FOUR STAR ENDURANCE - The #SwimSafe LADYBUG PROJECT

#SwimSafe #LadyBugProject #FreeSwimBuoy #PassItOn (in one year)

The #SwimSafe #LadybugProject was started by Coach Chris in 2019 as he was completing his 100th outdoor triathlon (achieved while attempting an unprecedented “quintuple” Chicago Triathlon challenge!). Coach Chris decided to celebrate his 100th triathlon achievement by offering 100 FREE SWIM BUOYS TO ANYONE in order to encourage open water swim safety in hopes of inspiring 100 new people to get into the sport of triathlon.

Whether you’re an experienced open water swimmer, or a beginner, wearing a bright buoy anytime you swim in open water helps for several reasons including:

to make you more visible to other swimmers (to avoid collisions)
to make you more visible to lifeguards (in case of emergencies)
to make you more visible to boaters and watercraft (to avoid accidents)
to serve as a floatation aid when treading water (to build endurance)
to take the intimidation out of open water swimming!

The LADYBUG #SwimSafe initiative provides completely FREE “ladybug” swim buoys to anyone who joins Coach Chris for an open water swim or group workout with various communities of open water swimmers and triathletes in Chicago, with one caveat… you have to agree to “pass it on” by giving the buoy to someone else within a year of receiving it, to encourage open water swimming safety, camaraderie, and develop new friendships through open water swimming!

BECOME A LADYBUG SWIMMER!
To receive a free buoy, simply follow our news & events via 4 STAR ENDURANCE website or calendar by signing up for notifications on the bottom of this page below, follow us on facebook, join our email list, check here for upcoming events, or join our “Landsharks & Ladybugs” Strava Group to stay tuned for upcoming events where we might be giving out buoys… then just show up and ask COACH CHRIS NAVIN for a free buoy! Once you receive a ladybug buoy (or if you are interested in one), please SIGN THIS FORM to #SwimSafe – especially if participating in an open water swim with us:

SIGN THE LADYBUG FORM HERE:

https://tinyurl.com/ladybug-signup

THEN JOIN OUR STRAVA GROUP HERE:

SUPPORT & PROMOTE SWIM SAFETY – BECOME A 4 STAR CLUB MEMBER or LADYBUG SUPPORTER!
To support the LADYBUG SWIMMER initiative, you can help us continue to provide free swim buoys to anyone willing to simply show up, “pay it forward”, and exhibit goodwill towards other swimmers!

Consider joining 4 Star Endurance’s 4 STAR ATHLETE CLUB to enjoy team perks, exclusive discounts on training, racing, and various club partners – or simply become a LADYBUG SUPPORTER by signing up to make a financial contribution of $29.80 or greater to support our initiatives or charity partners! This amount represents the 29.8km length of the Chicago lakefront trail, and the typical dollar amount it takes us to provide 1 swim buoy for an athlete + 1 more to encourage a new person to get into open water swimming too!

Financial support is never expected, but always appreciated to help us continue to inspire others to #SwimSafe… so THANK YOU for any support!!!

OPTION 1: JOIN THE 4 STAR CLUB

A fun community and great value with team discounts, meetups & race day perks
Free 4 Star Endurance TrainingPeaks training plans + TrainingPeaks PREMIUM upgrade
Chance to earn annual team swag at team meetups and events!
We’ll provide an open water swim buoy to you and/or any athlete who joins us for a swim!

OPTION 2: DONATE TO THE USA TRIATHLON (USAT) FOUNDATION
For every donation of $29.80 to our USA TRIATHLON FOUNDATION fundraiser, we’ll provide a free open water swim buoy to anyone who shows up at any of our open water swims or meetups!

DONATE HERE:
www.4starendurance.com/charity

OPTION 3: DIRECT SUPPORT
Consider showing support to help us provide more free swim buoys, programs, and events with a direct contribution of any amount:
PAYPAL SUPPORT 4 STAR PROGRAMS

OPEN WATER SWIM TIPS – SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL!
Subscribe to our 4STAR YouTube Channel for tips and videos on open water swimming, triathlon training, and more!

WANT A BETTER SWIM BUOY?
In addition to the basic free swim buoys, we work with sponsors and partners to provide discounts on open water swim gear, including various types of swim buoys above and beyond the basic “mini” ladybug style buoys. So if you’re looking for more robust and reliable buoys that include a “drybag” compartment, “easy inflate” valve, or even a built-in “hydration system” or “LED light” feature, be sure to join our email list and/or join our LANDSHARK TRI CLUB or 4 STAR CLUB to receive promotional discounts on swim buoys and open water swim gear, including over 30% off all gear at ZONE3 using our special discount code!

OTHER GEAR RECOMMENDATIONS
Need some great open water swimming gear – check out our gear page!

PHOTOS
Send us your photos whenever you take a swim buoy and “pass it on” to help expose someone new to open water swimming – or simply use the following hashtags to promote open water swim safety!
#Swimming #OpenWater #LadyBugSwimmer #SwimSafe #PassItOn #SwimBuoy