“For me ÖTILLÖ showcases the very best of Swimrun. The original course through the Swedish Archipelago is second to none and both the organisation and course selection for the other World Series events is the standard against which all other Swimrun events should be measured.”
– What do you like most about Swimrun?
For me, it is primarily the ability to race with a team-mate. There are so few opportunities to race alongside a partner in endurance sports this makes Swimrun very special. This aspect was the main motivation I got to sign up for OTLLIO in 2014 and continues to be a big factor in making me come back for more. The other thing is the wonderful places and courses that you get to visit and race across. I would probably have never visited the Stockholm Archipelago or Catalina Island for example if Swimrun had not taken me there.
– What are your goals for 2020?
Currently, they are simply to stay reasonably fit and to push any racing goals into late 2020 or even 2021! For a few years, I have had a few niggling running injuries so one thing I am doing is trying to ease the pace of my running but getting more hours and miles in to try to strengthen my body. I think that this approach will benefit me in the future as I have often been guilty of training too hard and short in recent years.
– How does Swimrun make you a better person in your everyday life?
The focus it gives me to train when I have a race in mind is very helpful in getting me out of the door when I may otherwise not feel like it. The training is a great way to de-stress and spend some quality time by myself which hopefully makes me a better Dad, Husband and co-worker for the people close to me. You’d have to ask them if that is the case though!
– If you could choose anyone you want as a partner for an ÖTILLÖ race, who would it be?
That is a tough question! I’ve raced with many people in Swimrun races in the past few years and have genuinely enjoyed them all. I am not sure there is one specific person I can name who I’d love to race with particularly, but having someone just a little bit faster than me who wants to push me to my limits is always good.
– What is your favorite meal the night before a race?
I am not super fussy when it comes to pre-race nutrition but I do value eating a lot of food the day and night before a long race to help make sure I have sufficient energy on board. This usually means the normal types of pre-race carbs like pasta, rice or potatoes and I tend to avoid too much fibre. I also salt my pre-race meal as I do sweat a lot and lose tons of salt so this always helps me perform better the next day.
Read more about Andy and Precision Hydration, the company he founded, in the article we wrote about winter training in 2017, in the Swimrun Life Magazine. Find the article here.
Follow Andy Blow and his Precision Hydration on Instagram
