Start Before You’re Ready

Tell us a bit about your background, who are you and where are you from?

I’m 47 years old and live in Gothenburg, Sweden, with my wife and our two sons. I actually ended up in Sweden a bit by chance. I met my wife in Australia back in 2003 – she was backpacking with a friend, and I was traveling solo on a motorcycle. We decided that I would come to Sweden for a year and see how it felt. That “one year” turned into more than 20, and I’m still here.

Have you been sporty all your life?

Not really, quite the opposite, actually. I’ve struggled with my weight for most of my life, and as a kid I wasn’t involved in sports at all. I’ve always been a bit overweight, sometimes more, sometimes less.
When I moved to Sweden, I discovered road cycling, and that became my entry into endurance sports. I had periods where I trained a lot, and others where I didn’t train at all. In 2015, I completed my first Ironman in Kalmar, which was a big milestone for me. But after that, life happened – work, stress, small kids – and my health gradually declined. At my heaviest, I weighed 107 kg at 167 cm. Eventually, my body said stop. I ended up in the hospital with high liver values, gallstones and stomach ulcers. That was a real wake-up call. I started thinking about my father, who passed away at 65 after not taking care of his health. That scared me. I realized I had to make a change – not just for myself, but for my family. Since then, I’ve made my health and training a priority. If not for myself, then for my wife and my kids. And 2025 has been a turning point in many ways.

How did you find out about Swimrun and what attracts you to it?

I discovered Swimrun through Ulrika Eriksson – for me, she’s the queen of Swimrun. She coached me for my first Ironman, and I’ve followed her journey ever since. Swimrun was always something that intrigued me. It felt wild and raw, very different from anything else. But in the beginning, I never tried it because you needed a partner, and I didn’t know anyone who wanted to do it with me. So I put it on hold, even though the idea never really left me.
In 2025, I finally got the chance to try it. It was exactly what I had imagined – and more. I did ÖTILLÖ Sprint Utö and then, almost by accident, ended up on the start line at the World Series race in Gothenburg. That was never the plan. I was supposed to race the Experience with my son, but he got sick. The day before the race, I went to registration thinking I would switch to the solo sprint and somehow, I found myself standing on the start line of the World Series race instead. It was incredibly fun, but also a real eye-opener. I missed the cut-off by just six minutes, my first DNF. But there wasn’t much time to dwell on it though, as I had Ironman Kalmar two weeks later. Literally the day after finishing Ironman Kalmar, I emailed Ulrika. I decided I wanted to give Swimrun a real shot.

When you did your first Swimrun, what was your biggest challenge?

The biggest challenge – and still is – transitions and nutrition.
There’s a certain chaos in Swimrun for me, especially in the beginning. Going in and out of the water, managing your gear, and trying to stay calm while remembering the “order of operations” takes practice. It’s easy to lose focus if you’re not fully present. There are moments when you jump into the water with the pull buoy still on your back, your legs sinking, and for a few seconds you have no idea what’s going on. You’re trying to adjust everything while basically swimming like a dog and thinking what am I doing. I think most people have been there at least once.
Nutrition has also been a real puzzle for me. In triathlon, it’s much more straightforward. You have easy access to fuel on the bike and during the run. In Swimrun, you have to carry everything yourself, make it accessible, and remember to use it consistently.
I’m still figuring things out. But I think that’s also part of what makes Swimrun so interesting, you never have everything completely dialed in, and I actually enjoy that challenge. I makes for funny moment.

What are your goals for this Swimrun season?

First of all, I want to take on my “arch enemy” ÖTILLÖ Gothenburg 
I’ve also decided to start the journey towards qualifying for the World Championship. I don’t know how long it will take, but that’s the goal.
It will also be my first time racing as part of a team. At Utö, I’ll be teaming up with Barbora from the Czech Republic, and in Gothenburg with Maikel from Germany. I connected with both through the ÖTILLÖ “find a teammate” platform and as Maikel call it “ÖTILLÖ Tinder”. We’ve never met in person, but I believe and hope it will work out great. It’s also a big motivation for me in training. I want to be the best teammate I can be, especially for them.

What would be your advice for someone who has never done a Swimrun?

Just try it. Swimrun will take care of the rest. You don’t need everything to be perfect before you start. Get some basic gear, go out, and experience it. It might feel a bit chaotic in the beginning, but that’s part of the charm. Once you try it, you’ll understand why so many people get hooked.

You train with Ulrika Eriksson, how has being coached helped you in your training?

When I reached out to Ulrika, I kind of knew what I was signing up for. It’s easy to get very focused on a goal, but she always looks at the bigger picture. Of course, she wants me to improve and perform and trust me, she puts some pretty brutal sessions in the plan but it’s not just about reaching a goa for her. It’s about being able to keep going afterwards. That really suits me. I need that balance, someone who pushes me, but also makes sure I don’t go too far or lose perspective.

What is your long-term dream for Swimrun / your fitness?

To keep the joy of training. That’s the most important thing for me. When it comes to Swimrun, I have one clear goal – the World Championship. It’s such an iconic race, and something I really want to experience

When will we see you next on the startline?

Hopefully very soon – I’m looking forward to the next race.