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A new MIMS - Mercer Island Marathon Swim, 2 June 2017 by NOWSA
malinaka
Seattle, WACharter Member
This summer, the Northwest Open Water Swimming Association is hosting a "test swim" of what we hope will become what MIMS once was in Manhattan. Mercer Island sits in Lake Washington just outside Seattle, and it begs for a mass-solo swim like this. Distance 20k, currents nil, conditions predictable, and on a sunny Friday afternoon, the scenery splendid.
As a "test swim," we are preparing for up to 10 solo swimmers and 3 relays before scaling up in summers to come.
It'll be a low-frills event, and the price is as low as we can make it: $775 for a solo spot, $1,550 for a 4-person relay (includes support boat, BYO paddle support if you'd like). This includes a NOWSA annual membership, a full Lifetime Membership can be purchased for an additional $100 per person. We've got a park permit, insurance, and we'll take care of the boats and observers. You just bring some water bottles for you and your crew, and some spare sunscreen just in case.
Registration is open! First-come, first-serve. A 25% non-refundable deposit secures your spot, payment in full by 1 May.
Email nowsa@northwestopenwater.org for more information, or for how to sign up.
I don't wear a wetsuit; it gives the ocean a sporting chance.
Comments
This is freat! Are you looking for volunteers as well @malinaka
We sure will be! Observers mostly, but I'm sure there will be a few other miscellaneous volunteers needed.
If you're interested in observing, let me know. Otherwise, if you just want to help out, email our race director Liz at racedirector@northwestopenwater.org.
I don't wear a wetsuit; it gives the ocean a sporting chance.
OMG, I want to do this!
This could become a classic...
This looks awesome! What's the date? My travel budget may be limited for this year, but if not this year, something to add to my list.
This is a little big for me this year, but it is definitely something to shoot for in the future. I am in the area. Maybe I can help by being support or something this year. I will email Liz at the above address.
@curly This will be an excellent opportunity to volunteer as an observer or help an out-of-towner as crew. If you're there, you'll be put to good use.
I don't wear a wetsuit; it gives the ocean a sporting chance.
Highly recommend the swim and NOWSA
. I did the swim last summer and it's a fun, pretty-scenery, challenging yet not overwhelming effort.
AKA "Two Bridges"???
Tempted, tempted, tempted....
@suziedods Ah but Two Bridges exists already! Early season 5k in the Hudson every year.
@malinaka, What is the expected water temp in early June?
Read my mind...
We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams
This is so tempting, but I probably can't do it until 2019. So y'all do it first, write lots of nice swim reports, and then I can go in better prepared.
My sister lives right near the park in Seattle that's on that unfortunately shaped point, I told her to go wave at you guys in June.
Looks like it would be near 70 according to this website
If you select some of the beaches around Mercer Island you can look at last years data and get water temperatures (e.g. Newcastle Beach was 71.6 on 6/6 last year)
http://notdrowningswimming.com - open water adventures of a very ordinary swimmer
There's also King County lake buoy data which includes some historical numbers. It really depends on the type of spring we had. Last year we had 59 in mid May, so you'd be safe to assume low to mid 60s. Nothing you can't handle @gregoc
I don't wear a wetsuit; it gives the ocean a sporting chance.
Well I'm definitely interested :-) Have sent an email to nowsa
http://notdrowningswimming.com - open water adventures of a very ordinary swimmer
i'm so tempted but i think if i want to make that F'ing bridge on 6/15 I'm going to have to say no this year. But its going on my wish list for another year. I'm thinking 2018 I want to swim out west....fall in love with new waters. So this year I'll watch and cheer on the pioneers!
Well, just put my entry form and deposit in the mail. Now all I have to do is put the training in
http://notdrowningswimming.com - open water adventures of a very ordinary swimmer
My stuff is going in the mail shortly. YAY! It's going to be a Pacific NW summer- MIMS and Portland Bridge. Yay!
this looks great. Will keep on the list. cheers to the first year
I talked one of my lane mates at Masters and a fellow South Ender into signing up, so there will officially be a San Francisco contingent :-)
http://notdrowningswimming.com - open water adventures of a very ordinary swimmer
I so wanted to do this, but unfortunately I've got something else on the 3rd. Maybe next time.
I think you have a very busy summer, as is! However- this swim is on the 2nd. So, you can get out and fly to wherever and be there by the 3rd. ;-) Hehe.
I'm in! @malinaka where do we post the deposit check to?
Stop me if you've heard this one...
A grasshopper walks into a bar...
https://elainekhowley.com/
Please send it, along with fifty left-over, leather-bound, first-edition copies of De Historia piscium to Car Talk Tower. (I'll send you the address.)
I don't wear a wetsuit; it gives the ocean a sporting chance.
Oh believe me, I seriously considered doing just that
.
Anybody know what sort of water temps we should expect for this swim?
And is there a list of who is registered?
I'm in, Ranie.
We expect that the water will be in the 60s, probably the low 60s, unless we have a radical change in our current weather pattern.
It's always a bad hair day when you work at a pool.
@malinaka and @liz_rosen : Can either of you share the list of who will be swimming this in a few weeks? I'd love to know who is joining me, besides @emkhowley, @Ranie , and @Jaimie!
@ssthomas - only 2 others: @dc_in_sf and Mark Miller, who I believe is a teammate/friend of his (mentioned above).
Thanks, @liz_rosen! This will be a fun group!
I'm guessing my friend must have dropped out since I don't see her listed.
I suspect I may be the "weakest link" out of this particular crew of swimmers, so good incentive to lift my game :-)
http://notdrowningswimming.com - open water adventures of a very ordinary swimmer
2018 im in....
please
I was interested in this one for this year, but shoulder issues slowed down my training and made me apprehensive about signing up for an early season event. But I'm very interested to hear about this one and hope to give it a shot in '18.
For those who have asked about water temperature in the lake at this time of year... the lake buoy is now reading 60F after a handful of warm days/nights. The 10-day forecast is looking good, so the water is likely to continue warming and should be a fairly comfortable temperature by race day!
It better! I promised everyone 64.
I don't wear a wetsuit; it gives the ocean a sporting chance.
malinaka said:
You promised me 65.... Just sayin.
As long as this doesn't end up being an unintentional English Channel Qualifier I'll be happy ;-)
http://notdrowningswimming.com - open water adventures of a very ordinary swimmer
If you search hard enough I am sure you can find 65 degree water somewhere. L-)
Chesapeake Bay, according to the Annapolis buoy.
Anyone on the fence about doing this swim next year....put it on your list. Beautiful lake, great volunteers, water temps in the mid 60s (minus a few areas down around the southern tip of the island that were a bit frigid for about 30 minutes or so). I couldn't find a complaint if I tried. Thanks Liz and Andrew for hosting! I'm happy to come back next year and sit on a boat for someone!
Just to +1 on what has already been said, awesome swim, well organized, super friendly crowd at NOWSA, beautiful scenery (once I switched goggles to the ones that didn't fog up). Seattle put on a spectacular day for us after threatening to be gloomy and rainy all week, pretty much perfect swimming conditions.
Lots of photos up at the NOWSA FB page
Special thanks to @ssthomas for swimming TWO laps and thus inspiring the rest of us to swim faster to avoid the ignominy of being lapped ;-)
http://notdrowningswimming.com - open water adventures of a very ordinary swimmer
I find it very inspiring to watch the trackers move on these long swims. Congratulations to everybody! It improved my very midwestern day.
Results from the day:
5:58 - Sarah Thomas @ssthomas (new course record)
7:36 - Elaine Howley @emkhowley (new course record if you don't count Sarah)
8:12 - David Connors @dc_in_sf
8:23 - Mark Miller
8:39 - Jaimie Monahan @jaimie
10:03 - Ranie Pearce @ranie
6:24 - Sarah Thomas (second loop for a total of 12:22:20)
And a big thanks to @liz_rosen for race directing, and @MikeH and @curly and @wendyv34 for observing.
I don't wear a wetsuit; it gives the ocean a sporting chance.
It was a great day and a well run event. Really enjoyed spending time with all of you. Loved watching @jaimie swim. She has the most gentle stroke and her demeanor during the course of the day was as calm as her stroke. I know at one point, she was having a rough time, but you wouldn't know it from watching her or talking with her during the feed. I learned a whole lot about doing a big distance swim. Also, I have to say, we had the funnest boat with Arik and Toby. They cracked me up all day.
Congrats @liz_rosen, @malinaka and team on a great inaugural event! Really safe, well organized, and a nice tour of some prime Seattle real estate. Huge thank you to @curly for observing and keeping Arik company on the boat, it made me smile to see you guys having fun. Thanks everyone!
Sounds like this was amazing, and now I totally want to do this in 2018! Would love any updates on if it is a go, and registration deadlines, etc. when you have them
And then maybe, what the heck, a little swim up in New Hampshire to finish off the summer...
#trainingswim
Still have Swim the Suck in October- hoping shoulders are recovered enough!
And I still think anyone who is slightly tempted to do this swim next year totally should. It was so fun.