Welcome to episode ninety-two of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swimrun Podcast!On the show this week we have Matthieu Poullian and Hugo Tormento of Team Ark Swimrun France. These guys finished third in this year’s ÖTILLÖ, The Swimrun World Championship and they share their intense race story with us (spoiler alert: broken bones were involved). This was a great conversation and we can’t wait to share it with you.But first... Training UpdateÖdyssey Swimrun’s Orcas Island is in the rearview mirror and we are looking forward to Ödyssey Swimrun Austin in five weeks. We took this week chill but will start our last training block of the year on Monday!ShoutoutsThis week we’re shouting out Brandon Nelson. We met Brandon at Orcas Island and his enthusiasm for Swimrun was very apparent, a.k.a., he’s super stoked. So apparent in fact, that he signed up with his buddies to go race Ödyssey Swimrun Ludington and sent us a really nice message while he was enjoying a well-earned post-race beer with his crew. BTW, if you’re looking for real estate in the Bellingham Washington area, Brandon is your guy!Feats of EnduranceThe award this week goes to everyone that was running up and down sand dunes on Sunday at Ödyssey Swimrun Ludington in Michigan. Strong work everyone! Legend has it that folks are still finding sand in their kits.Check out and join our Strava Club and join Swimrunners from around the world as they train for Swimruns and stuff.This Week in SwimrunAll the news that we could find on the internet contained herein.Starting out with something from the bummer news department, ÖTILLÖ announced that November’s Catalina race has been postponed to March 19-20 citing uncertainty for travel given the continued disruptions caused by COVID-19.This means that for Swimrunners seeking to accumulate ranking points for the Swimrun World Championship in the Western Hemisphere, the sole remaining ÖTILLÖ Merit Race will be Swimrun NC on November 7th. There are some spots still available for that race so make sure to get on top of that if you have aspirations to qualify for ÖTILLÖ, The Swimrun World Championship.In happier news, the inaugural Ödyssey Swimrun Ludington took place over the weekend and looked like an amazing sand-filled adventure. Ödyssey’s final race of the season will be taking place on Sunday, November 7 in Austin, Texas. New for this year are the addition of two events on Saturday November 6: a Kids Swimrun and a 5k trail run. We encourage everyone to join us at the start line for this race. (Make sure to use the code LOWTIDE15 to save 15% off of your solo or team registration.)In other Swimrun news, Swimrun Portugal’s Madeira Swimrun presented by HEAD is taking place this weekend. We can’t wait to be able to get out to race one of Bruno Safara’s events! Make sure to check out our interview with Bruno to learn more why you too should be jonesing to Swimrun in Portugal.Finally, As Keen as Mustard Events recently announced that they have opened registration for all their 2022 Swimrun events. If you live in the UK (or are planning to visit) make sure to check out one of their fun and welcoming events. You can learn more about this race series and the mother/daughter duo Nicky and Chelsey on Episode 56 of the podcast.That’s it for this week. Be sure to tip us off if there’s any news that you would like for us to share on the show.UpdatesNew hats are coming! Stay tuned for more details soon. In the meantime, check out our online store if you’re looking to show some Low Tide Pride.Team Ark Swimrun FranceIt was great to chat with Matthieu and Hugo. We discussed the growing Swimrun scene in France, how they discovered Swimrun, how they are such fast swimmers, and got an exclusive race report from their 3rd Place finish at ÖTILLÖ, The Swimrun World Championship. This was a great conversation and it’s hard not to root for Team Ark Swimrun France as they will try to climb atop the podium again in 2022. Enjoy!That’s it for this week’s show. If you are enjoying the Löw Tide Böyz, be sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast player and leave us a five-star review. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast, and on YouTube. You can also follow our meme page on Instagram. Email us at lowtideboyz@gmail.com with any feedback and/or suggestions. Finally, you can support our efforts on Patreon…if you feel so inclined.Thanks for listening and see you out there!-  Chip and Chris

Low Tide Boyz

Team Ark Swimrun France

Welcome to episode ninety-one of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swimrun Podcast!We’ve got a special episode for everyone this week! We just got back from the “PNW” after racing Ödyssey Swimrun’s Orcas Island Long Course on September 26th and we’ve got one hell of a race report to share chronicling all the highs and lows and highs of us racing this epic Swimrun.Initial ThoughtsWe’ve been looking forward to racing Orcas Island since it was first announced four years ago and we were finally going to take it on and we were super stoked to take on the challenge.Orcas Island was Pretty CoolWe rented an awesome house that was literally across the street from the start/finish line and we brought with us an LTBz flag that we had made for the occasion and must have been seen by almost every participant since they ran by our house on the way to the finish line.We co-hosted a shakeout Swimrun on the Saturday before the race and it was awesome to see so many people come out for that. We basically just ran around Cascade Lake to do a couple of swims and play at the cliff jump section of the run course. It was super fun on a beautiful day. All the credit for the shakeout goes to Trista and Amy of Team Adorkable for coming up with the idea, getting the fika, and just being awesome ambassadors for the sport. The event was co-sponsored by Ark Sports, Wild Swimrun, and Ödyssey.  Race DayThe race was everything that we had hoped it would be: beautiful and brutal. We wouldn’t say that we set the course on fire but we kept moving forward and dug deep to get through the course. We finished the race in 6:33 which was good enough for 4th Place Men’s Team and 7th Overall. So that was nice!Final ThoughtsWhile we didn’t have the race performance that we felt we were capable of, we learned a lot at this race and gained a ton of experience. Overall, Ödyssey Swimrun Orcas Island was an amazing event and we will definitely be back to race it again next year, if able.That’s it for this week’s show. If you are enjoying the Löw Tide Böyz, be sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast player and leave us a five-star review. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast, and on YouTube. You can also follow our meme page on Instagram. Email us at lowtideboyz@gmail.com with any feedback and/or suggestions. Finally, you can support our efforts on Patreon…if you feel so inclined.Thanks for listening and see you out there!-  Chip and Chris

Ödyssey Swimrun Orcas Island 2021 Race Report

Welcome to episode ninety of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swimrun Podcast!On the show this week we have a long-time friend of the show, Mel Bartow, on to chat. She is part of the California Swimrun crew and she recently traveled to Sweden to race ÖTILLÖ, The Swimrun World Championship with her race partner, the one and only, Andy Hewitt. She shares her amazing experience with us on the show!But first... Training UpdateIt’s race week!!!! Ödyssey Swimrun’s Orcas Island is this Sunday and we can’t wait to get up to Orcas Island and take on the super challenging long course. We’re as trained up as we’re going to get but we feel ready to take on the challenge.ShoutoutsThis week we’re shouting out our wives. We literally wouldn’t be able to do this show and/or travel to races without their support. We know that it’s tough on them to handle everything around the house and deal with the kids while we are out in the woods tethered together and whatnot and we are full of gratitude for their support and love.Feats of EnduranceThis week’s winner is Bas Bood from The Netherlands. He raced Swimrun Lauwersoog over the weekend and put in a really good effort out there. Strong work Bas!Bonus winner this week is our friend Carolyn for running her first half marathon since giving birth to her beautiful daughter. Awesome job!Check out and join our Strava Club and join Swimrunners from around the world as they train for Swimruns and stuff.This Week in SwimrunWe’ve got something new for everyone this week. We’re calling it “Race Director Reports” and our first installment is with our friend and co-founder of EX Swimrun, Nicholas Roman. He joins us to talk about last weekend’s EX21 event.In other Swimrun news, the 5th edition of the Urban Swimrun Challenge took place over the weekend in Düsseldorf, Germany. It’s cool to see this type of urban format and the race looked like it was a lot of fun.The Folkhälsan Swimrun went off without a hitch on Saturday in Finland. This event is an ÖTILLÖ merit race and took place about 40km outside of Helsinki. Shoutout to friends of the show Nicolas Remires and “Beek” Tarayao (of Team Envol Baywatch) for winning the race! Finally, Backwaterman Swimrun took place in Austria. The races start and end in front of ​​Ottenstein Castle looks awesome! Shoutout to friends of the show Åsa and Henrik (A.K.A., the Swimrun Pappa) for finishing first place in the mixed team category of the 36km Marathon course. Strong work!That’s it for this week. Be sure to tip us off if there’s any news that you would like for us to share on the show.UpdatesOur new merch is here! Check out our latest ways for you to show your Low Tide Pride in our shop!If you’re racing Orcas Island and aren’t sure what to do kit-wise, make sure to check out our latest episode of Gear Talk with the Swimrun Labs where we discuss gear considerations and tactics for the race.Mel Bartow’s Epic Swedish AdventureIt was awesome to get Mel’s experience of her trip to Sweden for the World Championship. Her enthusiasm for Swimrun is infectious and she got us even more stoked to try to qualify for the original Swimrun. This interview is solid gold! Enjoy.That’s it for this week’s show. If you are enjoying the Löw Tide Böyz, be sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast player and leave us a five-star review. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast, and on YouTube. You can also follow our meme page on Instagram. Email us at lowtideboyz@gmail.com with any feedback and/or suggestions. Finally, you can support our efforts on Patreon…if you feel so inclined.Thanks for listening and see you out there!-  Chip and Chris

Mel Bartow’s Epic Swedish Adventure

Welcome to Gear Talk with our friends Annie and Brooke from Swimrun Labs.In this episode, the gang talks through the various gear considerations for the upcoming Ödyssey Swimrun Orcas Island race in beautiful Orcas Island, Washington. This is the first time that they will all be racing the same event since Casco Bay 2018. Annie and Brooke share their wealth of knowledge of the course as previous participants to help Chipper and Chris dial in their race kit for their first time racing Orcas. That’s it for this week’s Gear Talk show. If you are enjoying the Löw Tide Böyz, please be sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast player. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, and Google Podcast. You can also follow our meme page on Instagram. Email us at lowtideboyz@gmail.com with any feedback, suggestions, and/or meme ideas. Finally, you can also support us on Patreon…if you feel so inclined.

Ödyssey Orcas Gear Considerations

Welcome to episode eighty-nine of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swimrun Podcast!On the show this week we have our course preview for Ödyssey Swimrun Ludington. We're joined by special guests Aaron Palaian and John Stevens from the Ödyssey crew to talk us through their newest race and share some great training tips for this unique course. Trust us, this race sounds like it's going to be dope!PURE MICHIGAN MAKES FOR PURE SWIMRUNNINGMuch Like Ödyssey Swimrun Mackinac Island, Ludington offers Swimrunners an opportunity to explore a very cool part of the state of Michigan. Aaron shared with us how he settled on the coast of Lake Michigan to host a Swimrun and why Ludington will be an awesome venue for athletes and families.Travelling to Ludington is pretty straightforward with several airport options. Lodging is also straightforward as Ludington has a lot of options.SAND IS YOUR FRIEND (or at least keep telling yourself that)We are lucky to have the only person to have actually ran and swam on the course, John Stevens, to walk us through each leg of the race for both the long and short course. The short course meets up with the long course at Swim 4 (of the long course) and follows the same course to the finish line so we will only mention Run 1 of the short course separately.The long course clocks in at 19.33 miles with 16.2 miles of running and 3.13 miles of swimming with 1,500ft of elevation gain. The short course is 10.68 miles long with 8.55 miles of running and 2.13 miles of swimming with 750ft of elevation gain.Both courses feature a variety of terrains that should make for a super fun event. As you listen to the leg by leg breakdown, we recommend looking at the course map to help orient yourself and visualize what you will experience on race day.Annotated Leg By Leg BreakdownLONG COURSERun 1 (1.45mi)“Urban running” through the downtown LudingtonThere will be some sidewalk traffic involvedSwim 1 (650m/711yd)Coldest swim of the day (Mid to upper 50 degrees Fahrenheit) Pretty straight forward swim along the beachRun 2 (2.15mi)First half is on roadsBack half of the run is a paved trail through the woodsSwim 2 (565m/618yd)The lake is really darkRun 3 (2.05m)Last run on the roads for a whileSand dune climb at the end of the runSwim 3 (400m/437yd)“Steven’s Lake”Swimming though an old quarryRun 4 (3.75mi)Aid station at the start of the runRunning on trails and then on sand towards the endSHORT COURSE Run 1 (1.75mi)This first run is a doozyThere are some wooden platforms at the start that can be very slippery when wetThere are some sand trails towards the middleA “crazy” sand dune climb at the end of the runSwim 4 (1,365m/1,493yd)You swim under a bridge near the startIt’s a pretty shallow swim on the second halfRun 5 (.40mi)Straight up a 200 meter sand dune at the start of the run“Embrace the suck.” -- John StevensSwim 5 (200m/219yd)Nice and short!Run 6 (3.25mi)This run has it all! It goes from woods to sand to the oceanLots of sand hereYou’ll run through some shallow poolsAwesome climb at the end over a ridge that will give you a cool view of the Big Sable Point LighthouseSwim 6 (250m/273yd)This swim is around the Big Sable Point LighthouseThis swim might be cancelled if the conditions are too gnarlyÖdyssey will make the call on race dayRun 7 (3.0mi)Dirt road runIt’s exposed so it could be hot if the sun is outDefinitely hit the aid station at the start of the runSwim 7 (1,610m/1,761yd)This swim is down river so it should be pretty fastNear the end of the swim you go under a low bridge that can be a little nerve rackingRun 8 (.15mi)Sweet little beach run to the finish lineDO IT FOR THE ICE CREAM!John Stevens shared a couple key workout sessions that will help athletes prepare for the demands of the Ludington course. He recommends some high tempo running mixed with some hill work such as a running workout consisting of 6-8x 30 second hard uphill into an extended 4-5 minute tempo effort. The swims are pretty straight forward so being comfortable with the distance and being able to apply some power will serve athletes well.As far as a key Swimrun workout, John recommends doing a couple of rounds consisting of a 300yd swim at race effort with a fast transition into a hard 1-2 minute uphill and then settle into some race effort tempo running for a 1 mile.CLOSING THOUGHTSThis race looks great and we give major kudos to Aaron, John and the rest of the Ödyssey crew for finding such an awesome location to host a Swimrun. All the different types of terrain that this event offers is very unique and will make for a great adventure for everyone that will toe the line. Huge thanks for Aaron and John for taking the time to help us put this course preview together. These episodes are an iterative process so please let us know what you think about this evolving format.That’s it for this week’s show. If you are enjoying the Löw Tide Böyz, be sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast player and leave us a five-star review. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast, and on YouTube. You can also follow our meme page on Instagram. Email us at lowtideboyz@gmail.com with any feedback and/or suggestions. Finally, you can support our efforts on Patreon…if you feel so inclined.Thanks for listening and see you out there!-  Chip and Chris

Ödyssey Swimrun Ludington Course Preview

Welcome to Gear Talk with our friends Annie and Brooke from Swimrun Labs.In this episode, we have a roundtable discussion regarding the different tiers of Swimrun wetsuits (entry-level, mid-range, and high-end) and what features you typically get for the money.Make sure to check out our companion video on YouTube to get a closer look at the different tiers of wetsuits.Gear UpdatesAnnie tested out the HOKA ONE ONE Torrent 2 shoe. She wanted to really like them but they didn’t work out for her for Swimrun. She also recently tried the Saucony Switchback 2 shoe for Swimrun and found that the shoe did not drain water very well. She plans on drilling little holes and reporting back if that solves the draining issue.Annie has also been practicing in the Ark Sports Korp and has been very happy with its durability. She also went commando for a Swimrun practice and is now a convert.Chipper wanted to shout out the new Precision Hydration PF 30 Energy Gels. Chipper, Chris, and Annie have all tried them and think they are great!Wetsuit Suit-OutWe get questions every week asking us for recommendations for wetsuits. Our answer is always “depends.” There are a lot of considerations in deciding what wetsuit to settle on. Free SuitsIf it’s your first Swimrun and you have a triathlon or surfing wetsuit hanging around, you can totally use that with either zero or a few modifications by cutting the legs above the knees and the arms above the elbow. You can also check out the Swimrun Swap Meet on Facebook for a used suit.Entry LevelThese suits cost on average under $250. They have few bells and whistles but there are some really great options out there including the Synergy Swimrun Wetsuit and the Ark Sports Korp. (We have full reviews on both!)Mid-RangeThese suits run on average under $450-500 and offer a lot of upgrades from entry-level suits including thinner neoprene, different materials, and sometimes come with arm sleeves. The Ark Sports VIGG and HEAD My Boost suits are great examples of this range.High-EndThese suits will offer premium everything and you definitely get something special for the price. They are lighter, they wick water away better, and generally more flexible. The Ark Sports ORNO X is a great example of what is available at the pointy end of things.DiscussionWe all agreed that there are some features that we love and features that we can live without. We all thought that having Gen 2 bottoms, suits with good shoulder mobility, toothy zippers, a comfortable neckline, and removable arm sleeves are essentials for us. Chipper also really likes having a kangaroo pocket in the back.Annie really loved having a thermal core panel in the suit. If you tend to not lead the swim legs then something a bit warmer might be a good idea.We all thought that internal pockets in a suit, cargo pockets on the bottoms, Three-quarter leg length, dual zippers to help with cabbing down, mini pockets for a whistle (or a joint), and Gen 1 neoprene bottoms weren’t things that would entice us towards purchasing a suit. Brooke likes zippers that end at the waist so that they don’t get tangled up with the pull buoy and/or tether belt.Closing ThoughtsAll in all, there’s a Swimrun wetsuit for every budget. We hope that this episode has helped lay out what features you get for the money and, more importantly, what features you will find most important. Make sure to check out our companion video on YouTube to get a closer look at the different tiers of wetsuits.That’s it for this week’s Gear Talk show. If you are enjoying the Löw Tide Böyz, please be sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast player. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, and Google Podcast. You can also follow our meme page on Instagram. Email us at lowtideboyz@gmail.com with any feedback, suggestions, and/or meme ideas. Finally, you can also support us on Patreon…if you feel so inclined. 

Swimrun Wetsuit Suit-Out

Welcome to episode eighty-eight of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swimrun Podcast!On the show this week we have someone who really has no business being on our show...but that just lets you know how awesome of a person he is. We are super lucky to have author, speaker, and coach Brad Stulberg on the show this week. His latest book, The Practice of Groundedness: A Transformative Path to Success that Feeds--Not Crushes--Your Soul, was just published this week and we chat with him about all things human performance, sustainable success, and well-being.(Full Disclosure: Chris is Brad’s speaking agent and the COO of his media company, The Growth Equation)But first... Training UpdateÖdyssey Swimrun’s Orcas Island is 3 weeks away! We’ve got a couple of weeks of hill work left before heading to the Pacific Northwest and we will be doing a couple of long-ish Swimruns to get our transitions dialed in.  It’s safe to say that our stoke level is very high for this race!ShoutoutsThis week we’re acknowledging a couple of folks. First, big shoutout to our newest Patron on Patreon, Miriam Fendler. She trains at the same pool as us and she’s super stoked on Swimrun. Thank you so much for helping support the show and we can’t wait to hear how Ödyssey Swimrun Ludington goes for her and her partner Sarah, A.K.A., Team PB and Bananas.We’re also shouting out Mårten Westlund. He left us a DM over the weekend letting us know how much he’s been enjoying our memes. To quote him: “The sheer amount of incredibly funny content is too much to even take in. So damn great!” Thank you for that! Finally, shoutout to Mark Sealy from Oxfordshire by way of Zimbabwe. He reached out to let us know that he and his partner David have been enjoying our brand of Swimrun content and they’ve signed up for their first race at the Lock to Lock Swimrun Oxford happening on September 19th. Super stoked for you guys and let us know how it goes.Feats of EnduranceThis is a tough week for Feats of Endurance because there was an overabundance of feats that took place in Sweden this week. So we thought that we would give a global combo award to everyone that lined up in Sandhamn on Monday for ÖTILLÖ, The Swimrun World Championship. A special shoutout to our Strava Club members that raced: Max V., Annika, Maire, Sabina (2nd place Mixed Division), Beek, Philip, Sean, Mel, Ben, Jonathan, Tim, Anders, Max A., and Per. Check out and join our Strava Club and join Swimrunners from around the world as they train for Swimruns and stuff.This Week in SwimrunThere’s so much to cover this week that we released a special bonus edition of This Week in Swimrun to discuss the results of the 15th edition of ÖTILLÖ, The Swimrun World Championship. Check that out wherever you are listening to this episode.In other Swimrun news, Zêzere Swimrun took place over the weekend and it looked like a magical day for Swimrunning in central Portugal.Over in the U.K., Breca Swimrun hosted the UK National Swimrun Championship at their Jersey race over the weekend. The competition was tough but the course was lovely and made up for everything else. 220 Triathlon Magazine had a great write up on the race so head over there to check that out.In the bummer portion of the show, Swimrun Georgia might be postponed to 2022 due to permitting issues. We’ll share more updates as we get them.Swimrun Costa Brava is scheduled to take place next weekend on September 18. This race is 100% on our bucket list after hearing about how awesome it is from the Boston Wet Sox and Mia and Fanny from Wild Swimrun.That’s it for this week. Be sure to tip us off if there’s any news that you would like for us to share on the show.UpdatesOur new merch has arrived! Check out our latest ways for you to show your Low Tide Pride in our shop!We would also like to share that we have surpassed 50,000 total downloads! We can’t thank you all enough for tuning in and listening to our super-niche content. Brad Stulberg InterviewWhat can we say about today’s guest? Brad is the co-author of Peak Performance, The Passion Paradox, and author of the newly published, The Practice of Groundedness. His books have sold more than 250,000 copies and have been translated into more than 15 languages. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Wired, New York Magazine, Forbes, Sports Illustrated, and other national and international outlets. If that wasn’t enough, he’s also a contributing editor at Outside Magazine, where he writes a regular column on the science and art of success and well-being. He also has a coaching practice where he works with executives, entrepreneurs, physicians, and athletes and gives keynotes and workshops across the country. Finally, he’s the co-founder of The Growth Equation, an online platform dedicated to defining and attaining a more fulfilling and sustainable kind of success.We asked Brad to come onto the show to talk about his new book and share his insight on sustaining peak performance in Swimrun but also in life. Okay, mostly in life but still. He’s awesome and we really appreciated him doing us a solid to come on our show. You can learn more about Brad on his website and make sure to order his new book!That’s it for this week’s show. If you are enjoying the Löw Tide Böyz, be sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast player and leave us a five-star review. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast, and on YouTube. You can also follow our meme page on Instagram. Email us at lowtideboyz@gmail.com with any feedback and/or suggestions. Finally, you can support our efforts on Patreon…if you feel so inclined.Thanks for listening and see you out there!-  Chip and Chris

Brad Stulberg

Welcome to a special bonus episode of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swimrun Podcast! This week’s episode is a recap of the 2021 Ötillö, The Swimrun World Championship. We stayed up way beyond our bedtimes to watch as much as we could live and break down the 2021 edition of Otillo, The Swimrun World Championship.The live race production that Otillo had on their Facebook was solid. They featured a mix of live-action footage, on-course interviews, and a studio production which resulted in an entertaining broadcast.2021 Ötillö, The Swimrun World Championship ResultsHere are the podiums for each division of the 2021 Ötillö, The Swimrun World Championship. For the full results head to Ötillö’s results page.Women’s Division Race1st Place: ARK Swimrun Helena & Kristin | 9:00:472nd Place: Wild Swimrun West Coast | 9:11:27 +10:403rd Place: Head Swimming | 9:16:27 +15:40Mixed Division Race1st Place: Team Envol Head Swimming | 8:14:57 (Course Record)2nd Place: Team Envol Switzerland - HEAD | 8:32:36 +17.393rd Place: ARK Swimrun Marika & Alexander | 8:33:50 +18:53Men’s Divison Race1st Place: Team Simcoachen | 7:38:43 (Course Record)2nd Place: ARK Swimrun Fredrik & Lars | 7:44:55 +6:123rd Place: ARK Swimrun France | 7:49:08 +10:25Final ThoughtsWe are even more pumped about this race. It was really inspiring to see everyone give it their all in the Stockholm Archipelago. Special shoutouts to the team from the United States who made everyone back home proud. In the mixed division that was California Swimrun and in the men’s division It Be Me Me Me and Timothy, Team Envol Baywatch, and The Swimrun Monks.That’s it for this week’s show. If you are enjoying the Löw Tide Böyz, be sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast player and leave us a five-star review. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast, and on YouTube. You can also follow our meme page on Instagram. Email us at lowtideboyz@gmail.com with any feedback and/or suggestions. Finally, you can support our efforts on Patreon…if you feel so inclined.Thanks for listening and see you out there!-  Chip and Chris

Ötillö, The Swimrun World Championship 2021 Recap

Welcome to episode eighty-seven of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swimrun Podcast!Ödyssey Swimrun Mackinac Island 2021 is in the books and we welcome back to the show friends of the pod, all around amazing Swimrun ambassadors, and LTBz correspondents in the field Trista and Amy from Team Adorkable to give us their race recap from their weekend up in northern Michigan for the first edition of Ödyssey’s newest race. But first... Training UpdateÖdyssey Swimrun’s Orcas Island is 4 weeks away! (Make sure to use the code LOWTIDE15 for 15% off your registration to any/all Ödyssey Swimrun events.)  Unfortunately, the air quality has gotten pretty bad here due to wildfires to the north of us so we’ve had to bail on some big runs and take things indoors. We did manage to get in a mondo swim session in the books on Thursday which was “fun” and definitely LFG-esque.ShoutoutThis week we’re shouting out the fudge stores on Mackinac Island. No we didn’t have any fudge but it sure did look good!Feats of EnduranceThis week’s winner is Kathryn Meinhardt. She posted a workout this past week where she mentioned LTBz in the title which results in an automatic win in our book. (To recap, the current criteria for posts to automatically win include: workouts completed in Puerto Rico, workouts with a ton of elevation gain, and workouts that include LTBz in the title.)Check out and join our Strava Club and join Swimrunners from around the world as they train for Swimruns and stuff.UpdatesMake sure to check out this week’s special bonus ÖTILLÖ, The Swimrun World Championship race prediction show with special guests Henrik Wahlberg and Jonas Ekman. It was super cool to get Henrik and Jonas’s insights and you should make sure to tune in to ÖTILLÖ's complete coverage of the event on Facebook Live where they will be commentating.We’ve got some new shirts and hoodies dropping in the LTBz store next week so stay tuned for the latest ways for you to show your Löw Tide pride!Ödyssey Swimrun Mackinac Island 2021 Race Recap w/Team AdorkableIt was really great to have Trista and Amy, a.k.a. Team Adorkable, back on the show (check out our interview with them on Episode 58) to talk about their race over the weekend. We chatted with them about their whole weekend adventure in northern Michigan. The conversation was really fun and their enthusiasm was 100% infectious (in a good way) and we don’t think that anyone had more fun at Mackinac Island than they did. Their finish line antics are becoming legendary so make sure that you check their Mackinac video out.That’s it for this week’s show. If you are enjoying the Löw Tide Böyz, be sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast player and leave us a five-star review. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast, and on YouTube. You can also follow our meme page on Instagram. Email us at lowtideboyz@gmail.com with any feedback and/or suggestions. Finally, you can support our efforts on Patreon…if you feel so inclined.Thanks for listening and see you out there!-  Chip and Chris

Ödyssey Swimrun Mackinac Island 2021 Race Recap w/Team Adorkable

Welcome to a special bonus episode of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swimrun Podcast!We’re super stoked to share our inaugural ÖTILLÖ, The Swimrun World Championship Race Prediction show with special guests Henrik Wahlberg and Jonas Ekman. Henrik and Jonas aren’t just elite Swimrunners with a ton of experience racing ÖTILLÖ but they will also be providing commentary on the Facebook live feed that will cover the entire race on September 6th.  In this bonus episode, Henrik and Jonas walk us through the elite Women’s, Mixed, and Men’s fields and give us their takes on which teams are looking fit and their podium predictions for the 15th edition of the race that started it all. That’s it for this week’s show. If you are enjoying the Löw Tide Böyz, be sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast player and leave us a five-star review. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast, and on YouTube. You can also follow our meme page on Instagram. Email us at lowtideboyz@gmail.com with any feedback and/or suggestions. Finally, you can support our efforts on Patreon…if you feel so inclined.Thanks for listening and see you out there!-  Chip and Chris

ÖTILLÖ, The Swimrun World Championship Race Prediction Show

Welcome to episode eighty-six of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swimrun Podcast!We’re honored to have Michael Lemmel, Co-Founder of ÖTILLÖ on the show this week. We had a great conversation that covered a lot of ground where we looked back over the 15 year history of the race that started it all (ÖTILLÖ, The Swimrun World Championship) and looked forward to what the future holds for ÖTILLÖ and Swimrun.But first... Training UpdateThe training block has begun for Ödyssey Swimrun’s Orcas Island. Running hills will be a staple of this block and luckily, there is no shortage of mountains for us to run up and down. We ran the “Ninja Loop” on Saturday (a local trail runner favorite) and we will probably be hitting that loop multiple times before race day.ShoutoutThis week we’re shouting out Caroline Wolek and Patrick Reagan. They recently won the Ödyssey Legend Award as voted by the race participants at Casco Bay a few weeks back. This award shines a spotlight on athletes who embody the spirit of Swimrun: putting others above self, spreading positive energy to other racers, and taking action when faced with adversity. Caroline and Patrick are well-deserving of this recognition by their fellow Swimrunners. Congratulations! Feats of EnduranceThis week’s award goes to Nate Budziak. Nate ran the Waldo 100k over the weekend and totally crushed the 61ish mile (with 11,000’ of elevation gain) trail race finishing in 16th place overall. Awesome performance!Check out and join our Strava Club and join Swimrunners from around the world as they train for Swimruns and stuff.This Week in SwimrunLots of updates this week so let’s get right to it!It’s race week for Ödyssey Swimrun Mackinac Island! Make sure to sign up if you haven’t already (using the code LOWTIDE15 to save 15% on your registration) and follow our Instagram channel where our two LTBz Field Correspondents (Trista and Amy from Team Adorkable) will be “covering” the event.The Zêzere Swimrun hosted by our friends at Swimrun Portugal is just a few weeks away. This race is taking place on September 5th and offers two distance options. If you’re in need of a Swimrun holiday, then check out this race!We’re also just a few weeks away from the Breca Swimrun Jersey. Taking place on September 4th, this race is also the UK National Swimrun Championship. We’ve talked about this race before and it’s 100% on the bucket list!Over in Sweden, the Immeln Swimrun put on by A to Be Events took place over the weekend. The race looked awesome and we were stoked to see that the Ultra distance (that we talked about about a month ago) ended up getting enough participants for it to happen.The 10 Island Swimrun also took place over the weekend. What this 20km race in Gothenburg lacks in a creative name, it definitely makes up for it with a super hard but also super fun course. Definitely check out their Instagram page for some great race photos.That’s it for this week. Reach out to us with any news that you’d like for us to share on the show.Michael Lemmel InterviewThis week’s guest doesn’t need an introduction for anyone who is familiar with Swimrun...but we’ll give one anyway. Michael is the co-founder of ÖTILLÖ and is one of the most important figures in the sport. His (and the entire team at ÖTILLÖ) approach to adventure racing, race directing, protecting nature, and building community has helped to build the global Swimrun movement. We covered a lot of ground in this interview recorded on the eve of the 15th edition of The Swimrun World Championship and we discussed the past, present, and future of Swimrun. You can learn more about ÖTILLÖ on their website.That’s it for this week’s show. If you are enjoying the Löw Tide Böyz, be sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast player and leave us a five-star review. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast, and on YouTube. You can also follow our meme page on Instagram. Email us at lowtideboyz@gmail.com with any feedback and/or suggestions. Finally, you can support our efforts on Patreon…if you feel so inclined.Thanks for listening and see you out there!-  Chip and Chris

Michael Lemmel, Co-Founder ÖTILLÖ

Welcome to episode eighty-five of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swimrun Podcast!ÖTILLÖ, The Swimrun World Championship less than a month away! To get everyone hyped for the race, we asked our friend and previous guest of the show Oscar Olsson to walk us through the legendary 75km course. This episode is a masterclass and super helpful for anything racing the World Championship or just curious about what teams will face on September 6. Get your notepads out for this one!But first... Training UpdateFor the first time in a long time we had a chill week of training now that Casco Bay is in the rear view mirror. We’ll be starting to ramp up soon for Ödyssey Swimrun’s Orcas Island race and we foresee a lot of running up (and down) hills in our future.ShoutoutThis week we’re shouting out Henry Loveless who let us know that he did his first Swimrun over the weekend in Finland at the Strömfors Swimrun. He started listening to the show to get ready and we got him super stoked! (Mission Accomplished!) Congrats Henry and thanks for listening. Feats of EnduranceThis week’s award goes to Drew Wilson. This guy biked 105 miles (with 7,000ft of elevation) in Taos County New Mexico over the weekend...on a tri bike. Impressive on multiple levels. Strong work dude!Check out and join our Strava Club and join Swimrunners from around the world as they train for Swimruns and stuff.This Week in SwimrunLots of updates this week so let’s get right to it!Ödyssey Swimrun Mackinac Island is fast approaching! The race is on August 29 and we already are experiencing FOMO. Lucky for us, we will have two LTBz Field Correspondents (Trista and Amy from Team Adorkable) “covering” the event for us and they will be sharing all the weekend festivities on our IG stories and we’ll be doing a race recap episode with them as well so stay tuned for that.Another race that is giving us FOMO is Swimrun Georgia. This race is taking place on October 10 and we recommend that everyone who is in the general area of Georgia or in the United States to register! Programming note: are hoping to interview the race director Tony Hammet before the race so stay tuned for that.Up in Canada, Swimrun Victoria took place over the weekend. Lots of smiling faces at this event that offered 27km Long Course and 13km Short Course options.Over in Europe, all eyes are on ÖTILLÖ, The Swimrun World Championship on September 6. That’s not all that is going on across the pond. ÖTILLÖ’s Final 15k sprint race is taking place on September 4 which looks like a ton of fun!Finally, Swimrunman Laffrey is happening this weekend in France. This race offers a bunch of distance options including an ÖTILLÖ Merit race distance that features a legendary/brutal vertical kilometer final run to the finish line. There’s also a kids Swimrun which is awesome! This is yet another race that’s on our bucket list. Sigh!That’s it for this week. Reach out to us with any news that you’d like for us to share on the show.UpdatesIf you haven’t already, make sure to check out our Ödyssey Swimrun Casco Bay Race Report episode. Spoiler Alert: we had a good race and a lot of fun.Chris recently co-hosted the morning shakeout podcast with Mario Fraioli for the quarterly “Ask Mario Anything” series. A lot of great insight about marathon and ultramarathon training, nutrition, and the importance of taking breaks that is worth a listen.Finally, we are going to be restocking the LTBz store soon so stay tuned for new ways to show your Löw Tide Pride.ÖTILLÖ, The Swimrun World Championship Course Walkthrough We are super lucky to have someone like Oscar Olsson come back on the show to walk us through the legendary ÖTILLÖ, The Swimrun World Championship course. He knows the course like the back of his hand and he drops some major pro-tips that are good for everyone from first-timers to experienced teams racing on September 6. Basically, he gives us a masterclass on strategy for the 75km. He’s a great ambassador for the sport who clearly loves Swimrun and wants to help grow the sport. You definitely want your note pad out for this one!Oscar’s World Championship Solid Gold Pro-Tips:With 24 runs and 23 swims, working to keep your transitions short and crisp will save you a ton of time over the dayDon’t worry about jockeying for position on the first run in Sandhamn because the beach before the first swim is very wide and there’s plenty of spaceTake advantage of non-technical sections on the runs to find some pacePlan on cabbing down on the three long runs on the course unless the temperature is very cold to make sure that you’re not losing too much electrolytes that will affect your speed towards the end of the raceAlways take a gel before the Pig SwimMost athletes will be cold after the Pig Swim so try to keep moving to get the body temperature upTake energy before the swim that takes you to Ornö because there isn’t an energy station until about 8-9km into the long 20km runCab down for the Ornö runIn training, make sure do a long Swimrun session that ends with a 15km run so simulate what the long run on Ornö will feel likeMake sure to notice the current direction You can follow Oscar Olsson on Instagram and definitely check out Livesporttv.se for awesome Swimrun content!That’s it for this week’s show. If you are enjoying the Löw Tide Böyz, be sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast player and leave us a five-star review. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast, and on YouTube. You can also follow our meme page on Instagram. Email us at lowtideboyz@gmail.com with any feedback and/or suggestions. Finally, you can support our efforts on Patreon…if you feel so inclined.Thanks for listening and see you out there!-  Chip and Chris

ÖTILLÖ, The Swimrun World Championship Course Walkthrough with Oscar Olsson

Welcome to episode eighty-four of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swimrun Podcast!We’ve got a special episode this week! We just got back from racing Ödyssey Swimrun’s Casco Bay on Sunday August 8th and we’re going to share our race report on what was a great weekend in Portland, Maine. Hope you enjoy it!Initial ThoughtsThere was a lot of buildup for this race. We’ve basically been training for this thing since January in the hope that races wouldn’t get canceled because of COVID...again. We definitely put in the work and the pre-race nerves were all about being able to put in a performance that was commensurate with all the training that we had been doing.Getting to the Maine EventGetting to Portland was uneventful. We flew separately which wasn’t ideal but we hang out enough already.Just like in Austin last November, it was awesome (and a little surreal) to meet so many new people, put faces to names from our Strava Club and Instagram DMs, and reconnect with previous guests of the show. We did our best to try to remember everyone that we met, so here’s a shout out list: (Super sorry if we forgot anyone)Luke from New Hampshire (hope the Ark Korp worked out for you)Lucas, the Renaissance Man as termed by John StevensBrooke and Samantha Fallon (finally met them!)Ben from Arizona who we met outside of Otto's PizzaGrace MobergRay ConboyChris Sweet (a local)Ian and Nick from the UKMick from Australia Caleb Baity (finally!)Scott H. from Boston Jenny Hinshaw (Sarah Fergot’s race partner) Liza and Mike from LA (we met Mike at Catalina last year)Chris from Tower 26 (Feel free to use the testimonial that Chris gave you at the post-race party)Jett and Derek Rosner NikosJohn from the ca Swimrun crewJohn’s friend Heather from BostonSophie MolsberryScott Turner from DC (Extra special Shout-out)It was also great to see former guests of the show and folks that we have met at previous events. There are too many of them to list but you know who you are!Finally, some special bonus shoutouts to the four US teams that are racing the ÖTILLÖ World Championship next month that all came out to Casco Bay for a final tuneup before the big dance. You’re all great ambassadors for US Swimrunning and we’ll all be rooting for you! (Programming alert: we’ve interviewed all of them...except for Mel Bartow...which we will be rectifying soon!)Team Envol Baywatch (Beek and Blake)It Be Me Me Me and Timothy (Jonathan and Tim)The Swimrun Monks (Sean and Phillip)California Swimrun (Mel and Andy)Race Day/The Shark Email/Ferry Ride to the StartAt 4:06am on race morning, Ödyssey made a bunch of people shit their pants when they sent out an email letting everyone know about a tagged shark sighting about 4 miles off of Cushing Island (so basically near/not so near the first and second swims.) Obviously, they made the right decision in letting everyone know but it probably wasn’t helping calm the nerves. For our part, we weren’t thinking about it. Our nerves were more about putting together a good race to justify to ourselves that all our training culminated in good race execution, which doesn’t always happen.The ferry ride was cool and hanging out with everyone at the start line was a lot of fun. Then, just like that the race started!LTBz Long Course Play-By-PlayR1: Peaks Island (2.0mi)S1: Peaks Island to Cushing Island (965m/1,055yd)R2: Cushing Island (2.3mi)S2: Cushing Island to House Island (645m/705yd)R3: House Island (.4mi)S3: House Island to Little Diamond Island (965m/1,055yd)R4: Little Diamond Island (.8mi)S4: Little Diamond Island to Great Diamond Island (325m/355yd)R5: Great Diamond Island (1.3mi)S5: Great Diamond Island to Cow Island (200m/219yd)R6: Cow Island (.5mi)S6: Cow Island to Long Island (965m/1,055yd)R7: Long Island Part 1 (1.6mi) S7: Long Island to Vail Island (270m/295yd)R8: Vail Island (.5mi)S8: Vail Island back to Long Island (880m/962yd)R9: Long Island Part 2 (1.6mi)S9: Long Island to Little Chebeague Island (640m/700yd)R10: Little Chebeague Island (.4mi)S10: Little Chebeague Island to (Big) Chebeague Island (560m/612yd)R11: Chebeague Island (Run 1) (4.25mi)S11: Chebeague Island (Swim 1) (650m/711yd)R12: Chebeague Island (Run 2) (.8mi)S12: Chebeague Island (Swim 2) (400m/437yd)R13: Chebeague Island (Run 3) (.55mi)The long course ended up being a bit longer than advertised with most teams saying that the overall distance was around 25 miles. But hey, that’s Swimrun! We finished the race in 5:10 which was good enough for 10th Place Men’s Team and 11th Overall.Post RaceThe finish line was a lot of fun with everyone cheering the finishers as they crossed the arch.We ended up tagging along with the Cali Swimrun Crew and got a water taxi back to Portland which was the best $40 that we ever spent..and saved about 2 hours of ferry boat riding to get back to the mainland.Our inaugural race after party at Lone Pine Brewery was a lot of fun. People showed up which was not a guarantee and it was great to have a venue for everyone to share their war stories from the day and learn from the experiences of others. We learned a ton for sure. Huge thanks for everyone that came out.Overall ImpressionsThe race was a great adventure. The course was well marked, the locals were out cheering everyone on, and the sharks minded their own business. The Ödyssey crew did an awesome job and it was easy to see that they were as stoked as all the participants racing.Final ThoughtsIt was so great to get out there and express the fitness that we’ve been developing over the last year. We’re definitely feeling amped up for Orcas Island at the end of September.That’s it for this week’s show. If you are enjoying the Löw Tide Böyz, be sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast player and leave us a five-star review. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast, and on YouTube. You can also follow our meme page on Instagram. Email us at lowtideboyz@gmail.com with any feedback and/or suggestions. Finally, you can support our efforts on Patreon…if you feel so inclined.Thanks for listening and see you out there!-  Chip and Chris

Ödyssey Swimrun Casco Bay 2021 Race Report

Welcome to episode eighty-three of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swimrun Podcast!In this episode, we sit down with Jonathan Story and Tim Ferguson of Team It Be Me Me Me and Timothy. They are a Swimrun team out of Charlotte, North Carolina and they are one of only four U.S. teams to qualify for the ÖTILLÖ World Championship this year. This is a fun one!But first... Training UpdateIt’s race week...finally! We know we say this a lot, but we’re super stoked to be heading to Portland to race Ödyssey Swimrun’s Casco Bay race for a second time. Stay tuned for our race report on next week’s show.ShoutoutThis week we’re shouting out Sarah and Miriam from Team PB and Bananas. They are a new team out of Petaluma, CA and happen to train at our pool. We love their enthusiasm (they definitely remind us of all the fun we had when we first got into the sport) and it’s safe to say that they are super stoked on Swimrun. Follow their adventures on Instagram as they train for Ödyssey Swimrun’s Ludington race in October.Feats of EnduranceThis week’s award goes to Jett Rosner. He posted a treadmill workout that had one of the best titles that we’ve seen in the Strava Club. His 5 mile run was called “Decent treadmill run (listened to the Low Tide Boyz Casco Bay Race Briefing!! Got hyped at the end and dropped a 6:10 last mile so the average pace was skewed).” Jett got us hyped!Check out our Strava Club and join Swimrunners from around the world as they train for Swimruns and stuff.This Week in SwimrunWe’ve missed a few weeks of updates so instead of looking back, in this edition we’re looking forward in time to chat about upcoming news and events.The Ödyssey Swimrun race season starts this weekend with Casco Bay. We can’t wait to participate in the long course distance and see everyone!In other Swimrun news from the U.S., Swimrun Georgia is back! This year’s race is scheduled for October 10. The course looks awesome and it’s a great first race for anyone who is curious about Swimrun.On the other side of the Atlantic...ÖTILLÖ is hosting its second race of the year this weekend in Gothenburg. The start list is stacked with a ton of talented teams for the 35km World Series distance race as teams try one last time to qualify for this year’s ÖTILLÖ World Championship on September 6. The Västeras Swimrun recently confirmed that their race on September 4th is happening and the race is filling up fast so make sure to register if you are in Sweden or want to go to Sweden for this event.Our friends at EX Swimrun are introducing a new Swimrun term that they hope will catch on: SWIFA (Swim Factor). Basically it’s a measure of how much swimming in relation to running a Swimrun course has. The higher the SWIFA, the more swimming a course has. They adapted the term from running and cross country skiing which uses the term STIFA to take into account elevation on a course. We think that it could be a helpful way to help people select and prepare for events.Speaking of EX Swimrun, their EX21 Fall Edition is taking place on September 19. With a SWIFA score of 21.7%, this race is not for the faint of heart with long swims and tough trails. Also the race starts with a 6 meter cliff jump. Sounds like a ton of fun!That’s it for this week. Reach out to us with any news that you’d like for us to share on the show.UpdatesMake sure to check out our latest episode of Gear Talk where the gang talks about gear considerations for this weekend’s Casco Bay race.This is the final reminder about our Casco Bay race after-party taking place at Lone Pine Brewery starting at 5:30ish. Look for the blue LTBz flag when you get there. Hope to see you all there!Team It Be Me Me Me and TimothyIt was great to chat with Jonathan and Tim about their Swimrun journey and their quest to qualify and race the ÖTILLÖ World Championship. It was inspiring to hear how they just put that goal out there and went and achieved it. As one of only four teams heading over from the U.S. to race the original Swimrun, they are representing the growing Swimrun scene in the U.S. In this interview, we chatted with them about how they discovered Swimrun and became partners, why they decided to try to qualify for worlds, how they are training for the big dance, and a lot more. These guys are great ambassadors for the sport and we will definitely be rooting for them next month.That’s it for this week’s show. If you are enjoying the Löw Tide Böyz, be sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast player and leave us a five-star review. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast, and on YouTube. You can also follow our meme page on Instagram. Email us at lowtideboyz@gmail.com with any feedback and/or suggestions. Finally, you can support our efforts on Patreon…if you feel so inclined.Thanks for listening and see you out there!-  Chip and Chris

Team It Be Me Me Me and Timothy

Swimrun Odyssey Casco Bay Gear ConsiderationsWelcome to Gear Talk with our friends Annie and Brooke from Swimrun Labs.In this episode, the gang talks through the various gear considerations for the upcoming Ödyssey Swimrun Casco Bay race in Portland, Maine. They take into account their previous experience at the event, the weather forecast, their training, and everything else to help Chipper and Chris dial in their kit for their first race of the year.That’s it for this week’s Gear Talk show. If you are enjoying the Löw Tide Böyz, please be sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast player. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, and Google Podcast. You can also follow our meme page on Instagram. Email us at lowtideboyz@gmail.com with any feedback, suggestions, and/or meme ideas. Finally, you can also support us on Patreon…if you feel so inclined. 

Odyssey Casco Bay Gear Considerations

We are the Low Tide Boyz, a SwimRun team based in Northern California. Our podcast is a window into the sport of SwimRun that we want to grow in the U.S. We’ll share our love for sport while chronicling our own training and racing adventures, interview race directors, athletes and other folks in the space and try to have a lot of fun in the process.

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Low Tide Boyz

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