Extreme ways.

A friend called me on Xmas day to wish us well for the new year. He mentioned that he had been at a party the night before and how they had chatted about me swimming. My friend who hates cold water said when we (open cold water swimmers) talk about how cold the water is it was like cutting yourself and then comparing with another cutter who had cut themselves deeper. He just did not see the point of me putting myself through this and wondered why i used such EXTREME WAYS.

Soooo I guess my friend will be staying in the warm waters of KZN; I on the other had am sitting here at 4am on 1st Jan 2018 too nervous to sleep as I am taking part in a New Year’s day swim on Clifton beach (or should I say the cold water in front of Clifton beach ;-). My friends would now be getting to bed after a night of celebration as I would have been a few years ago. I guess things really have changed for me. Some things I actively changed and some just changed naturally. Business for instance, as I don’t spend half of every day in the pub I am working harder. As my work ethic improves so does my income. As my income increases the spin off is felt by my staff and I am then able to offer a better product. Better product happier client. ………….you get where I am going with this so let me get back to my friends thinking I am a nut job.

Getting into the cold water is a bit rough and it takes your breath away. Your hands and feet go numb and your skin is on fire. Your head aches and your teeth burn. I am a slow starter and it takes me a while to get my motor running but if you persist it slowly gets easier.

The pain though is still not as bad as when i was sick. We used to have these killer hangovers after a marathon pubbie and would compare how much we drank to cause them certainly sounds like 2 cutters comparing cuts to me.

Please don’t get me wrong – I really wish I could experience the taste combo of a heavy Shiraz with a bloody rump steak again ……..but not to be. So we adapt. Now 2 years down the line it is easy. I am on constant alert but confident enough that I can enjoy a meal without even thinking about drinking.

Cold water swimming seems to be like that. You acclimatize. It was a huge relief to me to find out I have a normal tolerance to the cold. (So my liver seems to be back in shape…..yeeehaaaaa). Which means like everyone else I over a period of time will be able to get used to the cold temps. Today will be my 4th swim at around 11deg in the last 10 days. Every time it has become easier. Today is an open water swim of 1600m. This should take me around 50min. I know I can swim 1600m in good conditions but this is CT and it is currently raining, windy and cold. However the swim is 20min longer than I have spent at that temp before.

So I am pretty nervous.

But you know what………I feel freeeking great. This is the most alive I have felt in years. My blood is pumping with adrenalin, my body is stronger, my head is clear and alert, I feel confident and capable.

Celebrating the sun going down for the 365.242199th time before starting to count again is not going to change your luck. I decide my future. I got myself into this mess and now I must get myself out. I could not have remained on the straight and narrow without my awesome support group but ultimately it is my journey. I can do nothing to change the past and there is no point in worrying about the future. What I can do something about is right now. If I give 100% to the now (your 100% changes daily), don’t eat fatty foods, wear sunblock and don’t marry a family member 😉 then my future will surely be the best it can be.

So my mission for this year is to stop worrying and live. I have dreams just like everyone else and I am going to do my 100 % to achieve them but I want to enjoy the experience as well.

So I am heading off now to go swim my swim. Come rain or shine, waves or not, wind and bad viz. I really don’t care. I am excited not just for today but for the future.

I guess the answer to why I am doing this is simple……….because I can and sometimes you don’t really need a reason, you just gotta say……what the fuck.

(PS. Lindy and I both finished the swim.)

The swell was huge and the water was cold. It was my most difficult swim yet but the water was clear and feeling of the warm sun on my cold back as I neared the end brought comfort and hope for an exciting and active future.

Thanks for your interest and may the next 365.242199 days bring you lots of happiness but most importantly may you achive your goals.

Pss did you know.

1. Global warming is the increase of Earth’s average surface temperaturedue to greenhouse gases that collect in the atmosphere like a thickening blanket, trapping the sun’s heat and causing the planet to warm up.
2. Greenhouse gases keep heat close to the earth’s surface making it livable for humans and animals. However, global warming is happening largely due to an over-emittance of these gases and fossil fuels (natural oil, gasoline, coal).
3. With the start of industry in the 1700’s, humans began emitting more fossil fuels from coal, oil, and gas to run our cars, trucks, and factories. By driving a “smarter” car, you will not only save on gas, but help prevent global warming.
4. There is more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere today than at any point in the last 800,000 years.
5. Though Americans make up just 4 percent of the world’s population, we produce 25 percent of the carbon dioxide pollution from fossil-fuel burning — by far the largest share of any country