Our next SwimRun NC event was meant to be on October 13th, 2024 but we had to postpone it to April 6, 2025 because of all the damages in Western NC post Hurricane Helene.
SwimRun NC at Hanging Rock State Park is the concept of Jan Kriska and Jeff Beckelhimer, two passionate endurance athletes who reside very close to this stunning part of nature, and have spent countless times running or swimming there. They invited Herbert Krabel to join them as he shares that unique event passion. Kriska, Krabel and Beckelhimer have participated in endurance events all over the globe and Beckelhimer is also a smart and experienced race event director. These 3 volunteer race directors want to bring other endurance folks to North Carolina to experience the magic of the Hanging Rock State Park and the adjacent Dan River.
The goal is that athletes get to enjoy the magic and challenge of about 17 miles of running and 3k of swimming broken up into 10 runs and 9 swims, plus a lot of elevation gain for some added fun. But this is race for very experienced and fit endurance athletes and should not be taken lightly. We started in 2016 and he 2024 event will be the 7th edition (no race in 2020 and in 2023), and this race is a non-profit event.
Sign up right here for the 2024 SwimRun NC Yes we still call it the 2024 race.
SwimRun explained
SwimRun is a unique and fast growing sport that is driven by passionate folks who enjoy being challenged by nature and being close to it. Most of these SwimRun events take place in Northern Europe where there are now around 100 such races, and all of them have their own distinctive flavor, with race distances also varying greatly from event to event. The land and water dictates the race distance and the segments, it does not go the other way around.
It all began in Sweden in 2002 with a bet and has turned into the now famous and very tough Island to Island (ÖTILLÖ) race, where teams of 2 (dependent on each other) run across an island, swim to the next one, run across that island, and swim again etc etc. But we have several cool SwimRun events in North America since 2016 and among those is SwimRun Lake James and the ÖTILLÖ SwimRun Orcas Island.
The 2024 / 2025 SwimRun NC event schedule
Yes we had to move the race from October 13, 2024 to April 6, 2025 but the Green Heron Alehouse in Danbury, NC will still be the site for the start and finish, package pickup and all related activities. The actual events themselves are held outside of the Alehouse and that includes package pickup etc, but you can have delicious beer within. The proper address is
Saturday, April 5, 2025
2-4:15pm Race package pickup next to Green Heron Alehouse (no package pickup on race day)
4:15pm Mandatory race briefing for all competitors outside the Green Heron Alehouse.
Sunday, April 6, 2025
8am Race start next to Green Heron Alehouse
2:30pm Awards in front of Green Heron Alehouse
We of course could not run such an event without great partners and we are thrilled to have their support.
Rules and Regulations
SwimRun races are team events with 2 athletes per starting team, and these teams can be either all male, all female or gender mixed. Athletes on the same team have to be within 10 meters of each other at all times, and they are allowed and encouraged to help each other.
Typically teams swim with the running shoes on their feet, and run while still wearing the wetsuits. With so many transitions in SwimRun events, it makes no sense to get undressed and dressed over and over again. Pull buoys, tethers and paddles are legal in these events, but when used must be carried from start to finish. Other equipment is mandatory and you can read the detailed rules and regulations below.
SwimRun NC Rules
1.) Participation
A) SwimRun participants acknowledge and understand that a SwimRun endurance event is comprised of multiple and alternating transits of varied terrain and open water swims may present unique and unexpected hazards outside the control of race organizers, local governments and private property owners whose property the course may utilize. All participants are required to execute a Participant Waiver and Assumption of Risk.
2.) Course
A) The race course will consist of alternating trail running routes and swim legs in the lake at Hanging Rock State Park and the Dan River. The running routes will be marked at various points along the course, swim legs will be designated by markers at each entry and exit point.
B) Athletes may stray 3-5 feet from the main trail to pass other athletes or to avoid obstacles but any other deviation from the marked course shall be grounds for disqualification.
3.) Gear / equipment
A) Mandatory equipment supplied by competitors must consist of:
– Wetsuits worn by all competitors covering at a minimum, the torso and upper half of thighs.
– 1 whistle per athlete
– 1 First Aid pressure (not compression) bandage per team that is packed waterproof
Failure to possess or use as required shall be grounds for disqualification.
B) Mandatory equipment supplied by race organizers
– Race bib to be worn visibly at all times by each team member. It can’t be hidden under the wetsuit or rolled up. .
– Swim cap to be worn during all swim legs
C) Recommended Gear (not required)
– Swim hand paddles/gloves
– Swim pull buoy
– Nutrition extras
– Tether between teammates for swim and/or running, but no longer than 12ft.
D) Equipment NOT PERMITTED
– Any flotation aid larger than 40” x 24”
E) All equipment listed as required gear must accompany the teams at all times and be present for gear check at package pickup and possibly also at the finish. Failure to meet this condition will be grounds for disqualification.
4.) Race support and safety
A) Aid stations will be sited at various locations across the course for fluid replacement and nutrition. Special needs should be carried by the athletes as needed.
B) Medical personnel will be sited at the start/finish and at lake swim area. Toilet facilities are present at start/finish and at lake swim area.
C) Team members must remain together at all times throughout the event and cannot be more than 10 meters apart.
D) The race organization can refuse a team from continuing if they are judged to be incapable of competing safely due to fatigue or injury.
E) The race organization reserves the right to alter, shorten or otherwise change the course at any time as a consequence of weather or other unexpected course conditions beyond their control that may jeopardize the safety of athletes.
5.) Checkpoints and time cut-offs
A) Throughout the course checkpoints will be established that must be reached by all teams. We have 2 cut-off times that teams need to reach in order to continue racing. This is meant for athlete safety and also in fairness to the volunteers on course.
Cut-off 1: With the race clock at 2:15 hours teams who have not gone past the checkpoint at the lake after “Swim 4” will be pulled from the event.
Cut-off 2: With the race clock at 4:00 hours teams that are not yet back in the water for “Swim 5” after the technical Moore’s Wall loop will also be pulled from the race.
The decision by the race director at that time will be final and can’t be discussed, and the race organization may need to adjust such cut-off times based on conditions on race day.
B) A team that has abandoned the race shall report to the nearest checkpoint or race staff as soon as possible.
6.) Athlete conduct and responsibilities
A) All athletes shall become familiar with, accept, and abide by, the race rules.
B) At all times, athletes shall be respectful of public and private property owners. Waste shall be disposed at designated aid stations ONLY. Toilet waste paper MUST be disposed of at designated aid stations, please carry appropriate supplies to conform to this provision. Failure to do so shall be cause for disqualification.
C) Athletes are participating with the full knowledge and acceptance of the risk of injury.
D) Athlete teams are REQUIRED to stop and offer aid, to the best of their ability, to fellow competitors in need, or as requested by race staff. Failure to do so will be grounds for disqualification without exception or recourse. This is the spirit of SwimRun that all competitors must abide by.
E) Athletes are required to attend a mandatory pre-race briefing in the afternoon prior to race day. Athletes failing to attend will not be permitted to race.
7.) Release of photographic images
A) Participants agree to permit the race organization to utilize photographs, video or film images taken during the event for use in marketing, press accounts, or publicity in print or digital form over all mediums of transmission.
Registration
The registration for the 2024 event (in the spring of 2025) will be a opened again once we have the new date
https://runsignup.com/Race/NC/Danbury/SwimRunNC
This is a very difficult event and should not be taken lightly. We highly recommend trail running experience and practicing swimming in open water. The fee to fully register is $450 per team but increased to $490 on March 15, 2024. Money that does not go back into the race* is used to buy items for the Hanging Rock State Park or donated to other charities.
*The race directors take no money from the event.
Below is the video from the 2018 SwimRun NC plus the video from the 2022, 2021, 2019 event can be found here, here and right here.
And from the 2017 SwimRun NC
And below is the video from the 2016 SwimRun NC event
Race distances:
Run 1: Green Heron Ale House via the Window Falls to Hanging Rock Lake past the aid station and then behind the dam and back up - 4.7 miles
Swim 1: Swim across the bay - 25 meters
Run 2: Northern lake trail - 0.2 miles Swim 2: Swim across Hanging Rock Lake while staying on the right side of the lake and towards the aid station - 550 meters
Run 3: Past aid station and traverse water fall - 0.2 miles
Swim 3: Swim across the bay - 25 meters Run 4: Northern lake trail - 0.2 miles
Swim 4: Swim across Hanging Rock Lake while staying on the right side of the lake and towards the aid station - 550 meters Run 5: Past check point and then on to Moore's Wall (w 642 steps) to the top of the Moore's Wall Fire Tower. This is a big lollipop loop and very challenging both going up and coming down.There will be a limited supply of water at the top, and likely a mandatory photo. When coming down back to the lake you go past the aid station and again behind the dam. - 5.5 miles
Swim 5: Cut across bay - 25 meters
Run 6: Northern lake trail - 0.2 miles Swim 6: Swim across Hanging Rock Lake while staying on the right side of the lake and towards the aid station - 550 meters
Run 7: Past aid station and traverse water fall - 0.2 miles Swim 7: Cut across bay - 25 meters
Run 8: Northern lake trail - 0.2 miles Swim 8: Swim across Hanging Rock Lake while staying on the right side of the lake and towards the aid station - 550 meters Run 9: Past the aid station and on to the Cascade Falls. This is another lollipop section where you can see the competitors close to you. You climb through the lower Falls and then climb back up to the main parking lot before descending on the Indian Creek trail down towards the Dan River. But at the bottom instead of heading right towards the trailhead you go left on the Riverbluff Trail - 5.7 miles Swim 9: Rock walls to Green Heron Ale House - 900 meters Run 10: Very mean stairs to the finish plus a few more steps - 100 yards Total running 17.1 miles with 2,750 feet of elevation gain and drop, total swimming 3,200 meters
Follow us on Twitter via @SwimRunNC
Follow us on Instagram via @SwimRunNC and on our Facebook page via @SwimRunNC. Actually we update the Facebook page the most, so you should definitely follow us there.
Airport
The closest airport by is Greensboro, NC (GSO) and Charlotte, NC (CLT) and Raleigh (RDU) are also solid options.
Lodging
The lodging options near the venue are very limited, but there are various campgrounds close by. Most athletes typically stay in Winston-Salem, NC – about 45 minutes from where the race starts and finishes. The largest metropolis near Hanging Rock State Park.
