It was just about 2 a.m. and I’d only logged about two hours of sleep when I nearly jumped out of bed at the crack and flash of lightning. Booming roars and a Hollywood-esque light show would continue into the predawn hours. As I struggled for a few more minutes of sleep with countless logistics running through my head, I hoped my swimmers had gotten the recommended good night’s sleep. In what seemed like a blink of an eye, the wake-up call came and it was a quick morning routine and then off to meet 13 wide-eyed swimmers and the support crew for our pre-race meeting.

USMS member Kris Rutford doesn’t mess around when it comes to open water swims. His first long swim was the English Channel in 1988. Less than a month later he swam the 28.5-mile Manhattan Island Marathon. And he’s been going ever since, swimming long open water events for 20 years. This year Rutford swam two back-to-back open water events, literally: the Manhattan Island Marathon one day and the Great Chesapeake Bay Swim the next day.

This year’s USMS Open Water and Long Distance National Championships hold the promise of an intense swimming season in a variety of natural settings. From California’s wine country to the Rocky Mountains and even an historic cotton plantation, open water swimming promises the perfect blend of USMS competition with awesome vacation spots.