Happy New Year!

I stated my new year by doing the Polar Bear Plunge. I still don't understand why anyone would do this but I guess it's to say "I did it."

Only in Milwaukee, Wisconsin can Bradford Beach attract more people on January 1st to jump in a freezing lake than watch some great volleyball on a hot August day. This was my second year jumping in the cold lake. My brother decided to join me this year. We were lucky to have warm temperatures of 40 degrees. There is a strategy to the jump: Don't wear a lot of clothes. Cold wet clothes on your body makes it worse. Before you jump in have your warm and dry clothes ready to put on. Bring a blanket and lay out your layers so you can get to them right away. Also, bring a lot of towels. Ladies, wear a bikini with ties if you can. Once you get your clothes on you can untie your suit and pull it right off, that way you don't have your cold wet suit against your body. Something new I learned this year from my fellow running buddies, bring big thermal bags full of hot water.... when you get out of the cold water you stand in the bag and it warms your body right away. Here are some pictures from my crazy morning.

Getting ready to go in