What's this all about?

Every summer, Naperville plays host to the US Women's Triathlon Series in late June or early July. This event is always a great first race for women who are new to the sport of triathlon, or for those who aren't so fired up about doing a traditional open-water swim. One of the great things about the swim is that for those folks who need a little moral support, a group of volunteers known as Swim Buddies are available for the swimming portion of the race, which takes place at Naperville landmark Centennial Beach.

Who coordinates the Swim Buddies?

Chris Colburn (aka DrCoachChris) coordinated the Swim Buddies volunteers again for a 7th year in 2008! The 2008 race took place on Sunday, June 22, and was sponsored by the Midwest Center for Advanced Imaging. Proceeds from the race this year go to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.

What would I have to do?

Before each wave, a group of willing Buddies waits for the wave to start. At the starting line, Chris identifies those people looking for some help, and sends a few Buddies along with the wave. Swim Buddies swim the entire 750m course with the wave, staying with those who need support until they exit the water to head for the Transition Area. The process is repeated for all the swimming waves. At the end of the last wave, the entire group of Swim Buddies "brings up the rear" and swims the course together to ensure that all athletes are clear of the water before we conclude our work. Buddies are typically in the water for two and a half to three hours, swimming a total of roughly 3-4000 meters. For most helpers, the time in-water consists of a combination of walking, treading, and vertical kicking, so high school, college, or Masters swimmers in reasonable physical condition are more than able to help.

Who typically helps out?

In recent years, Swim Buddies who have connections with the race and/or with Chris have come from all over Illinois to help out. Organizations represented in 2008 include Academy Bullets Masters (Aurora, IL), IMSA Aquatics (Aurora, IL), Naperville (IL) Waves Swim Club, Lincoln-Way Masters (Mokena, IL), and The Wellness Center Seadogs (Arlington Heights, IL). People who have helped out in the past find that being a Swim Buddy is a rewarding experience. The athletes are almost always grateful, and some even send words of thanks after the fact.

We try to have 20-25 volunteers each year to ensure coverage for each wave. Every person who helps out gets multiple chances to swim through the course, no matter how many Buddies we have. In previous years, we've had Swim Buddies committed from as far away as Baltimore, but we can always use more help!

I want to help! What do I do?

Signing up to be a Swim Buddy is easy! Send an email to Chris at swimbuddies AT 234west DOT org indicating your interest, and we'll get back to you shortly! If you don't know Chris yet, be sure to provide a little background on your swimming ability so we can find the best way(s) for you to help out. As the race draws closer, we'll send out an email with the details and logistics for race day.