2012 Polar Plunge

Thank you to all of my friends and family who supported me and the Special Olympics this year in the Annual Anchorage Polar Plunge. 

 

Team Diva Divers

Pre-jump!

(I'm in the hot pink shirt looking insanely optimistic)

Air Temperature - 10*F

Ice thickness at Goose Lake - 22 in

Costumes are the norm.

The team that jumped right before us was the Roller Derby Girls...

bikinis and all!

C-R-A-Z-Y!

I have no idea how I'm still smiling and excited about this?  Apparently I'm trying to put on a strong face for my kiddos and the crowd?

I'm clearly crazy, right?

I can tell you in complete certainty that at this moment, as I gazed down at the icy water (and the safety diver on the edge)... my stomach was in knots and I was trying to determine how far out I could jump so that I would minimize the amount of seconds my body had to be in the frigid waters.

 

But with the music pumped on the loud speaker, the MC announcing our team, and the crowd cheering us on, there was only one thing left to do...



... JUMP!

Words really can't describe the shock your body goes through when you plunge in.  Yes, you lose your breath.  I imagine it feels very much like someone who has an asthma attack and can't catch their breath.  Fortunately, it only lasts a few seconds... basically until I got to the ladder.  Thank god I got the ladder.  I'm fairly sure my facial expression tells you that.




Emerging from the water was not quite as bad as jumping - but certainly a close 2nd.  The 10 degree air temperature felt like daggers on my cold, wet skin.

I can tell you that those volunteers, holding up the white towels for the plungers to run into and wrap themselves up in, were savors for someone who is a frozen Popsicle.  My only problem was why the hell weren't they standing closer to the ladders where we got out.  Walking over to them felt like an eternity.

And the video...
{our group starts at 1:07}

Following the towel wrap up, we were scurried into warming tents were there were 3 hot tubs waiting for the plungers to "de-ice" in (just kidding).  In all seriousness though, it was simply wonderful to warm up instantly.  I don't know how some one's body could rebound from that sufficiently without one of those babies.  My only complaint is we were booted out after only 30 seconds.  Yeap... had to make room for the next round of plungers coming up from their jump.  Man, I could have stayed there all morning.

Not really... I had my team of cheerleaders waiting for me to warm up and put some dry clothes on.  Poor Brian and the kids were left standing outside (although there were fire pits to warm up next to) - all of which were turning into Popsicles with each passing moment. 

Thanks to Brian for braving the cold with the kids and taking the pictures!
One more thing is checked off the Alaska Bucket List.