim and run on your hand paddles or arm so you can remind yourself exactly how long each leg is going to be. This will help manage effort levels and is good for moral too. It can also be a good idea to note down where the feed stations are, and also if there are any particularly tough/hilly sections.

5. WORK ON YOUR STRENGTH ENDURANCE

Swimming with trainers and potentially hand paddles creates a much bigger load on your swim stroke and thus you need to develop your strength endurance in training ahead of race day. Furthermore, if the running stages are going to be technical and hilly (they often are) then working on your leg strength will really help too.

Breca Swimrun 1. Photo: Wildman Media

6. PACE YOURSELF

This has two parts. If you are going to be competitive then you need to position yourself towards the front of the pack as bottle necks can be created at the start of the run. It may sound a little contradictory but not going out too fast is also key – you must manage your energy levels. It’s a long day and you don’t want to create any extra fatigue early on by burning unnecessary ‘matches’.

7. TEAMWORK IS EVERYTHING

Virtually all Swimrun races are done as teams of two and this is a huge part of what makes this racing so special. Be sure to meet up with each other for key training sessions. Work out each team member’s strengths and weaknesses, practice swim drafting and decide if you are going to attach a tether (lightweight elastic cord) to each other on the swims and runs. There will be hard times and good times, but supporting your buddy is a massive part of Swimrun. If you haven’t bonded before the race you will certainly have by the end! The guys who I have raced with are now some of my best friends. #bromance

breca swimrun 5. photo by Widman Media

Blog post author, Alan Scott (front right) leading out the field with his team-mate at the 2017 Breca Buttermere Swimrun event, which featured 38km of trail running, 6km of open water swimming and a total of 18 transitions.

8. USE A GPS WATCH

Having a GPS watch is really useful for working out your pace and effort, but most importantly it will keep you up to date on when the next transition is approaching so you can prepare for it. An example of this would be as you are coming to the end of a 5k run leg… it’s at this point you may want to start putting your swim hat and googles back on, zipping your wet suit back up and having your hand paddles ready to go. All this helps for a seamless transition.

9. TRAIN SMART

Sounds obvious, but the best way to train for Swimrun is to practice Swimrun. Find a local lake with some trails nearby, or even better around it. Jot down some of the race course distances and recreate them in training using your race kit. It’s amazing the things you will find out during the training sessions…. goggles that mist up, hand paddles that are too big, shoes and wetsuits that rub etc. By addressing these in the build up it will go a long way to mentally preparing you for race day.

breca swimrun 6. photo by Widman Media

10. SMILE IT’S RACE DAY

Come race day make sure you have a bloody good time. You are going to be racing through some stunning areas of natural beauty with a great mate or significant other, so soak it all up. Swimrun is one of the few races that you can share in the experience together. Enjoy the challenge… there are bound to be many of them!

*Follow Alan Scott on Instagram and check out his triathlon

*All photos used courtesy of Wildman Media were shot at this year’s Breca Buttermere Swimrun, supported by inov-8. Discover more about Breca Swimrun events.

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