fat girl plunging

 Before the Plunge—with coat and without.

Today was the Special Olympics Polar Bear Plunge into the Delaware. The last time I did it was in 2010, down near Philly. The water was cold. thank goodness it was not during the Arctic week. Today was about 34.

Firs thting I needed to do this morning was sweep the snow. It was only maybe a half-inch, so no shoveling was necessary.

Bonnie came about 10. We planned on arriving in Easton about 1.5 hours early for the noon start. Why? We had a walk to get in! After parking we went to Scott Park to sign in. I was in the third wave. Thankfully I didn't have to wait the hour till the 13th wave. I might have chickened out. I only had to wait 10 minutes.

We walked around and stopped at all the vendors. Should have taken a bag. I brought chips, Mike and Ikes, soft Pretzels and Wawa juice for Pat. We visited the photo booth, got some hot choloate from DDs booth, and Bonnie took her picture with the Wawa goose.

We had so much stuff we had to go back to the car, before heading over the free bridge. We headed up the Main street hill and walked about a mile to Shappell Park, walked around the park and back toward the bridge.

 Before crossing we headed up the Boylan Street stairs. All 146 of them. Then back over the bridge to the lot. After grabbing my bag, we headed toward the event. We arrived 10 minutes before the start. Perfect timing. I didn't take off my warm clothes until they started calling wave two.

Finally it was our turn. We went down to the start. And into the water we went. I went in to about my waist. Some crazy people put their heads under. Even though in the safety speech they told you not to. You can see one of the rescue boats in at the far right of the pix. Not a boat nor an ambulance was needed. Thank goodness.

I came out and immediately put on my pants and fleece jacket. I also took off my water shoes. (Note to self. Buy new water shoes.)

We hiked up the stairs to the park and headed back to the car.

All in all we walked four miles.

i took the plunge

I have a t-shirt and a green wrist band to prove it, but no way to prove I was actually in the Delaware. I went alone.

I should have left earlier. The google directions said an hour and 15 minutes. It  started at noon. I started leaving at 10. I had my coat on and I had to suddenly use the bathroom. I got dressed and it happened again. Then I got 2 blocks from the house and realized I forgot the directions. Came home and everybody was double parked, so I left the car in the middle of the street, ran up the hill, grabbed the directions and got back to the car just as the blockage started moving. Then I got 2 blocks from the house and the gas light went on. I was starting to think it was a sign.

I arrived at the park at 11:50. It was a 5 minute walk to the water front and the people were pokey at the registration tent. I got to the beach as they announced "Green bands please come to the beach." I took off my pants and had 1.5 water shoes on when the whistle blew. I started running into the water. It was warmer than I thought it would be, but cold when I came out. I then realized I had my coat off, but not my sweater. I must have looked really silly in my bike shorts and bulky sweater! They made us exit out a different way, so I had to walk around to get my stuff. I reached for my bag, and they were saying "Purple and all latecomers come to the beach." So I went again. Grabbed my bag on the way out and my pants were missing. I left them on the beach! So I went back again. Now I was getting cold. It was after all about 21 degrees F out.

So I found my pants, I was putting them on and a microphone was in my face. Hi I'm garble garble from KYW News. Can I ask you some questions while you're dressing. I said sure. I'm the perfect body type for RADIO!

It was fun. It was certainly not an activity to do alone. There was nobody to high-5 or hug. No picture. No real evidence that I completed the challenge.

Tomorrow, it's back to reality and Planet Fitness with Sharon. I need to get this fat girl moving seriously for the next very short month. The stair climb is 29 days away. 52 stories. I want to reach the top, but I won't in this condition.

it's gotten really, really cold

Just in time for the plunge, the temperature has plummeted. I'm going anyway. Alone. So they'll be no pictures unless they take one. I'll be easy to see in my 3-Day t-shirt and pink fuzzy hat. They are sending people out in 5 different groups. Hopefully I'm in one of the early groups so I don't chicken out. I'll have all my dry stuff in a plastic bag.

Sunday I'm going to the gym with Sharon. She's learning all kinds of stuff from her trainer and wants to teach me. I fear I've unleashed a monster. Sharon might just become a gym rat. Eek.

now what shall i wear?

My January Challenge

I signed up for a polar plunge today. It's on Saturday. Couldn't wait much longer, eh? It benefits Special Olympics.

Now what do I wear?

I don't own a swimsuit and wouldn't wear one in public anyway. So I guess it's shorts and a tank top with water shoes.  I guess I also need to borrow some sweat pants for when I come out. They tell you you should bring a dry partner to hold your dry clothes. Need to find one of them. Maybe Bonnie will be game.

The website also says to bring a waterproof camera so someone out there will take a pix of you. It's going to be about 27 degrees F. I don't think anybody will be having photo ops! Hopefully my "dry" partner will take a pix. It also says no running. Like that's gonna happen.

The "fun" happens at noon Saturday at Neshaminy State Park in Bensalem.

✻  ✻  ✻

Walking wise, I've been averaging 2-3 days a week. Not bad for the middle of winter. Plus stairs. Not as many as I should be doing, but at least I'm not sitting on my butt.

I need to tame the food beast. He's out of control. Yeah, I know, he feeds mostly off of stress. Now if I could get that out of my diet it would be great.

I don't want to diet. That doesn't work. I need to change the way I eat and be consistent about it. I also need to eat smaller portions. That only happens on non-stress days.

(photo from polorpa.org website.)