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Cold Water Habituation
HABITUATION was one of my very first posts, and the first post I wrote about cold and cold water swimming, over four years ago, little realising it would become my favourite subject. Although it is...
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Cold Water Acclimatization
This post was a companion to HABITUATION, both of which I wrote in early 2010. Since I revisited and largely rewrote that as Cold Water Habituation, my plan was to do the same in this post also....
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Ice Mile Dilemmas – I – The Trap
Sometime back in winter of 2010, Sandycove Island Channel swimmer and local legend Finbarr Hedderman and I discussed attempting an Ice Mile. At the time the International Ice Swimming Association was...
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Ice Mile Dilemmas – II – Surprisingly Cold
Driving to Wicklow that morning, it never once occurred to us that the water temperature would be cold enough. I was absolutely fine with that. “Here’s anther stupid thing we are doing on yet another...
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Ice Mile Dilemmas – III – Black Rain
Part 1 Part 2 Ten minutes after briefing and the swimmers were lined up on Lough Dan’s so-called beach for the group photo seen in the previous part. Sometimes writing about the minutiae of swimming is...
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Ice Mile Dilemmas – IV – Local Context
An Ice Mile is a one mile (1610 metres) swim at or under 5.0º Celsius with standard swim costume, cap and goggles. Records to early March 2014 indicate 116 recognised Ice Mile swims, with only about 80...
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Ice Mile Dilemmas – V – Something Terrible Is Going To Happen
“I’m with you in fearing that something terrible is going to happen, and it’s going to happen soon”. This is a direct quote from a well-known and respected Ice Mile and Channel swimmer in response to...
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Ice Mile Dilemmas – VI – Safety and Experience
As you will recall from the previous article the IISA says one of its primary objectives is: Promoting Safety in Extreme Swimming Events. Let’s consider that. One overseas organiser of a reputable Ice...
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Ice Mile Dilemmas – VIII – The Dangers
I’ve said previously that open water swimming is dangerous. Ice Mile swimming is even more dangerous. I don’t think the IISA website, which is how most people are going to interact with and learn about...
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Ice Mile Dilemmas – IX – Safety Is Everything
The Average Person? As a responsible extreme cold water swimming promoting organisation, it’s frustrating that the IISA doesn’t seem to appreciate its responsibility in promoting safety and reducing...
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Ten Common Myths of Cold Water Swimming
You know how one can reliably tell that summer is certainly over? I start writing about cold water. Let’s kick the winter swimming season off, shall we? Okay, I know the water is still warm, but it’s...
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Ten More Common Myths of Cold Water Swimming
Following the previous Ten Common Myths of Cold Water Swimming. There are quite a few myths, most probably better described as misunderstandings, about cold water and cold water swimming. A few are...
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Now, and Then. Memories Of Being A Beginner Cold Water Swimmer
I’ve been out for the water for some time. Just as the temperature starts to drop and the weather decay, a critical time for an open water swimmer to be out of the water if they plan to swim through...
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What Is Peripheral Vasoconstriction?
This physiological response has been mentioned so many times that I decided it needed its own specific post to plug into the Cold Water Swimming articles section. Peripheral Vasoconstriction in fingers...
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How To: Advice for Christmas or New Year swimming in cold water for irregular...
In Brief: PREPARE and OBSERVE If swimming by yourself, make sure you inform someone where and when and preferably have an observer. Your most important pre-swim action to make sure you know where to...
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Cold Turkey
The Internet sucks, doesn’t it? There you are, doing your best and still struggling. Everywhere you look online everyone else is telling you how amazing they are. That’s how I feel about it most of the...
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