The first swim wave starts at 6:30 am and there will be approximately 38 waves. Waves are grouped by age group and gender. The sprint distance participants will go off first. If you are doing the international distance, be prepared to sit around for at least an hour before your start.

You will jump in the water at Monroe harbor and tread water for several minutes before the gun goes off for your wave.

If you're doing the sprint distance, you will immediately head north swimming between the harbor wall on your west and a row of boats to your east. You will exit the water at the far north end of the harbor.

If you're doing the international distance, you will first head south, swim 1/4 mile, go around a buoy and then head north. As you go north you will pass the starting area and then exit the water at the north end of the harbor.

As you exit, there are submerged steps in the water, get your legs up to step up onto them. Additionally, there will be strong men to help pull you out of the water. After leaving the water, you'll head up to transition, which is at least 1/4 mile away!

After retreiving your bike in transition, you'll use the Randolph street ramp to enter Lake Shore Drive. You'll be riding on the inner lanes of LSD (while cars are still driving on the outer lanes). Unlike the normal traffic patterns on the lakefront path or during most races, you will stay to the left when biking and use the right lane to pass.

Everyone heads north and turns around at Foster Avenue. This is a tight turn around and quite rough on the wheels, so take it slow. Then you head south.

If you are doing the sprint distance you will make a sharp turn just south of the ramp you entered on and head back into transition. If you are doing the international distance, you will turn around at Chicago Avenue and make a second loop up north before exiting the bike course. Use caution when turning around at Chicago, you will be re-entering the flow of bikes just starting their rides.

There is a place to drop off water bottles as you approach Foster and then pickup water-filled just after the turn around.

Leave the transition area and head south, you'll pass near where the swim start is. You'll be on the grass between the harbor and Lake Shore as you pass Grant park. Then, you'll pick up the regular lake front path and run south.

The sprint distance turn around point is just before McCormick Place. The International distance turn around is about 3/4 of a mile beyond McCormick. The course is primarily out and back and then ends by going into the tunnel beyond the Field Museum and ending on Columbus Drive.

Great job, smile for the cameras, you're done! Make sure to look for the club booth at the finish line.