Reston Masters' Jim McDonnell Lake Swims

• JMLS will be a one-day event on Sunday, May 26th, 2024.
• Entries close May 24, 2024 at 11:59 PM EDT.
• No entry changes after entry closing date. This includes any new entries, added swims, or changed entry information.
• The races will be started using a rolling start. Instructions will be provided for swimmers during the briefing prior to the race
• USMS, Local, State and National COVID-19 protocols will be followed. Information will be provided for swimmers prior to the event.
• Entry limit per race is a maximum of 300 swimmers

• Location: Lake Audubon, 2070 Twin Branches Rd, Reston, VA (Map & Directions).
• Course Map: 1-mile open water course (map). Swim counterclockwise beginning at Lake Audubon Pool end.
• Host: Reston Masters Swim Team
• Race Day Timeline
  • 6:00am:  Check-in opens (all races)
  • 7:30am:  1-Mile Line-up and Safety Briefing
  • 8:00am:  1-Mile race begins
  • 9:00am:  2-Mile Check-in closes
  • 9:15am:  2-Mile Line-up and Safety Briefing
  • 9:45am:  2-Mile race begins
  • 11:30am:  Race course clean-up begins
  • 12:00pm:  Clean-up is complete
• Online Entries: This event will use online entries only — No Paper Entries
• Eligibility: Minimum participation age is 18 by race event date. Swimmers must be registered with USMS or be a Masters swimming member of a World Aquatics member federation or obtain a USMS One Event registration (OEVT). 

• One-Mile race only: $105
• Two-Mile race only: $105
• One-Mile and Two-Mile Races: $155
• One Event Registration: $20 (The shopping cart will show an additional fee of $20 for all registrations, this fee will be discounted following successful USMS or World Aquatics verification)
• Refunds, Transfers, and Deferrals: There are no refunds, no deferrals of fees to next year and no selling/transfer of slots in swims. Swimmers will be required to confirm agreement with this policy before submitting their entry.   Race insurance can be purchased at checkout using RunSignUp.

• Seeding: Swims are seeded fast to slow using the 1650 yard time.
• Start: The race will be started using a rolling start in order of seed time.
• Timing Chips: Participants in swims will wear timing chips.
• Temperature Restrictions: No wetsuits or heat retaining swimwear in water above 78 degrees. If swimmers are not able to meet the requirements for CAT I swimwear, then they may swim in CAT II using swimwear configurations allowed in CAT II (see Swimwear Categories below).
• Water Quality: Reston lakes are managed by Reston Association, which does not maintain the lakes to swimming standards. Approximately one week before the race, RA will test the water and if deemed unsafe, RMST will cancel the event.
• Scoring Divisions for Races: Scoring divisions are divided by overall, gender, five year age groups and swimwear category. All scoring divisions in a race swim simultaneously and are scored separately. You may swim in only one scoring division for each race distance. You may change your Swimwear Category at the starting line.
• Swimwear Categories: USMS Category I (CAT I): swimsuits shall be made from textile materials; may not be buoyant or heat retaining; for both men and women, the swimsuit shall not cover the neck and shall not extend past the shoulder nor below the ankles. USMS Category II (CAT II): all other swimsuits, including wetsuits; no restriction on coverage. There are other differences, which you should be familiar with, so there are no surprises on race day. Swimwear categories are defined in Article 303.4 Swimwear for Open Water Events (www.usms.org/rules/part3.pdf, 2022 USMS Rule Book, pg 70.) You may change your Swimwear Category at the starting line.

• Swimmers may enter both the 1-mile and 2-mile swims. Entry limit per race is a maximum of 300 swimmers.
  • 1-mile Race: CAT I & CAT II divisions; time limit 50 minutes.
  • 2-mile Race: CAT I and CAT II divisions; time limit 90 minutes. All 2-mile contestants who have not completed the first 1-mile lap within 45 minutes will be directed to exit the course as they pass the boat ramp.

• Individual Awards: Awards will be given to 1st through 3rd place for age group scoring divisions.
• T-shirts: Each 1-mile or 2-mile race participant will receive a maximum of one t-shirt with their entry.
• Food: Individually wrapped snack/energy bars, fruit, and water will be served. Please bring your own food and water as necessary.
• Host Hotel: A host hotel will be added to this site when registration opens.
• Benefit: The Jim McDonnell Lake Swims donate a portion of the event proceeds to local charities.

Lake Audubon's temperature fluctuates during the day and is dependent on sunshine and rainfall.  The 2-Mile race held at 9:45AM on 5/29/2016 is the only race in recent history where the water was above 78º and wetsuits were illegal.  Wetsuits were legal for the 2016 1-Mile race at 8:00AM.  We typically will publish water temperatures starting 2 weeks before the race, temperatures are taken at around 9:00AM and will be posted here.

An interactive version of this chart is available on Google Docs, best viewed in landscape mode,