A 3-Time Olympian Breaks Down How to Swim Faster for Swimrun

Triple threes. Episode 333 brings back Brian Johns, Head of Coaching Science at FORM Swim and three-time Canadian Olympian, for one of the most practically useful swim conversations we have had on the show.
Brian is the brains behind the FORM training plans that Chris has been using almost exclusively for two years. In this episode we get into what is actually happening inside those plans, how to interpret the data your goggles are giving you, and — in a conversation Brian clearly enjoyed way too much — how to specifically design swim training to prepare for a race like Ötillö, the Swimrun World Championship.
We cover FORM's new product lineup including the Smart Swim 2 LT and the Pro 2 with Gorilla Glass, the two levers that control swim speed and how to manipulate them, what Head Coach Insights actually does, how to use stroke rate in open water and during transitions, the right way to think about interval length and success-based training, a diabolical pool workout we love that mimics the run-to-swim transition, and why you absolutely cannot win Ötillö on the first mile swim but you can absolutely lose it.
We are officially in taper mode for Orcas Island. If you are coming, join us Saturday at Rosario Resort for a fika with the LTBz and Wild Swimrun starting around 11am, then the shakeout swimrun with Marcus Barton and Team Envol in the afternoon.
This episode is brought to you by FORM Swim. The Smart Swim 2 LT is $149 and gets you the full heads-up display and training platform. The Pro 2 with Gorilla Glass is their top of the line.
Check out formswim.com and send us a DM with any questions.

In this episode:
00:00 Intro — episode 333 and taper mode begins
02:00 FORM Goggles — Smart Swim 2 LT and the Pro 2
05:00 Otillo Orcas Island — use code LTBZ2026 for 15% off registration
06:00 Swimrun Lake James is coming back in 2027
08:00 Rust buster swimrun recap — Aquatic Park, cold water, transition drills
10:00 Welcome back Brian Johns — Head of Coaching Science at FORM
11:00 FORM product update — Smart Swim 2 LT, Pro 2, Head Coach Insights
13:00 What Head Coach Insights actually does
15:00 The two levers of swim speed — stroke length vs stroke rate
17:00 Open water strategy — why stroke rate is the key lever
20:00 Tracking form score length by length vs by interval
23:00 Real-time feedback — why the goggles beat a coach on deck
26:00 Head pitch drills and the video game display in your goggles
30:00 Strokes per minute for pacing — how Chris uses it in training
35:00 What to do when your form breaks down at 800m of a 1000
40:00 Success-based training — shorter intervals done well beat long intervals done badly
44:00 Swimrun-specific training — how to structure swim training for ÖTILLÖ
50:00 The partnered swimming dynamic — leading swims and using the tether
55:00 How to think about the Ötillö swim profile — front-loaded and tactical
01:00:00 Brick training for swimrun — swim before and after your long run
01:01:00 The 10x100 deck-up workout — our favorite swimrun pool set
01:04:00 Why showing up to swimrun with swim fitness is the unlock
01:06:00 Race tactics — you can't win Ötillö on the first mile swim, but you can lose it
01:10:00 Wrap up — Brian wants an invite back