Swim
Super Sprint: 1/4 mile
Sprint: .5 mile
Olympic: 1.5K
LMT has a Deep Water Start marked by the red tetrahedron buoy. ALL athletes in every wave will swim clockwise around the course and to the next red buoy. Super Sprinters will turn at the green buoys and finish on the shore. Sprint athletes will turn at the yellow buoys, Olympic athletes at the orange buoys. All swimmers must be leaving transition by 8 AM.
Swimmers begin in waves approximately every 3 minutes. We understand these are pretty tightly spaced. This is because we have to make sure all swimmers have exited Transition #1 by 8:00AM before our first cyclist is due back in the park through that same entrance. It's for your safety that we keep the waves so close together. This does increase the density of athletes on the course - which is why we restrict registration numbers.
7:00 - Olympic men (Orange Caps)
7:03 - Olympic women & relays (Orange Caps)
7:06 - Sprint men (Yellow Caps)
7:09 - Sprint women (Yellow Caps)
7:12 - All Super Sprinters 0 (Green Caps)
What Happens if your Olympic Swim will take close to an hour to complete??
To keep everyone safe on their bikes at the beginning and end of the bike course, It's imperative that we get all of you out of transition and through the intersection of Kent-Kangley & 152nd prior to the first cyclist returning. When the lead cyclist has 1.5 miles to go, we won't be allowing any other cyclists to exit the park. This will likely be at 7:55-7:57AM. If Mike Murphy, our swim course director, determines you're at the risk of not getting out of T1 on time, he'll give you the opportunity to get into a boat and be dropped at the swim finish where you can continue (quickly through transition please) onto the bike course. You may also choose to continue swimming, but when we hear the lead cyclist is 1.5 miles from the finish , you'll be enjoying the rest of the race from inside the park. If you are a woman or relay swimmer and would like to start in the first wave for an extra 3 minutes, contact us.
If you are signed up for the Olympic distance and are concerned you won't complete the swim on time, you are more then welcome to transfer to the Sprint or Super Sprint at any time prior to the race statrt
If you're signed up and nervous about your swim and how it might keep you from a happy finish, keep reading for some strategies.
1. Educate yourself about the course. Study the map. Know where you'll start and which color buoys to look for to turn at. Swim in Open Water at least a few times prior to the race. Putting an open water swim off until race day isn't the best strategy if you're nervous (though we see it every year!) Go swim with friends at a calm, quiet lake or go to some organized training swims before your race like the Open Water Wednesday Training Swims right here at Lake Meridian.
2. Wear a Wetsuit! Wetsuits are warm, buoyant, form-fitted life preservers. They will keep you on the surface of the water, keep you warmer, and give you confidence. They also make you faster! If you don't have a wetsuit, you can rent one or buy one at Northwest Tri & Bike.
3. Warm -up prior to the start. Since the start is out past the shore, everyone will do a little swimming prior to the start, which is a great thing in helping settle nerves. Please get in the water and do some real warming up. Include a few 15-20 second harder efforts so your heart rate is up before the gun goes off.
4. Start from the back or off to the side The start area of our race is very wide and you can start as far back as you like. There's no need to be in a tight pack of other swimmers when you start. And it's just fine to let everyone else go when the gun goes off, and you wait 10-15 seconds for everyone to get out of YOUR way.
5. Stay Calm! The lake is beautiful and devoid of carnivores. The seaweed never comes near the surface. Tell yourself you're having fun and focus on your stroke. It will inevitably end with you smiling and puffed up with accomplishment.
6. Use the Water Support Personnel . You are welcome to hold onto a kayak for support (as long as you don't make forward progress while holding on). If you need to rest, rest! If you need to gather your courage, that's fine too. Our kayakers are looking for you and want to help. Don't hesitate at all to call one over to you or make your way over to them.
We Want you to Cross the Finish Line. No matter what
It's important to us that you have a great finish line experience to celebrate all the hard work you've done getting to the start line. Occasionally we have athletes that aren't able to complete the swim or decide they aren't up to starting it. If that's the case for you on race day, we want to keep you racing.
If you're in the water swimming and for whatever reason are unable or unwilling to make it to the swim finish, alert a kayaker or other water support person. Either a kayaker will help escort you back, they will have a boat to you in a matter of minutes who will bring you aboard. When you get back to shore, you'll be welcome to continue onto the bike course as long as the first cyclists haven't returned to the park.
If for any reason you choose not to swim on race morning, please get the attention of one of our volunteers who will put you capably in the hands of a staff member. He or she will help you start the race from your bike where you will carry on gallantly through the bike and run courses and across an exuberant finish line toward your finishers medal and the welcoming spatulas of the pancake servers. You won't have an official finish time, but you'll finish!
