Still Learning

I'm still learning about temperature. I went to Twin Rivers hoping and expecting to be able to swim at least two hours. I had the time. I had the opportunity. I had the fire in the belly. I had the recent exposure to cold water. I can do this, I thought confidently as I parked my truck and swaggered my way towards the pool.

The water was sixty-nine degrees. 

The air was sixty-eight degrees.

I tapped out in twenty minutes.

What happened?

I knew right away I was in trouble. Body parts started going numb almost instantly. At sixty-nine, I should have been able to swim at least an hour. I lasted longer than that last week at 68. The only difference I could figure is that there was no sunshine and although the water and air temps were in the right range, with no sunshine to aid in my body's warmth, I started down the road to hypothermia almost instantly. Who knew? Come to think of it, I should have. Think about how many times you have been outdoors on a cool spring day and you are perfectly comfortable until a cloud covers the sun and instantly your body feels the cold?

So I only swam 1,000 meters, but that left me with time to do some other things before my night class. I spun for 26:00 on the bike trainer and then ran 3.65 on the treadmill. Since it was storming, really storming by then, I took advantage of my indoor equipment. I don't run on the treadmill often, but it's nice to have one when the weather is bad.