Cold water swimmers - anyone doing the polar bear/penguin challenge?

I've not been doing much as I'm marathon training so long runs have had priority on decent weather. 4½ hours of running in grim weather is worse and more critical consideration than half an hour in a lake 😂

Hopefully it'll be nice in mid-April when I'm in recovery mode!

I skipped this week, but plan to dip again on Sunday. I am kind of over this cold-cold water stuff. Right now it still feels ridiculously cold!

I just want it to warm up enough that I can enjoy a decent swim.
Last year that was about 1 May!

Can I ask for neoprene glove recommendations please?

Also, I normally wear a silicone hat, but would I find a neoprene hat much warmer? Thanks.

My venues back into the 6s, but I'm not going to get chance to go this week.

@PuddleglumtheMarshWiggle 7.5 is cold enough! I think it was about that yesterday. This is probably as cold as it gets here, but it doesn't seriously warm up until the end of April. I remember last year, it was only then that I felt like it was a decent temp for a good swim.

I stayed in for 2 minutes dipping. It was quite painful at the time but I didn't really have time to get too cold. I might go in more regularly just for the lols. I do miss swimming - haven't really done any since last October.

wow 1000m in cold water is really tough, well done!

I was in last Sunday, and will be in again today at 9am. It's a 4 minute dip then quickly layer up and have some chat with the other swimmers, home to change and have a quick shower, then off to do the next thing.

I've made it back this week for the first time since early December. The water was just under 5⁰C, but the sunshine has its glow back. I was well neoprened up and stayed in 25 mins. The lifeguard checked up on me. I was swimming back in the shallows and still comfortable. I didn't get post-swim chills either.

So tranquil compared to last week's lanes session! Totally calm water and just me and the wildlife!

I got in last Sunday and it was horribly cold. Feb is as cold as it gets here. I didn't even swim, just spent a minute up to my muddle trying not to swear and then got my torso in for a minute or so. Total time 3 minutes.

Still mostly enjoying it! I’ve switched from the reservoir to the sea in late Jan, so this is the warmest month for people since Nov! Still feels cold though. Am off to London next week and excited to have a swim in a lido - no getting sand everywhere and waiting to check Strava to see how much I’ve swum!

That is amazing @PuddleglumtheMarshWiggle !

Yes @BogRollBOGOF there is something dispiriting about running in the high wind, I find. It's like "I am out here trying toget some exercise and the bladdy planet is effing with me"

I've not made it back yet. Last week revolved around doing a marathon training long run and recovering, not helped by the DCs straddling a 3 week Christmas break.
I'll have to keep an eye on the weather. I hate strong winds for both the swimming and the running.

@PuddleglumtheMarshWiggle I've heard via town gossip that the gentleman had surgery and is, other than the injury, doing ok. He said he was tripping his balls off had some interesting ketamine experiences. He passed on gratitude to the mob who kept him warm and safe on the beach. I have to say he was an absolute champ about it.

I haven't been in since the 2nd. The water quality is poor with the storm tides, runoff etc. Just not worth it rn

I did 250m on NYD. I did the same swim in skins last year but wimped out this year because I haven’t been able to swim much in December owing to the temperatures and work commitments. Still felt proud of myself for doing it in a wetsuit and got the buzz.
Struggled with body temp for the rest of the day but it turned out I was brewing this vomiting bug everyone’s been getting.
Slept on and off for 24 hours and feel like I’m out the other side now, so I’m not going to let that put me off, but did have to miss the Jan 2 swim Id booked.

I didn't get afterdrop yesterday but I did get that feeling as the cold blood comes back into the core. It feels like cold water running down my back.

I will dip as often as I can just for the cold water lols and to stimulate adaptation. Maybe I will feel like swimming a little, after a few dips, let's see.

I felt the afterdrop kick in after my last swim in early December. I like neoprene for staying in the water long enough to justify the drive and fee for the supervised lake, but it does slow down the getting dry and stabilising your temperature. I was interupted in stripping by school calling about DS being ill.

I river dip in the summer, but not in the winter and there's a lack of appropriate open water in the area.

I need school to go back before getting my swimming gear out again. Another week to go...

wow good effort doing 500m!

Yesterday I did the loony dook down my local beach. I haven't been in since October (about 15C) and it was absolutely horrible. I got cold water hyperventilation just from having my thighs in the water. I spent less than 2 minutes total in the water, and got right out and layered up. Today I obviously decided to go for another dip, for cold-water adaptation. A minute legs only then about a minute up to my neck. Didn't bother getting my head wet, my body got the message fine without doing that!

Yesterday we had a serious incident on the beach. An experienced wing surfer snapped his ankle and needed dragged out of the water and up the beach. Luckily for him there were plenty of people about and he got layered up with dry robes and blankets with a pillow for his head. The manager of the local RNLI station was here and he got the local lifeboat to run over and we had two land-based coastguard units attending too. The first paramedic in a car didn't arrive until +1hr and gave entonox and then got a line in and filled matey up with IV ketamine. When the big ambulance arrived, they got his ankle straight and in an inflatable splint, then we finally got him off the beach and transported at +2hr. I've since heard that he's getting a pin put in to stabilise the ankle, and is otherwise OK. That was quite enough excitement for one day I can tell you!

It really made me think how serious just a silly knock can be, when you only have a short window to layer up and get warm before you start suffering severe cold-related symptoms. Another thing I noticed was that someone could very quickly become another casualty if they entered the water to help rescue someone.

There is real safety in numbers! Enjoy your dips and swims with swim buddies and/or land supervision, and stay safe.