Sunday Morning Swim and Run at Silver Lake
Sundays June through August
ANN ARBOR TRIATHLON CLUB OPEN WATER SWIM GUIDELINES
For club liability reasons, to participate in club workouts, you are required to be a Ann Arbor Triathlon Club member.
Members of all abilities are invited to group swims at Silver Lake in Pinckney. There are no lifeguards and you swim at your own risk. Because of our varying abilities, we are instituting guidelines.
Where: Silver Lake State Park Beach - you must have a state park sticker or passport to enter the park.
When: People gather after 8:00AM swim starts at 8:30AM
Summary: All club members are welcome! If you don't own one it is recommend that you purchase and bring a swim buoy. The swims are good to practice and train for open water swims. There is no lifeguard and all member will swim at their own ability and risk. The lake is 1/2 mile across and we typically swim across and back. Depending on the event, some members do multiple laps.
Social: We can hang out afterwards on the beach, so bring a camp chair if you wish. Typically members pitch in for pizza or bring a snack.
We suggest that swimmers that take longer than 1 hour to swim one mile may consider swimming half way across and back or along shore before trying to swim the complete distance across the lake and back. Everyone must use a swim buoy and be a club member. You can purchase a buoy at https://www.kiefer.com/open-water-swimming-pages-1207.php
Route Options:
Option #1: Swim the buoys [approx. 450 yards]:
It is a great place for you to practice sighting, turning, and learning your limits in open water.
- Keep buoys on your left, swim past 6 buoys, practice making your turn and head back keeping the buoys on your left.
Rules and Guidelines:
- Wear your safe swimmer. This is not optional. If you don't have one, we will always have them available for purchase at the reduced cost of $25, cash only.
- Pair up with someone who has a similar pace and distance goals. This is optional. Come early, or use our forum to make plans.
- All members need to be comfortable swimming 3 complete laps of the buoys before option #2.
Option #2: Swim across the lake [1/2 mile each way]:
This is a fun workout for seasoned swimmers who feel comfortable swimming without the need for breaks. It is one-mile round trip.
Rules and Guidelines:
- Wear your safe swimmer. This is not option. If you don't have one, we will always have them available for purchase at the reduced cost of $25, cash only.
- Pair up with someone who has a similar pace and distance goals. This is optional. Come early, or use our forum to make plans.
- It is strongly suggested that you are able to swim 3 complete laps of the buoys before venturing across the lake.
- We suggest that swimmers that take longer than 1 hour to swim one mile may consider swimming half way across and back or along shore before trying to swim the complete distance across the lake and back.
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Try to make invisible lanes to avoid collisions.
Sighting tips:
- Stay a little right of the white house and tallest tree in the tree line on the way out
- Stay a little right to the beach on the way back. Look for the open field with twin trees
- Ask experienced members before heading out as some of us sight different things in the landscape.
Things to consider before attending a group swim:
- We all swim at our own risk. No lifeguards or trained first responders are present.
- Know how to swim. We use our winter swim workouts and Parker Performance Swim Clinics to ready ourselves for OWS.
- Be honest with your level of fitness and open water skills to decide which workout is best for you. OWS can be intimidating and disorienting. We want you to have a great workout, have fun and be safe!
- Check your equipment: goggles, wetsuits, Safe Swimmer, etc.
- Come hydrated and feeling well.
Helpful links:
USAT swimming rules and guidelines
Post-Swim Run: There are many run routes available. Route will be decided depending on who shows up.