What should I bring on the swim?
All of your gear for the swim - swimsuit, goggles (clear and tinted), a light for your cap, earplugs, cap, sunscreen, feed bottles, feed(s).
You will need to have a light for your cap that attaches to your goggles and a glow stick for the back of your suit (we provide glow sticks). For your cap, we recommend this waterproof LED light for swimming in the dark. Blue and amber are the best colors followed by red and green (no white). It's always good to have two lights in case one fails.
For your feeds, we recommend having the first few feeds mixed and ready to go in your feed bottles.
Do bring a towel and clothes to change into after your swim.
We do host webinars for our marathon swimmers regarding feeds, feed gear, techniques, and how best to prepare for your swim.
What should I feed on?
Everyone is different! What works for others may not work for you.
It is important to train using feeds that you plan on using the day of your swim. Also, what works in hours 1-5 may not agree with you hours 6+. Use your training time to train your stomach too!
Electrolytes are important in Lake Tahoe due to the altitude and fresh water. We've found Drip Drop to be a favorite and helpful to swimmers in staving off leg cramps. We recommend loading up on electrolytes days in advance of your swim. However, please don't rely simply on Gatorade as your only feed. We'e seen too many swimmers 'bonk' using this method.
Powder feeds such as Skratch, CarboPro and UCan are popular with marathon swimmers as are gels such as Gu. Some swimmers like to add in more "real" foods - such as applesauce pouches, soup broths, soft cookies, or our favorite - Ho Hos! Ginger Ale and Coke are handy to help with an upset stomach.
We recommend having all of your liquid feeds pre-mixed and ready in feed bottles.
Remember, on a marathon swim you want your feeds to be quick (under 30 seconds) and it's fine to pass on a feed if your stomach is bothering you or you just aren't hungry.
We do host webinars for our marathon swimmers and one of the most popular is "Feeds" - so don't miss it!
How do I feed during the swim?
Feeds can be done from a pole with a net or from a line. We have both on our boats to use. We find the pole works best but ultimately the choice is up to the swimmer.
During a marathon swim attempt, the swimmer is not to make contact with the boat or any supporting vessel or person nor may they use any assistance (hanging on the line or pole).
We host webinars for our marathon swimmers each season on feeds, feed techniques, and other topics to help you prepare for a successful swim.
Can you get seasick while swimming in a lake?
Yes, yes, YES.
Altitude, rough water, swimming at night, dehydration, and feeds can all play a factor in a swimmer vomiting.
If you believe you may be at risk, please bring your own medications for stomach ailments, GI distress, gas, and other issues.
Do I need to grease?
Some people like 'grease' - vaseline or Aquafor - to prevent chafing on long swims.
In Lake Tahoe, protection from the sun is extremely important and many swimmers use zinc cream or equivalents such as Desitin all over and vaseline in the areas that chafe (armpits, groin area, straps, neck).
Please note, we do not allow lanolin or channel grease on our boats! It is extremely messy, sticky, and difficult to remove from the surfaces of the boat.
Will I have to swim in the dark?
Yes, all three courses have some element of swimming in the dark.
You will need to have a light for your cap that attaches to your goggles and a glow stick for the back of your suit (we provide glow sticks). For your cap, we recommend this waterproof LED light for swimming in the dark. Blue and amber are the best colors followed by red and green (no white). It's always good to have two lights in case one fails.
The Length (21.3-Miles / 34.3-Km) has swimmers swimming through the night. The lake is very wide and the swimmer doesn't always have a stable horizon line to sight on. This can be problematic for some, causing severe vertigo and vomiting.
The Vikingsholm (10.6-Miles / 17.1-Km) is now swum primarily in the early morning hours as rental jet ski and boat traffic in Emerald Bay during the day has made the swim more chaotic for swimmers. Expect at least 4 hours of swimming in darkness so the swim can be completed in the morning before this popular tourist attraction gets busy.
The True Width (12-Miles / 19.3-Km) has at least amount of swimming in the dark with approximately 60-90 minutes of darkness at the onset of the swim.
Please bring at least 2 pair of clear and 2 pair of tinted goggles for your swim!
Will swimming at altitude affect me?
Lake Tahoe is 6,225 feet above sea level. The altitude can wreak havoc with some swimmers!
DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE Lake Tahoe or dismiss her as a big pool!
Complaints range from headaches, nausea, lack of appetite, gas, leg or muscle cramps while swimming. Swimmers have also experienced vomiting, disorientation (especially during night swimming) and shortness of breath.
To mitigate the impact of altitude, many swimmers choose to arrive 4-7 days early to allow their body to acclimate. Others arrive the night before and swim the next day, hoping to get the swim done before the impact of altitude really hits them.
Can my friends and family meet me at the swim finish?
Property rights in Nevada are different than in California. Therefore, it is imperative to be respectful of private property.
Length: Yes, with permission of the Hyatt Regency at Incline Village
True Width: No
Vikingsholm: Yes
