New Years Day Swim

I woke up today at my usual time got out of bed and started to get ready for my daily swim at the YMCA. Nothing unusual I have been doing this for years. However, today is New Years Day and the YMCA does not open to 11:00.

I have my routines and among them is my morning swim. Some people have their coffee and newspaper and others have their pop tarts and pretzels I have my swim. The taste of chlorine plus the exhilaration of rushing heated water past my ears is my routine. This morning however, was to be different. My options were limited. I could stay in bed under the covers snuggled next to my wife of many years or get in the car and drive down to the lake front and swim.

The choice was easy for me to make and into the car I went. Fran, my wife came along, however her mood had changed drastically from when we were snuggling. I chalked it up to the fact that she rarely ever comes with me for my morning routine. I asked if she was going to join me in a swim but was unable to understand her answer. I guessed that maybe she would just be a spectator.

We drove down to the lake front and surprisingly found a parking spot right next to the beach. I remarked at our great fortune to find the beach and picnic area empty. Fran replied saying she was not surprised that no one else was stupid enough to come down to the lake for a swim at 9:00 in the morning in the middle of the winter. I thought maybe I would not push the idea of a picnic, after all it's the swim I was really interested in.

Like I said there were no other swimmers, maybe they would come later. Lake Michigan was beautiful this morning. The water was a shimmering color of drab grey highlighted with crashing white waves pushing the slush onto the shoreline. The beach was covered in snow turned grey and brown from the sand. The ice had crusted along the water's edge keeping the slush swirling at each crashing wave and sending a frozen spray onto the waiting beach. The temperature hovered around one and the sun decided to stay in bed and snuggle this morning. This created a beautiful scene that I was thrilled to share with my eager bride.

The beach house was closed, probably because of the holiday so I had to get into my suit on the beach. Fortunately I had planned ahead and had it on under my sweat pants. I stripped down to my swim suit, Fran stood there shocked as if she never saw me in a swim suit before and remarked something like, Oh my God he's really going to do it. The scene was beautiful and I was primed.

Standing next to the water with the wind in my face and the spray from the waves freezing on my legs I knew the only thing to do was walk into the water. Climbing up the ice bank toward the waiting slush I unexpectedly crashed through and found myself standing in a puddle of frozen water. I stepped out of this trap and into the lake. Undaunted I marched with determination into the waiting glacial goo. I walked through the crashing waves without even a glance back at the warm waiting shore or the laughing people who had suddenly materialized. I just kept walking to that spot marked ahead where I could safely dive into and under the water.

I walked for what seemed like an hour thinking that maybe someone had pulled

the plug on this lake since it was not getting any deeper. I knew I needed to dive under the waves but the lake simply would not get deeper. After many seconds that seemed like hours and quite a few feet that felt like miles I found the deep water. By now I was starting to get cold and eager to get underwater so I dived into a wave and suddenly realized it was incredibly cold. There was no exhilarating rush or out of body experience, just penetrating bone numbing incredible coldness. I stood up.

Quickly I was out of the water, without even a single stroke of swimming. My only thought was to get myself in a dry and warm area. I felt nothing that approached a repeatable feeling or something to remember. The exit from the lake was much quicker than my entry. Never did I imagine a person could be so cold and yet still be alive. The water froze into icicles and dangled from the overhangs of my body. A red bow and a sprig of pine would be all I would have needed to enter myself as a Christmas decoration.

Upon reaching the beach the plan was to put on my robe, take off my wet suit and put on dry clothes. Good plan but I was too cold to initiate anything sensible. So I ran back to the car wrapped in my coat and dangling icicles. The water froze in places that rational people never discuss in public or private.

When I reached the car any sanity I had left was taken away when I realized my wife was taking pictures of my attempted escape from the cold. Her laughter gave me no comfort as she told me to wait while she looked for the car keys! Finally I dove into the car and got my dry clothes on. Only then did I realize that now I had to sit on a wet car seat all the way home. However, rational thoughts had left me long before this time.

Why did I do this? Simple, I needed an answer to all the people who through the year will ask me: "Are you sure you can do this or do that?" You see I have this nagging chronic disease which I refuse to let get in my way. Now I will smile and say: "Yes, I can. I swam in Lake Michigan on New Year's day."

Happy New Year to you.