yes.

if not for the distance...for the outside chance the big lake could "turn" and present sub 50 degree temps. it has happened and will again.

how's your crystal ball?

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Train hard...race well.
www.jimmishler.com
"Jim, I happen to agree with you" DougStern

I finally broke down and bought a wetsuit for Steelhead last year because Lake Michigan turned over during a storm just before a race a month earlier and the water temperatures were no higher than 60 degrees. Fortunately, I was racing in a lake too warm for anyone to wear wetsuits on the same day, but I didn't want to take a chance of hypothermia ruining my most important race of the year. Other than races in Lake Michigan, you can race almost all tris in Michigan without a wetsuit although almost everyone does wear one.

This kinda happening at Racine this year, but thankfully after the race.

Water was very nice for the swim but we all decided to stroll down to the lake for dip after the race. After about 5-10 minutes everyone's toes were numb. It was amazing the difference in temps from morning to afternoon.

~Matt

Curious, and also signed up for Steelhead but plan on wearing a wetsuit, what does it mean when you say the lake turns?

I'm sure there is a more precise explanation, but basically, if there is a storm, the water from the bottom of the lake ends up on the top of the lake, and that water is significantly colder that the water that had been on the top.

still a lil fuzzy, but to heck with it, i'm really tempted to sign up..

alrighty so i guess my next question (though a silly one?)... going by the pic-ies on the website alone, is it safe to assume that those sleeveless kinda wetsuits will do just fine?

Never used a wetsuit, and never did need to use one when the water was normally...oh i don't know.. 80 deg F?

i've brought up the old Shu's race at St. Joe...about ten years ago...where one year we had sub 50 temps which forced the RD to cut the swim down to a couple hundred yards along the shore.

Following year we had comfortable temps...but some pretty sizeable rollers and swells to the point a lot of folks were yelling for the support boats to pick 'em up within a couple hundred yards from shore.

chances of a repeat for either are very slim...but Lake Michigan can do some unusual things when least expected. best to be ready.

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Train hard...race well.
www.jimmishler.com
"Jim, I happen to agree with you" DougStern

a thermal inversion or something like that...i'm not up on the technical side of it...just that the colder water from down low turns up on top. not sure what causes it.

please....don't take this as anything other than what you should do for any event....be ready for the possible conditions you might encounter. there is only a very slim chance that could happen and impact race day conditions.

Lake Michigan swims are a blast about 99 percent of the time. but you should never ignore that remaining 1%.

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Train hard...race well.
www.jimmishler.com
"Jim, I happen to agree with you" DougStern

I would suggest that a wetsuit should always be a part of your race kit in case the weather warrants. Last year in Michigan we had an oddly warm summer and frequently low water levels on inland lakes. As a result we had sosme pretty high water temps and few wetsuit swims.

That is the exception, not the rule.

The prior year I raced 11 triathlons in Michigan and, if I recall correctly, they were all wetsuit swims- including Steelhead.

It makes good sense to pack a wetsuit in your race bag even if you go 5 races without pulling it on. It means you are prepared.

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

Interesting, I'm looking forward to it!

don't think about it...do it.

sleeveless will be okay but not optimum. i'd suggest putting your $ into a full suit, and pick up a low end short suit for back-up, especially if you plan on doing more races here in Michigan. Grand Haven featured a Lake Michigan swim that prompted a couple gasps. The Seahorse in June is in a spring fed lake that can be on the cool side.

go in loaded. its always easier to leave the wetsuit behind if you don't need it. but i guarantee you'll swear you'll never put the money and training time into a half without a full suit again if the water is 61 and all you have is a short suit..

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Train hard...race well.
www.jimmishler.com
"Jim, I happen to agree with you" DougStern

Thanks for the swell advice everyone!

And i guess i should have known,
from what i hear Michigan does get really chilly...

yeah...just wait 'till next week when the blizzard hits

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Train hard...race well.
www.jimmishler.com
"Jim, I happen to agree with you" DougStern

"Grand Haven featured a Lake Michigan swim that prompted a couple gasps"

Ha ha ha ha. Quite true.

Am I the only one who would enjoy a LM swim with some nice 3-5' swells? As long as you're not near the shore & the waves aren't breaking on top of you, what's the worry? Do LM rip tides occur in 5-8' deep water??

We bike & run up & down hills for hours on end - why do people freak out when the water isn't glass smooth?

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king of the road says you move too slow
KING OF THE ROAD SAYS YOU MOVE TOO SLOW

Usually after a big rain storm or a few days of cooler cloudy weather the lake temps will drop dramatically. Two years ago before the Chicago triathlon it was very warm in July and the first half of August, lake temps were in the mid to upper 70's along the shore line and people were getting nervous about the temp. cutoff. The week before the race, it poured, the lake water went from high 70's to low 60's almost over night.

i don't mind the rollers one bit. that adds to the atmosphere.

that one year at Shu's however, 5 might have been on the low side. quite the ride.

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Train hard...race well.
www.jimmishler.com
"Jim, I happen to agree with you" DougStern