Hey all you non lake swimmers and athletes who don’t like to swim in OPEN water.  Tri Indy is for you!!  The Downtown Indianapolis Canal is opened up for swimming for this annual race and it is just the perfect intermediate step to take from a pool swim before you conquer the open water lake swim.  The canal is only 4 feet deep so just about anyone can stand up if they encounter any problems.  The water is clean and tested and has that lake feel, so it really helps you get used to swimming in open water while actually having a pretty controlled environment.  The one drawback to this perfect swim venue is the ability of your family and support crew to follow you through the swim.  They have unlimited access to you while you swim.  Usually in a Triathlon, when you go out in the swim, no one can keep track of you and they definitely can’t follow you.  Well, at Tri Indy, anyone can follow you and cheer you on from the sides of the beautiful Indianapolis Canal.  My kids usually follow me on scooters and cheer for me.  Sometimes they even tell me I am swimming too slow!  If you are new to triathlon or need a mental boost to get ready for that first open water swim, Tri Indy is for you!!