2013 Lowcountry Splash!

Looking for a good excuse to visit Charleston in late spring/early summer? Sign up now for the Annual Lowcountry Splash--a 2.4-mile open water swim in the Cooper River and Charleston Harbor on Saturday, June 1, 2013! And for those who need a bit more of a challenge, this year the Splash is offering a 5-mile swim option, too.

Me, stopping near the Mt. Pleasant Pier for a photo op during the 2011 Splash!
(photo courtesy of Matt Drobnik)

For me, the Splash is a great way to stay motivated to swim throughout the cold, wet, and dreary winter months. I go to www.swimplan.com to get a new workout three times each week from January through May (at least, 3X/week is always my starting plan...we'll see if I keep that up this year!) I have a really short attention span so can't just get in and swim laps--I need varied workouts with different strokes, equipment, and drills or I get bored. Swimplan provides that for me, although I do adapt intervals and some sets depending on whether I'm swimming in the 25yd pool at WL Stephens or the 50m pool at MLK. I start with workouts in the 20000-2500 yd range in January and build to 4000 yards by May. The swim itself is 2.4 miles (about 4400  yards) but with the tide, so swims more like about 3000 yards.

One of my best-est friends, brother-in-law Tom, will be coming to Charleston at the end of May for us to compete in our 3rd Splash event. It's always a fun swim (and since it's with the tide, it's a relatively easy swim too, other than the occasional wave-to-the-face once we get under the bridge and into the harbor!) If you need further enticement to sign up, there's a great party with music, food, massages, and beer afterwards, too.

Me and Tom, ready to Splash! 2011 Lowcountry Splash.
(photo courtesy of Matt Drobnik)

Proceeds from the Splash benefit the Logan Rutledge Children's Foundation, a local not for profit organization promoting the health and welfare of children in the Lowcountry. The foundation was established in May of 2002 in memory of Logan Jennings Rutledge (7/30/01-08/26/01). Since its beginning the foundation has supported the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Medical University of South Carolina and has made numerous contributions to assist individual children in need in the Lowcountry. A new learn-to-swim initiative in Charleston, the Lowcountry Aquatics Program Swimming (LAPS)  will be one of the Splash's beneficiaries this year, as well. This new program provides lifelong aquatics opportunities for Lowcountry residents--with a special emphasis on teaching children in underprivileged Lowcountry areas to swim, thus reducing the incidence of accidental drownings.

Register now, and I'll see you at the Splash!