Reston Masters Swim Team – Jim McDonnell Lake Swims

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2009 Jim McDonnell Lake Swims
and Open Water Clinic

Open Water Clinic: May 23
1- and 2-Mile Lake Swims: May 24
Race entries closed
Clinic - Deck entries accepted

Lake Swim History

Reston Masters Swim Team has held a lake swim every year since 1988. Except for 1997 and 2002, the swim has been held at Lake Audubon in Reston, VA.

The swim series started as the Reston 2-Mile Lake Swim and was swum along a 1/4-mile rope until 1998 when the rope length was changed to 1/2-mile. In 1999, the swim was renamed the Jim McDonnell 2-Mile Swim in honor of Reston Masters' team member Jim McDonnell, who died in 1998 of non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. Jim was a founding member of the team and was on the meet committee that organized the first swim. Reston Masters has hosted the USMS National Open Water Championships, the first time in 1997 and most recently in 2007.

Proceeds from the swims have been donated to Lymphoma charities. This year's beneficiary will be the Lymphoma Research Foundation. Donations over the years: 2004, $4000; 2005, $5,500; 2006, $7,000; 2007, $3,000; 2008, $5,000. In 2008, $1,000 was donated to the Naval Special Warfare Foundation's scholarship fund.

For 2003, a 1-mile swim was added to the program and the event was renamed the Jim McDonnell 1- and 2-Mile Lake Swims. The course was changed from a rope course to the open water 1 mile long course with buoys pictured below. Swimmers go around the buoys in a counter-clockwise direction staying between the buoys and the shore -- once for the 1 mile swim, twice for the 2 mile swim.

Directions to Lake Audubon(Map)

From the Capital Beltway:

Dulles Toll Road (West)
Wiehle Ave. exit
Left at the light onto Wiehle Ave.
Cross over the Wiehle Ave. bridge
Left on Sunrise Valley Drive at the dead end
Right on South Lakes Drive (second light)
Immediate left on Twin Branches at the next light
Entrance to lake is 1/2 mile on right.
Park anywhere on Twin Branches Road and Glade Drive (next street after passing the lake), not in the Lake Audubon parking lot.

Entry Fees

Online Entry Fees:

Open water clinic -- $10.50 ($10 + $.50 processing fee)
Enter 1 race -- $52.50 ($50 + $2.50 processing fee)
Enter 2 races -- $94.50 ($90 + $4.50 processing fee)
One Event Registration -- $20 (required if not USMS member)

Paper Entry Fees:

Open water clinic -- $10
Enter 1 race -- $50
Enter 2 races -- $90
One Event Registration -- $20 (required if not USMS member)

Registration

Online Registration
Mail-in Entry
One-Event Registration
US Masters Registration

Entry Limits:

One Mile Swim -- 400
Two Mile Swim -- 400

Check-in and start times

May 23 -- Open Water Clinic

Check-in starts 8:00 a.m.
Clinic starts 9:00 a.m.

May 24 -- Open Water Races

Swimmers may change division (wetsuit or non-wetsuit) at starting line.

Timeline:

6:00 a.m. -- check-in for both races opens
7:30 a.m. -- check-in for 1-mile races closes
7:45 a.m. -- briefing for 1-mile race at starting line
8:00 a.m. -- 1-mile race begins
9:00 a.m. -- check-in for 2-mile race closes
9:15 a.m. -- briefing for 2-mile race at starting line
9:30 a.m. -- 2-mile race begins

Warm Ups

Lake Audubon Pool will be available for warm-up and cool-down
Warm-up on course prior to 1-Mile Swim only

Awards

1 and 2-Mile Lake Swims

First through 3rd place in each USMS-defined age group for both wetsuit and non-wetsuit divisions.

Water and Weather Conditions

The water temperature should be 66-72 degrees with air temperature in the 80s (please check the local forecast).

Wetsuits can be rented or purchased from Bonzai Sports, a long time sponsor of the lake swim!

Contact Us

Email Lynn Hazlewood, Meet Registrar

Hotels and Campgrounds

Reston/Herndon Area Hotels (5-10 minutes from the lake):

Courtyard Herndon
Room Rate: $74.00 per room, per night - Swimmers participating in the Jim McDonnell Lake Swim
Dates Available: May 22-24, 2009
Rooms Available: 15 /Night
Tax and Service Charge: 13% room tax

Sheraton Reston (2008 Lake Swim Sponsor)
11810 Sunrise Valley Drive
Reston, 703-620-9000

Reston Campgrounds (5 minutes from the lake)