For sake of cost, since I traveled to Scotland from the USA, I ended up renting a mountain bike with regular knobby tires, locking front suspension and a hard tail. Cyclocross bikes were not for hire. Now that I know what the off road conditions are (or were for a relatively dry race in 2011), I would opt for a cyclocross bike this year.

Check out my video of the race and you’ll see the wettest portions of the trail. I saw cyclocross riders going through the wet stuff just fine. There were some switchback single track sections, but it accounted for such a small portion of the ride, I wouldn’t choose a mountain bike just to go slightly faster through those sections.

The grated dirt and loose stone roads would be the primary reason to have a mountain bike. While I was thankful to have front suspension when riding fast down these bumpy roads, I would have gladly taken a cycloross to cover the over 60 miles of beautiful pavement on the rest of the cource.

For consideration, significantly more cyclocross riders were getting flat tires than mountain bike riders. I’ll be sure to master my tire/tube changing skills before the race this year.

Thanks again! Best of luck in your training.

Brian

I think you’ll be in great shape for the Swamp Fox. The run has been the least demanding component of the last two races that I’ve done. Of course depending upon the pace that you keep, the difficultly will be relative. But I can say that each year I talk to racers that hadn’t been training, they finish and they really enjoy themselves. It’s not uncommon to see some do the run portions at a trek or 11-12 min/mile pace

And unlike 5k and 10k run races, there’s generally going to be some adventure race distractions, like navigation or obstacles, that breaks up the running. Last year the race started with a 3 mile scavenger hunt and then later, after about a 9 mile paddle, there was another 3 mile run with obstacles and check points.

By far though, biking has been the largest component of the race. And of course there are no hills here in the low country, so it’s pretty straight forward riding on paved and dirt roads, very limited single track (if any) and some soft sand mixed in here and there.

To participate, the race can really be done at any pace. Based on time remaining before the cut off around 7pm, teams simply need to make the call when to stop going after checkpoints and to start heading towards the finish line. From my experience and reports I’ve read on other years of the Swamp Fox, the race wraps up on the bike (maybe with an obstacle right at the finish line).

Hope this helps and I look forward to running into you at the this year’s race.
- Dominic

Great info! I’m on a 4 man team looking to do this year’s Swamp Fox. We’re all pretty novice but in pretty decent shape w/ 2 of the guys doing a lot of 5 and 10Ks. I’ve read both your entries on the two races, what more can you tell me in terms of the breakdown of run, ride, paddle. I’m currently following a modified half triathalon training schedule and am most concerned w/ my run conditioning. All advice is greatly appreciated.

Brian

- Repost from Grant’s Twitter feed (@Untamed_Adv)