The company behind the Great Swim Series has announced it will be introducing SwimRun to its programme in 2017.

Scheduled for Saturday 10 June, the SwimRun takes place over the same weekend as the Great North Swim, Britain’s biggest mass participation swimming event. There will be three distances on offer to cater for a wide range of abilities.

The format follows that pioneered in Sweden with ÖTILLÖ and invites participants to compete in teams of two while running and swimming through the Lake District National Park.

There are no transitions in a SwimRun event. You swim with your shoes on and you run in your wetsuit. Most competitors use a cut-down wetsuit so that their knees and arms are free. This can either be an old wetsuit that you’ve taken a knife to, or for those taking it more seriously, one bought (or borrowed) for this type of event. During the swim, participants are allowed to use a pull buoy as this facilitates swimming with shoes on, and some people like to use paddles.

The shortest distance on offer in Windermere consists of three swims and three runs with a total swimming distance of 1.9km and total running distance of 8.7km. If you want a truly tough challenge, then the ‘Endurance’ event offers 4.5km of swimming, 32km or running and a total ascent of 1,153m.

SwimRun has become increasingly popular over the past couple of years. To find out more about it, including advice on training and kit, see: http://h2openmagazine.com/blogs/swimrun-your-next-challenge

For more on Great Swim’s events, see: http://www.greatrun.org/great-swim/swimrun