Today the water is down to 43 degrees, which is significantly colder than 50! A group of us met at the beach for a swim at 1. It was cold and a little windy, with enough cloud cover that you couldn't really see the sun. It wasn't a bad weather day precisely, but it wasn't a good one either. We all procrastinated for a little bit before getting into the water before finally agreeing it was time to get in.
Once in, we decided to shoot for 200 meters - the longest winter swim festival distance. I really want to do the 200 this year! I put my face in and repeated my mantra "breathe through it" over and over as I did the first lap. By the end of the first lap, my breathing was in fact fine, and my face didn't feel that cold. I did my 200, and thought that I could do a quarter mile, which isn't that much further. At the quarter mile point I decided that a third of a mile was doable, and then at that point, I decided to go for a half mile, which is what I wound up doing. By the end, my hands and feet felt like they were incased in blocks of ice. I got out and was so stumbly, and it took me a couple minutes to realize that I couldn't get my swim suit off because my bouy was still belted around my waist. So, the brain wasn't working that well.
On thanksgiving we also did a half mile - that one was actually much easier for me. The water was about 45-46 I think, but there was sun and no wind.
Getting into hot water and out of my swimsuit fast is so key. In addition, I bought a new heated fleece for myself for black friday, and that is massively helpful. I put it on next to my skin, and then cover it with a zip up fleece. Still, the after drop today was brutal! We stayed on the beach for a good half hour dancing to warm up.
One thing that I started doing that I think helps (or maybe it doesn't, but I'm going to continue doing it) is I pulled my swim cap down to just above my eyebrows. I think that keeps my neanderthal ridge a tiny bit warmer. I also got a new swim suit because my current one is starting to look a little sad, and because I need 2 for the winter festival. I think the new one is a tiny bit thicker, not like neoprene, but maybe just a little compression to it. Which might also give me a little boost.
The L street visit was a lot of fun. We got into the ocean, bobbed around for like 10 minutes, sat in the sauna, and then went back in for 5 minutes, and just alternated swim, sauna/steam room for 5 dips, ending with the cold. I don't think the sauna was that hot, but it could just be the cold in between...
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