hypothermia: subnormal temperature of the body due to prolonged exposure to cold.

outside temp: 14 C / 56 F
water temp: 21 C / 69 F
distance: 1000m.
time: a lot faster than normal.

I got in the pool, noting the icy feeling of the water as I stepped off the ladder. Usually this is where I stand at the end of the pool anticipating the rush of blood and whatever else it is that goes from my toes and shoots towards my head, providing an instant wake up. Cold is normal. The rush is normal. Not lingering to feel the complete whoosh of the rush, I dove under and started the first lap. I got halfway across the pool and instead of being cold, I actually couldn't feel anything, which of course was like a false sense of warm. That feeling didn't last long. Swimming with goosebumps for the first 400 meters is normal. Swimming 800 meters with goosebumps and still freezing is not. The 9th lap felt great. The last lap I was praying I wouldn't black out. Or whatever happens when you swim too fast for too long and are freezing your toes off in very cold water for nearly a half hour straight.

Despite the sudden strange feeling of calmness and blurry feeling I got at the last lap, it felt great. In a very wake-upish and "wow, I didn't know I could swim that fast" kind of way.

Whatever people say about the water "feeling warmer if you keep moving" lost its validity. If what people say about the colder the water temp, the higher your oxygen intake...and the more oxygen intake, the smarter you'll be....then I should be a genius by sundown.

result: a high kind of buzz that should last at least through the morning.


reward: free hot shower.