SWIMRUN SERIES| Race Preparation | How to Choose Your Perfect Swimrun Partner

Hello Orca fans! Today in our Swimrun series we will be discussing the importance of partnership and companionship in Swimrun.

As one of the only sports in which you compete in pairs, choosing your Swimrun partner can be almost as critical as looking for your soulmate.

As you know from our previous posts, there are 3 categories in which you can compete: male, female and mixed gender, so there are various criteria for selecting your perfect partner.

Choosing your partner can be a key factor in ensuring that this experience is equally rewarding for both of you.

TIP 1 | What is Your Reason for Participating in Swimrun?

It may seem like a simple question, but it is important that you speak openly about what drives you to take on this challenge and make sure that you have similar expectations. Preparing yourself for a race is no easy task and it takes a lot of time and effort, so making sure that your partner's expectations are similar to yours will help you to avoid problems and frustrations and enjoy the experience to the maximum.

So before you "commit" to anyone, sit down and talk to them and ask: Why are you facing this challenge? Are you doing it to have fun and enjoy a new adventure, or are you coming from a competitive mindset? Are you trying to enjoy the outdoors and nature or to qualify for the world championships?

Remember to consider these issues before you begin training, because your common objectives must be clear.

TIP 2 | Similar Qualities

Second, it is important to consider each of your strengths as athletes in order to determine your strategy during the race.The first step in doing this is to consider your times/strengths in both the swimming and running race portions.

What are your swim times? What are your running times? Do you have similar distance/endurance training? If your answer to all these questions is yes, you will be highly compatible and make a very balanced pair, which is certainly an advantage for the race.

TIP 3 | Complementary Qualities

Don't get rid of your partner just because you don't share the exact same qualities!

Don't worry if you do not share the exact same qualities. Just like with other types of couples, sometimes your opposite characteristics complement each other, which can result in an excellent partnership as well.

If one of you is a great swimmer but the other teammate is stronger in the footrace, one can pull the other while you are swimming and let the other one drag them during the footrace.

It might be worth using a bungee cord for this, so that you can literally tie yourself to your partner and be pulled by them.

Finally, no need to worry if there is one partner who is always stronger as long as they also have more distance/endurance training and your goal is not just to make good time but to enjoy the journey. After all, an adventure like this can be just as rewarding if you have someone you really want to enjoy the journey with.

Listen to our athletes' opinion in the next video! If you want to know more about this sport and learn more about Orca's exclusive content, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on our social networks!