Put me in, Coach - I'm ready to play today

I did it! I actually did it! And can't wait to do it again next year!!
Sunday morning I woke up after having crazy nightmares about singing dolphins and 40 foot waves, not really sure about this polar bear swim. I even thought about giving up the dream and going back to bed - the dolphins were kinda cute. Then I thought about how disappointed I'd be with myself. This is something that I've been wanting to do forever, and I've been doing so well with my resolution. This wasn't a time to quit! Plus, how shitty would it be if I showed up at the playground on Monday after bragging to everyone what my Sunday plans were? So I called Shana and begggggggggged her to come with me. She said yes and I am eternally grateful for that. After a 15 minute walk down the boardwalk, I started getting the butterflies. I was super dooper nervous and kept hearing my mother's voice saying "You could go in to cardiac arrest or get hypothermia. Don't die." I silenced her immediately and took off my clothes once I saw the, approximately, 3500 other people.

You'd think they'd sound an alarm or a whistle or something, but nope. All of a sudden around 1:30, people just started charging the water. I've never seen Braveheart, but I imagine this is what one of the scenes would look like, only more wet & less face paint. As I started running in, friends were helping fallen friends out, people were turning blue and the crowd got thinner. But it was too late to turn back and I wasn't scared anymore. I was on a mission. I was expecting to feel the sting of the balmy 38 degree water upon entry, but I didn't (that's what she said). Not until after I dove under and started making my way out did things started to hurt, sting, cramp, and lock up. Yikes! It was at that moment my mother's voice popped back into my head and I forced my way out. This is a picture I took of myself as I headed back to my towel that Shana was so graciously holding out for me. I'm not 100% sure if that's water or snot dripping out my nose.
"Because," she said "when you're scared but you still do it anyway, that's brave." - Coraline.

<3