The swims were in a local lake. “The water is polluted constantly with feces,” from the geese that call the park home, he says. (Another member of his race team described the lake as a “goose toilette.”) But he was a healthy, mid-30s guy. When everyone jumped in, he did too.

Triathletes are a tough bunch. It’s a point of pride for most of us. Race a 140.6 on a 100-degree day? Hardcore. Bike despite an oozing saddle sore? Beast mode. But there’s a time to draw the line—and that line could be in the sand of a dirty lake. Triathletes must care about water quality because swimming in lth can have real consequences. We’re a powerful group. If we organize, we might be able to clean up our waterways.