Why More People Don’t Try Swimrun — And Why That Might ChangeI’m

Swimrun is often described as one of the most welcoming and rewarding endurance sports people ever try.

Yet despite the growth of trail running, open water swimming and triathlon, swimrun still feels strangely hidden from the mainstream.

Why?

Recently, I asked a simple question online:
“What stops people from trying swimrun?”

The answers were fascinating — and surprisingly human.

Most people didn’t say:
“It looks too hard.”

Instead, the barriers were much deeper:
fear of open water,
fear of looking unprepared,
fear of not belonging,
fear of doing something unfamiliar.

Again and again, people mentioned not the running — but the swimming.

Cold water.
No black line under the pool.
Panic in open water.
Not knowing how to sight.
Not knowing what to expect.

Others talked about how intimidating the sport appears from the outside. Pull buoys, paddles, tethers, wetsuits, trail shoes, transitions, point-to-point logistics — to newcomers it can feel like a completely different world.

One person described how strange the idea of “swimming in socks and trainers” sounded before their first event.

Then they tried it.

And realised it was absolutely fine.

That theme appeared repeatedly:
many fears were larger before the first experience than after it.

Another major issue was accessibility.

Many athletes explained that there are simply not enough local races, beginner sessions or community training opportunities available.

It creates what one participant described as a “closed circle”:
No races → no people.
No people → no races.

And perhaps most interestingly, many people said they didn’t necessarily need more motivation — they needed guidance.

Someone to explain things.
Someone to reassure them.
Someone experienced beside them saying:
“You’ll be okay. Let’s try.”

That may be the biggest lesson of all.

Perhaps the future growth of swimrun doesn’t depend only on bigger races or more advanced athletes.

Perhaps it depends on creating environments where beginners feel safe, supported and welcomed.

Because most people are not asking:
“Am I strong enough?”

They are quietly asking:
“Do I belong here?”

And the answer should probably be:
Yes.