When is the 2027 SWIMRUNMAN Gorges du Verdon?

The organisers announce May 2027, with no exact date yet. The 2026 edition took place on Sunday 10 May, with the Ultra starting at 6 am on Place Sainte-Anne, in Les Salles-sur-Verdon.

What kit is mandatory?

The bib and swim cap provided, swim goggles, a whistle without a pea, a foil blanket, and a wetsuit if the water is below 16 °C. A wetsuit is banned if the water is above 22 °C.

Yes on the Sprint and the Classic, solo or in pairs (the Sprint also as a relay). The organisers describe the Ultra as “an adventure for two”; the options for each format will be confirmed when registration opens.

SWIMRUNMAN Gorges du Verdon: how many weeks of preparation?

For an athlete at intermediate level, Endu builds a 19-week preparation. If your race is closer, the plan compresses phases while keeping the taper; if it's further away, it lengthens the preparation, and when the gap is large the preparation starts right away, gently and at your current volume, before building up.

How many sessions per week?

This example has 5 sessions per week. You choose 5 to 7 training days and the exact days (e.g. Tue, Thu, Sat, Sun): the plan sticks to them.

I'm a beginner, is this plan for me?

The plan adapts to your declared level (beginner to semi-pro): starting volume, progression and intensity change. Endu also offers a "Discovery" mode without a race to build a base first.

Can I follow sessions on my watch?

Yes, on Garmin and COROS. On Garmin, the Endu app (Connect IQ Store) shows today’s session and starts it as a guided workout. On COROS, link your account from your profile: your running, trail and cycling sessions land in the watch calendar. Other brands are not supported yet.

How much does it cost?

14-day free trial, then €7.99/month with no commitment or €59.88/year (€4.99/month). Unlimited objectives and sports.

SWIMRUNMAN Gorges du Verdon 2027: date, course and training plan

60 km · 1,886 m D+ · 9.9 km swim · 50.2 km runLes Salles-sur-Verdon2027 edition: date not announced yet

The SWIMRUNMAN Gorges du Verdon takes place in May around Lac de Sainte-Croix, starting from Les Salles-sur-Verdon, in the Verdon Regional Nature Park. Its Ultra, an Ötillö Merit Race, covers 60 km and almost 1,900 m of climbing, with a 1.5 km swim through the gorge; the organisers say about 50% of starters finish. Three shorter formats, from the Sprint to the Half, start on the same Sunday.

Your plan for SWIMRUNMAN Gorges du Verdon

A plan set to your level and free days, which adapts to your feedback after each session.

Your level?

14-day trial, cancel anytime.

SWIMRUNMAN Gorges du Verdon at a glance

Date: 2027 edition: date not announced yet2026 edition: 10 May 2026
Formats: Sprint Verdon — 13.8 km (1.8 km swim, 12 km run), 222 m of climbing, 6 swims and 7 runs: a 4.6 km loop done three times, solo, in pairs or as a relay. No cut-offs on Sprint races.
Classic — 25.4 km (5.5 km swim, 19.9 km run), 609 m of climbing, 9 swims and 10 runs, solo or in pairs. Goes through the gorge since 2026. 8 am start in 2026.
Half — 42.8 km (7.3 km swim, 35.5 km run), 1,392 m of climbing, 10 swims and 11 runs. 7:30 am start in 2026.
UltraPlan below — 60.1 km (9.9 km swim, 50.2 km run), 1,886 m of climbing according to the format page (1,858 m on the 2026 course sheet), 12 swims and 13 runs, eight aid stations. An Ötillö Merit Race, described by the organisers as “an adventure for two”. 6 am start in 2026.
Kids — Three children’s races on the Saturday, from 1.2 to 2.7 km depending on age.
Registration: Registration for 2027 is not open yet: every format is marked “coming soon”. Entries are online only, on the official site, solo or as a team of two depending on the format, while places last. You must be 18 on race day; athletes without a licence no longer need a medical certificate but fill in an online health questionnaire. No 2027 prices are published yet.
Official website: swimrunman.fr/courses/gorges-du-verdon

The 2026 course

Start on Place Sainte-Anne, in Les Salles-sur-Verdon. The first 12 km alternate five short run sections and five swims of 400 m to 1.2 km on Lac de Sainte-Croix. Then comes the longest run section, 14.6 km with 787 m of climbing, which goes through the Verdon gorge, followed by a 1.5 km swim in the canyon before the Galetas aid station. The race then passes Aiguines, Pedro Plage (km 38.1) and Bauduen, with the longest swim, 2.1 km, after km 48. Finish after 60 km according to the 2026 course sheet, with eight aid stations, six of them cut-off points.

What the race asks of your training

One very long run section

On the Ultra, the sixth run section is 14.6 km long with 787 m of climbing, just before a 1.5 km swim through the gorge. With 50 of the 60 km on foot, long runs on hilly ground and hill sessions matter as much as swimming.

Water between 14 and 18 °C

The organisers expect water between 14 and 18 °C in May, and a wetsuit is mandatory below 16 °C. Swimming in open water from spring, in your wetsuit, gets you used to the cold; a neoprene hood and gloves are allowed.

Cut-offs all along the course

In 2026, six of the Ultra’s eight aid stations were also cut-off points, with a time limit of about 13h10 at the finish. The organisers base them on roughly 8 min/km running and 3:30 per 100 m swimming: you need to hold those paces to the end, not just early on.

Paddles, pull buoy and tether

Paddles, pull buoy, elastic tether and safety buoy are allowed; fins and snorkels are banned, and a buoyancy aid must not exceed 100 × 30 cm. Training with your race-day kit, linking swims and runs in your shoes, prepares you for the Ultra’s 25 sections.

The plan below prepares the Ultra format, for an athlete at intermediate level with 5 days available per week. Until the official date is out, the example is set for May 2027. Aiming for another format? Enter its distance when you create your plan, which will be calibrated on your level, your available days and your feedback after every session.

weeks: 19
sessions: 94
sessions / week: 5
peak week: 10.4 h

Plan structure

Periodised in phases: build the base, move to race-specific work, then taper before the race.

General preparation
Weeks 1–2 · 2 wk
Base
Weeks 3–8 · 6 wk
Build
Weeks 9–12 · 4 wk
Specific
Weeks 13–16 · 4 wk
Taper
Weeks 17–18 · 2 wk
Race week
Weeks 19–19 · 1 wk

Volume progression

Week by week: lighter recovery weeks are built in to absorb the load.

Wk	Phase	Hours	km
1	General preparation	6 h	48
2	General preparation	6.2 h	51
3	Base	6.7 h	42
4	Base	7 h	44
5	Baserecovery	5.4 h	35
6	Base	7.3 h	43
7	Base	7.8 h	46
8	Base	8 h	49
9	Buildrecovery	6.2 h	38
10	Build	8 h	51
11	Build	8.5 h	51
12	Build	8.8 h	52
13	Specificrecovery	7.2 h	15
14	Specific	9.5 h	20
15	Specific	10 h	20
16	Specific	10.4 h	21
17	Taper	6.3 h	42
18	Taper	5.3 h	34
19	Race week	2.4 h	19

Sample week — week 10 (Build)

Real sessions from the plan with their targets. Each session is detailed step by step, and can be sent to a Garmin or COROS watch.

TuesdayBrickModerate
4 × (8 min swim + 12 min run)
1 h 35
WednesdaySwimmingEasy
5 × 10 min steady
1 min recovery
1 h 05 · 3 km
ThursdaySwimmingHard
16 × 100 m at threshold
15 s recovery
52 min · 2.4 km
FridayRunningVery hard
4 × 1.2 km at MAS
2 min 30 s jog recovery
55 min · 10.5 km
SundayRunningEasy
Long run 3 h 34
3 h 34 · 34.6 km

Example generated for a intermediate-level profile (MAS 15 km/h, 5 days available per week). Your plan will depend on your level, availability and feedback.

This plan’s check-up

Pass

A 19-week build (recommended minimum: 16); a longest run never more than 6% above the previous month’s; volume rising at most 5% from one week to the next; 92% of the time at easy effort; the longest session 3 weeks before the race; a taper cutting volume by 77% in race week.

2 worth knowing · 19 checks passed

Remarks

Strength training — No strength session.
Fueling — Long sessions (up to 260 min in this plan) are where race fueling is rehearsed.

The 19 checks passed, in detail

Length of the build — 19 weeks: enough for this race (recommended minimum: 16).
Sessions per week — 5 sessions a week: the minimum for this race is met.
Volume progression — Running volume rises at most 5% from one week to the next (a signal appears beyond 20%).
Long run increase — Each week, the longest run is at most 6% longer than the longest of the previous month (benchmark: 10%).
Lighter weeks — A lighter week comes back regularly (weeks 5, 9, 13, 17).
Intensity distribution — About 92% of the time at easy effort: the most common distribution among trained endurance athletes.
Demanding sessions — No more than 3 demanding session(s) a week: suited to the level.
Hard days back to back — Demanding sessions are separated by easy days.
Rest days — At least one rest day a week.
Timing of the longest session — The longest session falls 3 weeks before the race: the right time.
Swim-run sessions — 12 sessions alternating swimming and running over the last 8 weeks.
Taper — Volume drops 77% in race week.
Intensity during the taper — Short race-pace efforts remain in the last two weeks.
Frequency during the taper — The number of sessions stays close to usual (90%).
Share of swimming — Swimming is 36% of swim + run time: within benchmarks (25 to 40%).
Swimming every week — 3 swim sessions a week.
Swimming in race kit — 19 swims with shoes on over the last 8 weeks.
Open water — 8 open-water session(s) before the race.
Longest swim-run session — The longest swim-run session lasts 260 min, for a race of about 545 min.

Endu runs its own plans through the plan check open to everyone: same public rules, same thresholds, same sources. The rules and their sources, and a check of your own plan.

Why this plan works

Science-based periodisation

Base → build → specific → taper, with a recovery week every 3 to 4 weeks. Load goes up, but never two hard weeks in a row without a breather.

Paces, not vague feelings

Every session has target zones (pace, HR) computed from your MAS or a reference performance. A MAS test is built into the plan if you don't know yours.

Transitions and gear

Swim / run transition sessions with paddles and pull-buoy, so your body gets used to switching effort and running wet.

A plan that listens

After each session you rate how it felt (RPE). Too hard? The plan eases what follows. Skipped a session? It reschedules or absorbs it.

On your watch

On Garmin with the Endu app, on COROS by direct sync: the guided workout shows up on your wrist, step by step.

Reviews

What our users say.

4.8/5

“A good find to prepare my swimrun! It’s nice to find a plan for this sport. I’ve recommended it to my teammate.”
Antoine · Swimrun
“I run more regularly and, above all, with more desire. For that alone, I’m delighted.”
Laura · Swimrun
“I used to spend more time looking for a plan than following one. Now I have my sessions, I know what to do and I stick to it. Really glad I tried it.”
Thomas · Running
“Training for my first half marathon and honestly, I’m getting into it! I even look at my next sessions ahead of time, when before I was mostly looking for an excuse not to go out 😂”
Camille · Running
“Simple to follow and really handy with the watch. I start my session and off I go.”
Julien · Running
“I took Endu to prepare a trail race with friends. I really like having my week already organised: it motivates me and I enjoy my runs more.”
Émilie · Trail
“What I like is no longer asking myself a thousand questions before going for a run. I follow the plan and I enjoy training.”
Nicolas · Trail
“With work and the kids, I thought I’d struggle to follow a plan. In the end, having a structure helps me a lot. Running has found a real place in my week again, and it feels good!”
Julie · Trail
“For triathlon, having all three sports in the same schedule really makes my life easier. I spend less time organising my training and I still enjoy following it just as much.”
Maxime · Triathlon
“At first I just wanted to try it. Now checking the next day’s session has become my little evening ritual 😊”
Sarah · Triathlon

Your plan, not a template athlete's

This plan is generated for an athlete at intermediate level with 5 days available per week. Yours will be calibrated on your MAS, your available days and your feedback after every session. 3 minutes. 14-day trial, cancel anytime.

Create my plan for SWIMRUNMAN Gorges du Verdon