An Epic Way to Practice Open Water Swimming!
Open to all men and women looking for an open water swim training opportunity!
Come and experience open-water swimming in a race setting but without the pressure of a race. Whether you’re training for your first triathlon and working on getting comfortable outside of the swimming pool or you’re preparing for your 10th Iron-distance race, you will find this non-competitive open-water practice swim to be extremely helpful in your training.
We will have 400m and 750m courses set up for you. You may do multiple laps of either course. A time clock will be running during the swim for you to check your splits and pace. The course will be open for 1.5 hours. Swim for as long or as little as you’d like!
Saturday, June 16: Our Open-Water Practice Swim will be held from 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM at the Portage Lake unit of Waterloo State Recreation Area.
Your registration fee includes an Epic swim cap and post-event snacks.
Event Schedule
8:45 AM — Packet Pick-Up and Registration open
9:30 AM — Open-Water Practice Swim starts
10:00 AM — Post-Event Festivities begin
11:00 AM — Open-Water Practice Swim ends
11:30 AM — Post-Event Festivities end
Special Opportunities for Our Practice Swimmers
WIN one of five 30-minute swim analysis sessions from Tweak at this year’s Epic Open-Water Practice Swim!
Tweak is also giving all participants 50% off of one 15 or 30-minute swim analysis at their Birmingham or Canton location!
Use code: EPICSUMMER when you sign up for your swim analysis.
Our friends from the Red Star Board Company will be on hand with their stand-up paddleboards for participants to try out on the lake.
Wetsuit Information
The Epic Open-Water Practice Swim is sanctioned by USA Triathlon (USAT). USAT rules state that competitors may wear wetsuits if the water temperature is 78 degrees or lower. As per USAT rules, if the water temperature is between 78.1 and 83.9 degrees, competitors may wear wetsuits but will not be eligible for awards.
Need a wetsuit? Check out these special offers for our Epic triathlon participants!
Our friends from Aquaman Wetsuits will be at the Open Water Practice Swim with wetsuits for participants to try and buy. Registered practice-swim participants will receive 30% off their Aquaman Wetsuit purchase! The DNA model wetsuit is currently on sale, and you can get 50% off total! It is a great wetsuit, and comes in men’s and women’s style.
The Epic Open-Water Practice Swim is sanctioned by USA Triathlon (USAT). Participants who do not have an annual USAT membership will need to purchase a one-day USAT license for $15. The USAT fee for youth 17 and under is $10 and is good for one year.
Your Safety is Our Priority
Every member of the Epic Lifeguard Team has American Red Cross Waterfront Lifeguarding Certification in addition to basic American Red Cross Lifeguarding Certification. This means that our guards have all taken and passed an additional course in which they received training in the knowledge and skills needed to prevent and respond to emergencies in non-surf, open-water areas. Our superbly trained lifeguards are yet another reason our races are so Epic! Our lifeguards are also able to keep our swimmers safe thanks to our official SUP company, Red Star Board Company. We’re very grateful to have Red Star as part of Epic team.
SIGN UP NOW
Park Information
The Portage Lake Unit of Waterloo State Recreation Area is located at 11500 Seymour Road, Grass Lake, MI 49240. For personalized directions, click here. A State of Michigan Park permit is required to enter Waterloo Recreation Area. The Recreation Passport is your ticket to Michigan’s state parks and outdoor adventures for an entire year! Michigan residents are not able to purchase a one-day park pass. For State Park entry, all Michigan residents must have a Recreation Passport. Out-of-state residents will be required to purchase either a daily permit or an annual Motor Vehicle Permit.
For current pricing and more information about the Recreation Passport, click here.
FAQs:
Q. Do I need to know how to swim to participate in the open-water practice swim?
A. Yes! You need to be able to practice what you already know in the water.
Q. Do I need to swim freestyle or crawl to participate? I prefer breast stroke.
A. No! You can swim with whichever stroke you prefer.
Q. My 10-year-old daughter would like to swim with me. Is that okay?
A. Children ages 10 and up are welcome to attend. They need to be able to swim without flotation assistance and will need to register individually as a participant.
Q. Can I register on the day of the event?
A. Yes! Please note that event day registration is $40 cash only. Exact change is preferred. If you do not have a USAT membership, a one-day membership is also required. That is an additional $15, or $10 for youth. Please see the section on USAT sanctioning above for more information.
Q. I've registered to participate but I am now unable to attend. What are my options?
A. By registering for an Epic Races event, you have purchased a ticket to participate in one of the most exhilarating and enjoyable events in Southeast Michigan. As with a ticket to any sports or entertainment event, there are no refunds or credits if you are unable to attend.
Q. I'm injured/sick and can't make it to the practice swim. Can I get a refund?
A. We're sorry, but we do not issue refunds for our events. Please visit our Policies page at https://epicraces.com/policies/for more information.
Q. I've got a scheduling conflict and can't make it. Can my friend go instead of me?
A. Yes! To transfer your registration to another person, sign in to your Run Sign Up account, click My Registered Races, then click Manage Registration under Epic Open-Water Practice Swims. Click Transfer to Another Runner and follow the onscreen instructions. There is a $15 charge to transfer your registration to another person as well as a Run Sign Up processing fee.
Q. What should I wear?
A. A swimsuit is fine. If you'd prefer to wear a tri suit, you are welcome to do so. Wetsuits are also welcome. USAT rules on wearing wetsuits during competition can be found here: https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Triathlon/About/Multisport/Competitive-Rules
Q. What should I bring?
A. Goggles and a towel are strongly recommended. A cover up, sandals or flip flops, sunscreen, and a bag for any wet belongings are other items you may wish to bring.
Q. My dog loves to swim. Can I bring him to the event?
A. No. Park rules state that dogs are not allowed on the beach or in the water. For the comfort and safety of your fellow participants and for your dog's own safety, please leave your pet at home.
This event is made possible by:
To Menu
HeartMIRun Virtual 5K
The American Home Fitness Detroit Women’s Half Marathon, 10K, and 5K
Hot Cocoa Classic 5K and Marshmallow Mountain Mile at Mt. Brighton
The Original A2 Turkey Trot
Ugly Dog Triathlon: Michigan’s First Gravel Road Triathlon
The Battle of Waterloo and Half the Battle
What’s Your Mountain?
Swim to the Moon
