Headstand, Swim & Snow

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Abstract

t I’d be doing this over a year ago! It’s how I discovered the <a href="https://betterhumans.pub/the-click-moment-of-cold-open-water-swimming-c61f9771606a">“Click” Moment</a> of cold open water swimming through perseverance and why I embraced and fell in love with swimming in open water.</p><p id="1a24">What’s shown in the photo is what I wear for swimming (minus the toque) plus goggles. I don’t wear a wetsuit, wet shoes, or a swim cap.</p><p id="b3ad">Was it cold that day? Yep — the coldest swim I’ve done to date — I lasted 17 minutes! Technically, it’s still autumn but I’ll let you know how chilly it gets after winter arrives on December 21.</p><div id="3c93" class="link-block"> <a href="https://betterhumans.pub/the-click-moment-of-cold-open-water-swimming-c61f9771606a"> <div> <div> <h2>The “Click” Moment of Cold Open Water Swimming</h2> <div><h3>The click is shocking — but I’m hooked. Facing my fear of drowning & how I became a superhero with goggles</h3></div> <div><p>betterhumans.pub</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*NCZ_tG_LFxmF_WFx)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><p id="7624"><i>Can you tell a story in six words inspired by a photo taken by yourself?</i></p><p id="d979">If you’d like to submit to the Six Word Photo Story Challenge and participate in <b>December’s “Snow &amp

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; White” Challenge,</b> see full details and rules below.</p><div id="783e" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/snow-white-december-prompt-2d8461f76824"> <div> <div> <h2>Snow & White: December Prompt</h2> <div><h3>December Six Word Photo Story Challenge: “Snow & White”</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*hjrJq10TDQVIv8e2BNq3KQ.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><p id="c5bd"><b>The December“Snow White” challenge is open for submissions from Wed, December 1st, and closes Sun, December 19, 2021, at noon, Pacific Standard Time.</b></p><p id="67a1"><b>NOTE:</b> <b>Stories not formatted correctly or that require edits will delay publication or may not be accepted</b>. <a href="https://readmedium.com/formatting-your-six-word-photo-story-f7640a61657b">Formatting guidelines</a> are unique to this publication so please read them thoroughly.</p><h2 id="f8ca">About the Writer</h2><p id="4d79">Mary Chang is the editor of the Six Word Photo Story Challenge <a href="https://medium.com/six-word-photo-story-challenge">publication </a>— inspired by her original 6-Word Photo Story Summer Challenge <a href="https://marychang-10894.medium.com/the-6-word-photo-story-summer-challenge-e7c77e18d142">writing prompt</a> (2021) on Medium.</p></article></body>

Headstand warm-up — before my ocean swim.

That’s me in the photo — taken the first week of December on the day of the first snowfall this year. One of my 2021 personal fitness challenges was to swim in open waters every single month. To date, I’ve done 130 open water swims in the Pacific Ocean, various lakes, rivers, and creeks starting from January 1st when I did my first Polar Bear Swim that lasted 10 seconds.

Fall weather in September was still warm but starts cooling down (15 degrees C average in the ocean) — I did 26 swims. As it got colder, I did 12 swims in October, 7 swims in November, and 1 swim (so far) in December with each swim lasting between 16–24 minutes in the Pacific Ocean. The average ocean temperature is 6–12 degrees celsius (43–54F) during Oct-Dec.

I’m hooked on cold open water swimming and each time I swim, it either jolts me out of my anxiety, stress, or depression or gives me an incredible natural high that carries with me throughout the day.

This crazy type of swimming pushed me to find courage, endure cold temperatures and face my fear of drowning. I never thought I’d be doing this over a year ago! It’s how I discovered the “Click” Moment of cold open water swimming through perseverance and why I embraced and fell in love with swimming in open water.

What’s shown in the photo is what I wear for swimming (minus the toque) plus goggles. I don’t wear a wetsuit, wet shoes, or a swim cap.

Was it cold that day? Yep — the coldest swim I’ve done to date — I lasted 17 minutes! Technically, it’s still autumn but I’ll let you know how chilly it gets after winter arrives on December 21.

Can you tell a story in six words inspired by a photo taken by yourself?

If you’d like to submit to the Six Word Photo Story Challenge and participate in December’s “Snow & White” Challenge, see full details and rules below.

The December“Snow White” challenge is open for submissions from Wed, December 1st, and closes Sun, December 19, 2021, at noon, Pacific Standard Time.

NOTE: Stories not formatted correctly or that require edits will delay publication or may not be accepted. Formatting guidelines are unique to this publication so please read them thoroughly.