I’m still swimming, I’m not posting a lot about it, other than photos of the lake, if you happen to follow me on Instagram.
I am still working out, just more on land. This tends to happen every year as Open water season here in Chicago approaches its annual death (at least for me).
It gives my arms a little break.
I am still currently getting in the lake, its hovering close to 50f.
I have a number in my head about how low a temp I would like to go to this year, it’s the answer to life, death and the meaning of everything, if you get my references.
Not sure I will make it to that temp, but right now I am enjoying the feeling of swimming in the chillier water.
It still feels good to just be outside and that tends to offset any feelings of discomfort.
Though, maybe discomfort is the wrong word.
Rather than discomfort, there is a positive element that comes with that stingy feeling on the skin, followed by the initial ache of my hands and feet (which passes).
The redness of my skin when I exit the water.
The ever so slight and uncommon feeling, after exiting the water, that I am talking but maybe my mouths not moving (only below 50f or the first couple of swims at low 50f annually).
But I breath, I feel awake, I feel refreshed.
Those endorphins get moving, I think this is positive.
It feels sometimes like, I am fighting nature in not giving up on summer/warmer weather yet.
I feel like I am fighting my natural urges to go hide indoors for 6 months and wait till the Sun comes back higher in the sky.
Winter can be long and depressing.
Every year my hope is to get to Thanksgiving without Snow, as otherwise its going to be a long and painful winter (I don’t like snow- I try not to leave the house).
So, the longer I can get in the lake, the longer we hold off winter.
The longer I swim in the lake, the shorter the period to next year’s open water swim season.
I am currently listening to a book, during my dog walks, its about being out of your comfort zone, physically.
Not necessarily from an exertion point of view, though that is a part.
More from a testing your limits and the new idea of normal life comforts to combat the natural world.
The argument in the book being, we weren’t always built to be so “mollycoddled”, so some of our comforts aren’t really needed.
Or at least that’s how I have interpreted it so far.
I might give an update as I progress.
I signed up for End wet again (36 Mile swim in North Dakota) for 2020. I couldn’t use my left arm the day after that swim in 2018 but I really enjoyed the swim.
I woke up during the night (after the swim) shaking but I really enjoyed the swim.
I woke up another time craving sugar or basically anything I could find to eat but again I really enjoyed the swim.
I woke up in the morning after the swim, just aching but I really enjoyed the swim.
So basically, I really enjoyed that swim and have made the decision to return and do it again, cause as my mantra from that day goes “Be the mother fuckin wolf”.
Not sure on the point of this post, there was no clear thread to my thoughts (is there ever??).
It seems to more be about various strands of thought that link to swimming and my current aims.
Thanks for reading
A somewhat adequate swimmer (when I swim)
A somewhat adequate Swimmer 