REAL Blog
Swim to the Moon: A Stellar Open Water Experience
- Adina O'Neill
Imagine swimming in a beautiful lake, surrounded by hundreds of other swimmers all striving for a personal goal. That’s what happened at the Swim to the Moon by Epic Races! This amazing swim festival brought together swimmers of all ages and abilities, from beginners to world-class athletes for two days of fun and challenge. From short distances to a challenging 15K, there was something for everyone to enjoy. And the best part? This swim helped support North Star Reach, a camp that provides free programs for kids with serious health challenges. Let’s dive in to hear how it all went down!
Team B*REAL members traveled from CT, PA, and MA to Pinckney, Michigan to push their limits in open water swimming. Two athletes, eager to tackle their longest distances yet, signed up for the 10K and 5K swims. I was there to coach and take on an ambitious challenge of my own: completing back-to-back marathon swims (10K and 15K). Joining us were a local Michigan teammate who was going for the 1-mile and a 5K, and her husband who signed up for a half-mile.
Before the races began, we gathered for a team-building warmup swim. It was an opportunity to bond, share stories, and prepare ourselves mentally and physically for the challenges ahead. As a special treat, we unveiled our brand-new custom swimsuits, created in collaboration with Blue Seventy. Blue Seventy created a unique design specifically for larger bodies with the B*REAL brand that not only looks amazing but also provides optimal comfort and performance.
As the races unfolded, the atmosphere was filled with excitement, camaraderie, and celebration. To gain a unique perspective on each athlete’s experience at Swim to the Moon, I’m sharing 3 race reports. Through my eyes as a coach I can tell you that each swimmer’s journey is a testament to their individual strength, determination, and love of the sport.
Tina’s 10K Race Report
We arrived at Halfmoon Lake at 5:30am. It was still pitch black out. Everybody was using their cell phones to see. The wagon I brought to carry all our stuff was loud as heck rumbling on the pavement but a smart move! It was raining on and off but I had a pop up waterproof tent for my sister and stuff to stay dry.
There were about 190+ swimmers. After the mandatory race briefing we lined up in pairs. I’m usually solo but coach Adina was there too!! So cool right? Our plan was to start together and then do our own thing. The start is always my biggest struggle due to race nerves. Adina swims faster but stayed with me until I settled in. It didn’t take long because we worked on mental training and my mantras/tricks helped immensely.
The water was a lovely 77 degrees, same temp I trained in. The course is a chain of 5 lakes all connected by untouched waterways. No houses, all natural. The trees are already changing colors! The first 3 miles went smooth, there’s a short tunnel with a strong current I had to swim against. Some people walked through it but I was determined to swim. No joke it’s humbling but I did it!!
I reached the turn around/check in point and had a drink and more gu. It was a brief one minute break then off to finish the final 3.1 miles back. I was feeling pretty strong until the last 1.2. then grit took over. The finish line was in sight and I was already feeling emotional. The rain was moving in and the wind kicked up making the final stretch even more challenging. The kayaker assigned to me started shouting GO GO GO YOU GOT THIS !! My tired shoulders needed to hear that in the chop. I dug deep and pushed hard. I finished so strong – my last 500 yards were my fastest!!! Crossing the finish line was so emotional my sister was there waiting with a huge hug and my Coach Adina hung the medal round my neck. It was an amazing day I’ll never forget.
🏊♀️🌙💙
Amy’s 1 mile / 5K Race Report
Our swim to the moon weekend started out on Friday with a short swim with our other teammates and a delicious lunch. An afternoon of chatting and sharing stories was lovely as we mentally prepared for our swims.
Saturday morning was great. I got to the swim venue early, which gave me time to just relax and take it all in. Swam the 1 mile in about 50 minutes. Felt strong and really good in the water.
Sunday morning…woke up after a terrible night of sleep, or should I say lack of sleep! Wasn’t feeling my greatest and was having lots of anxiety about this swim. Was so scared I almost bugged out before the race started but I knew I’d regret that decision!
Like I always do, I took my time and talked my way through this process. I got in the water. Got my Quackpacker situated and off I went. I realized about 900 yards into my swim that I was starting to mentally obsess about the numbers (time, distance and pace) so I took my watch off, hooked it to my buoy and swam without it, focusing on taking in the scenery and enjoying the water.
Right before mile one, I stopped to refuel and realized that I had lost my water bottle. In my excitement to get into the water I never looped my water bottle to my swim buoy. Swam to the aid boat and asked for 2 cups of Gatorade. Thankfully, one of the kayakers found my bottle and brought it over to me.
There’s a section of the racecourse that has a culvert. You get a nice current going through and then all the way through the smaller lake. I just focused on gliding and letting that water carry me through that section. I did see Adina at one point. I must admit I treaded water for a few minutes and just watched her swim by.
The last mile of this swim was mentally hard. I was tired, and was starting to hurt. At one point I stopped and was treading water, rethinking my purpose in life. Quitting is never an option for me but in that moment, I actually debated it. I looked over at my swim buoy and I realized that I had written on my duck a message that said ‘if it’s important to you, you will find a way’.
So, as I was treading water, I had a conversation with myself about how I was gonna get this done when I felt so tired. I did freestyle, breaststroke, flipped over and did some elementary backstroke, I even did a little bit of sidestroke on both sides. I figured anything I could do to just keep myself moving forward was gonna eventually get me to that finish line.
Seeing the flamingo marker and knowing that that was the last half mile was a blessing, but I still needed to finish the distance. I know my post race pictures, coming out of the water and across the finish line were less than desirable because I was so exhausted and crying at that point, but I finished the distance!
Adina’s Race Report
I signed up for the 10K/15K combo but adjusted my goal due to training setbacks. I was confident that I could complete the 10K in the allotted 5 hours, but the 15K in 6 hours was likely out of reach with my current ability. I was disappointed at the idea of not reaching my goal, but I focused on having fun and supporting Tina.
Day 1 started with the normal routine: porta potty, body marking, special needs bag drop off, sunscreen, gear prep. I took pictures with swim friends, and got ready for the start with Tina. We planned to stay together to ease her nerves and help me conserve energy. We separated after about 1.5 miles and I focused on a smooth, long stroke until I reached the 5K turnaround.
I stood up and shouted my number to get my bag to refill supplies. I heard someone say “at least mine is not the last bag.” Even when I’m the athlete, the coach in me can’t keep quiet. I replied that everyone out here is ahead of anyone who didn’t even try. On my way to the first buoy I saw Tina heading towards the beach, but she was too far away to say hi. She was on track for her goal and that gave me a boost of energy.
Around the 4 mile mark I got a nasty calf cramp. I tried to massage it and flex my foot. I sucked in a gel and drank as much of my electrolytes as possible. My whole calf seized up and I couldn’t kick. I considered taking the timing chip off and then it finally released. I began to worry about the 15K, but I refocused my thoughts by repeating Forward Is A Pace.
I met the sweetest young woman named Miranda on a kayak. She told me she liked my duck and that I had 1.2 miles to go. I headed off with a boost of energy from her smile and cheery encouragement. That last mile seemed long but I pushed through, motivated by my athlete’s accomplishments and my pride in coaching my first athlete for a 10k swim. I crossed the timing mat at 4:21:43. I was happy with my swim. I was given a finisher’s towel and a medal and saw Susan and Amy in their B*REAL suits ready to hug me.
I got my phone and watched for Tina. Once I saw her I began cheering and snapping pictures. I met her at the finish arch to put her medal around her neck. It was a very proud moment for us both. All 4 Team B*REAL athletes got together for a picture with the official backdrop. Then we met up for a selfie with the rest of the support crew. Swimming is an individual sport but swimmers rarely get there alone.
Day 2 started super early. My stomach was a bit wonky and I did my best to stick to my fueling plan. We rushed to the bus in the dark when I realized I forgot my hydration and had to double back. I chatted with the other swimmers to distract me as I grabbed my cap & goggles and snapped a quick selfie.
Once we were in the water, I noticed my buoy flipped and the strap detached. Luckily I was able to fix it and I took off swimming in the dark. Pretty sure I was one of few swimmers that actually liked that part. I naturally connected with a few other swimmers keeping the same pace as me. We formed a little pod and drafted off of each other to swim efficiently. I did see Amy going the other way on her 5K, but she was too far to hear me yelling for her.
After the 5K turnaround, there were only 2 of us together. Suzanne and I were determined to stay together and do our best. We knew the return would be more challenging due to the current and fatigue but we never gave up. As we approached North Reach where we started over 4 hours ago, my mind went back and forth between wanting to stop and not wanting to let Suzanne down. I decided that if they let us turn I would try my best and if we were stopped I would be fine with it.
We didn’t make the cutoff. I was equally proud and relieved. I gave Suzanne a huge hug. We shared something very special during those 4 hours, like we had trained together for years. I was surprised to receive a 10k finisher towel and medal. Most races just hand you a DNF. The race staff took pictures of us and made a big deal out of our accomplishment before giving us a ride to the finish line for food and a massage.
In the end I didn’t meet my original goal, but I did complete my first ever back-to-back marathon swims and had an extraordinary weekend.
REAL big gratitude for Eva and the staff at Epic races along with all the volunteers who made Swim to the Moon a stellar experience. You treated us all like rock stars and I look forward to coming back to conquer that 15K.
