The Cold Water Swimming Edition
Year after year, endurance events continue to gain popularity. For a subset of humans, the search to find and push beyond perceived limits is an exhilarating draw. That’s obviously matched with the physical benefits of exercise. But for me, it’s the mental benefits that are particularly pronounced. Whether it’s running ultramarathons like South Africa’s iconic Comrades Marathon, climbing Yosemite’s El Capitan, or surfing some of the best waves around the world, finding that edge makes me feel alive and, ironically, in control. It was a running joke that climbing big walls was good training for working as a journalist in the Middle East, especially during the Arab Spring. But nothing I’ve done thus far has challenged my sense of endurance more than cold water swimming.
The reason (and its appeal) is simple: it doesn’t get easier. No matter how hard you train or how much time you spend in the sea, the water doesn’t get warmer. You might be able to deal with it mentally but your body’s natural response to the cold (read: various stages of hypothermia) doesn’t change. Ultramarathon running is different in this regard. The more you train, the easier and shorter runs feel. When you start out, running a 5km can feel like a march to collapse. A year later, you can run 5km without breaking a sweat.
Why is this interesting?
