Freezin' for a Reason

Has anyone ever heard of the Polar Plunge? Has anyone ever heard of the Titanic? Well, let’s just say that I have a new found respect for anyone that has to spend any type of time in any water during the winter months. On this past Saturday I decided to check one thing off of my bucket list….the Polar Plunge. This consists of running into Lake Ontario with no shoes, a t-shirt, and shorts as a benefit for Camp Good Days. Of course this past Saturday was also a snow storm, and I was not willing to give up crossing something off my bucket list for snow that has let me down for the rest of the winter months. Consequently, as we finally got to the Polar Plunge event after crawling on the highway, I hear people in the registration tent saying that this is the coldest and worst day that they remember seeing for the Plunge. HAHA is all I can think in my head, that nervous laugh. You know that laugh when things get very serious and you realize you are about to do something really dumb? Yeah, that laugh. Anyway, for the cause I continued on my journey to the Plunge. If I had fur like a polar bear this might have been a longer trip to the beach (it was held at Charlotte Beach). When we get into the tent that is the last one before the dash for the water, I am shocked to see women in bikinis, men with no shirts on at all, and best of all I saw one group of people even dressed up as the Smurfs (they won the costume contest). Everyone was having such a good time! Everyone sang the National Anthem, yelled clapped, and a couple of other strange things that I won’t put in this blog. FINALLY, though it was time. The long stretch to the beach was the worst, because already my feet were going numb. Then, the water and the slush made it unbearable. I couldn’t feel my feet anymore! People are diving in around me, going under the water, screaming from the adrenaline, and then screaming on their run back out after more than just their feet go numb. It was so worth it though, because this is definitely something that I will never forget. It’s not every day you go swimming in February in a lake and live to tell the tale. These are the cool things that are around Rochester and St. John Fisher actually supports and organizes groups to go to awesome events like this one.

Until next time….Later!