Rockman 2025 Course Preview w/Marcus Barton

·1 hr 16 min·5 clips

Marcus Barton reveals Rockman was his first swimrun, instantly hooking him with its mind-blowing challenge.

In episode 284 of Low Tide Boyz, hosts Chipper and Chris interview Marcus Barton, a seasoned swimrunner and co-race director of Rockman, to preview the 2025 edition of one of the world's hardest swimruns. Barton begins by recounting how Rockman was his first swimrun in 2015, hooking him on the sport, and details his evolution from racer to course marker and eventually co-race director alongside Tor. He describes the race's setting in a Norwegian fjord as magically beautiful but dangerously distracting, leading to frequent falls. The conversation shifts to gear, with Barton advising on wetsuit selection—thin suits for less leg resistance on climbs versus thicker ones for cold water—and mentions mandatory gear like safety whistles. A comprehensive course walkthrough follows, starting with a 5 AM ferry departure from Stavanger, a jump into the fjord, and an immediate 4,444-step ascent. Barton explains the course's four sections: the Florly loop with cold lake swims, a mile-long fjord crossing, the technical 'Seaside Sprint' involving chains and cliffside scrambling, and the final section including Pulpit Rock and the 'Path of the Ancients'. He notes the race features 34k of running, 6.5k of swimming, and 8,500 feet of elevation across nine swims and runs. Training recommendations emphasize technical trail running, stair climbing, and downhill durability. Barton also covers the shorter 20k swimrun and trail run options, volunteer needs, and cutoff times. The episode includes shout-outs to filmmaker Rasmus Lodinius for his race videos and the Wild Swim Run organization for youth initiatives. Hosts mention their upcoming vacations and race reports, and encourage listeners to study course maps and videos for preparation.

As heard by us

Rockman's ferry start, variable swim, and 4,444 steps get a grounded course breakdown from Marcus Barton.

Rockman is framed around a start that makes the race feel unstable before anyone reaches land. Teams leave the ferry one at a time, jump into the water, swim toward shore, then meet 4,444 steps and about 2,400 feet of climbing packed into a mile.

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Why you'd press play

Want to know whether your Rockman plan survives a ferry jump and 4,444 steps?

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