Endurance Grid lists 3 swimming races in Illinois, from September 2026 to June 2027 across 3 cities.
The swimming race calendar in Illinois is busiest in May, June, and September, with races most often in Chicago.
Open water swim races take place in lakes, rivers, bays, and oceans. The course is marked by big buoys, with kayaks and lifeguards shadowing it the whole way. The water is the variable: currents, chop, temperature, and the need to sight and navigate for yourself.
There’s a distance for every level. A 500 to 750m swim is a good starting point to learn the sport, and most events stack several distances — a mile, 5K, 10K — on the same day, so you can start on the same course as the veterans.
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