Project:
Lap The Lake
On September 17, 2025, Jace Morgan completed a record-setting open-water swim around the entire shoreline of Lake Wawasee, becoming the first person to ever do so in a single, continuous effort. The swim pushed physical and mental limits while raising awareness for water conservation in partnership with the Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation (WACF). Supported by a dedicated crew and a purpose larger than himself, the journey proved that endurance, community, and stewardship can come together to redefine what’s possible — in the water and in life.
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Lap The Lake
Dream Realized | WACF x BTR
On September 17, 2025, endurance athlete and Wawasee local Jace Morgan completed a record-setting 17-mile open-water swim around the entire shoreline of Lake Wawasee in 9 hours and 20 minutes, becoming the first person to ever do so in a single, continuous effort.
What started as a physical challenge quickly became something much bigger. Swimming for nearly ten hours in 67–72°F water, Jace battled mounting fatigue and early signs of hypothermia after the five-hour mark. To stay in the water, his crew ran hot water from shore, handing it off mid-swim so he could keep going. A safety kayak stayed beside him the entire time, while a pace boat carrying his crew and young daughter followed close, offering protection, fuel, and belief when it mattered most.
As the day wore on, the lake responded. More than 300 people gathered to watch. In the final four miles, a parade of over a dozen boats, including two sheriff boats, formed behind him, turning the swim into a moving celebration of community, resilience, and shared purpose. When Jace finally stood up in the harbor and raised his arms, dozens of boats sounded their horns while more than 30 people waited on shore cheering his name — a moment he describes as completely out of body and life-changing.
Lap The Lake was done in partnership with the Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation (WACF) to inspire the next generation of water stewards and conservationists. The swim sparked a $100,000 dollar-for-dollar donation match and helped raise $215,000 total for local water conservation efforts. Within 24 hours, the story reached over 1 million people, later climbing past 14 million views, putting both the mission and Jace’s message on a national stage.
For Jace, the swim was deeply personal. He grew up on the north shore of Lake Wawasee, lived on a boat there as a young man, and was married on that same boat in the middle of the lake. Lap The Lake wasn’t about leaving home — it was about understanding he was exactly where he was meant to be. The swim solidified his calling: to use endurance, honesty, and lived experience to help others see that they are capable of far more than they believe.
In the months that followed, Jace wrote Beyond the Buoy, a raw account of the swim and the mental battles behind it, which became a best-selling book within three months. The overwhelming community response, letters, messages, and shared stories became the fuel for what came next.
Lap The Lake wasn’t the finish line.
It was the beginning, and it leads directly into his next mission dubbed "Follow the Flow - 2026"
