Chilling Out In Glacial Groove
Colin Hill is organizing the first Big Chill Swim in February 2013. As the organizer, he is also prepping for the single-digit waters by swimming in the top tarn near the top of Old Man of Coniston in the Lake District in England.
Gotta like race directors who are willing to do what they ask of others.
After hiking up to the tarn, both the air and wind temperature were below 0°C while the water was 2°C. Brutal in the best of conditions, but the icy winds started to blow fiercely. “So I only stayed in for 10 minutes as I knew I would get cold when getting changed,” explained Hill. “I had two helpers with me to help get warm clothes on as soon as I was out of the water. It is fun visiting tarns and lakes in the winter for a swim.”
That kind of mentality is increasing common by swimmers from eastern Europe to China. “We have cold water here and I don’t want to stop swimming for the winter outdoors. I swim pretty much every day in a lake without a wetsuit through the winter, so you learn to understand how your body copes with the cold and what your limitations are. I get in and swim hard freestyle and don’t stop till I’m ready to come out.”
Copyright © 2012 by Open Water Source
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff.
Latest posts by Steven Munatones (see all)