May 27, 2008 / by srhernan / Make A Comment / Filed under Fitness & Training
When people find out that we go swimming in water temperatures as low as 50F, the most common opinion seems to be that it is both “crazy” and “dangerous” to engage in this type of activity. However, I would argue that we are genetically designed to flourish better in environments having colder water, and that it is hot water which is the unnatural state.
Ponder this for a moment. The earliest human migrations out of the African continent occurred roughly 130,000 years ago. Over the course of several millenia, humans extended their habitable reach throughout the Levant, Europe, Central Asia, Australasia, and eventually the Americas. Much of this migration took place during the Late Pleistocene Epoch which was dominated by glaciation that began about 110,000 years ago and ended between 10,000 and 15,000 years ago. In fact, our very own Lake Michigan is the result of this last great “ice age.”
Other than geothermal phenomena such as hot springs and geysers, there were really no naturally occurring sources of hot water during this period. And given that these sources were quite limited and remote themselves, it is highly unlikely that the human species ever had much exposure to the type of water temperatures that we have become accustomed to during our morning “hot shower” routines.
Bottom line, whether it involved drinking it, bathing in it, or just simply traversing through it during the course of everyday locomotion, colder water was a constant throughout this era. And the early humans who survived this period were those who demonstrated the ability to flourish within this type of environment.
The key is to realize that, because of the luxuries of modern life, you live in an artificial environment that enables you to exist within a very narrow band of temperature ranges. However, your physiology is designed to accommodate much, much more.
Remember: you are built for survivability and durability – not for comfort.
May 24, 2008 / by srhernan / Make A Comment / Filed under Lake Monsters, Swim Reports
You’re missing out, folks. These just keep getting better and better…
I did an official temperature reading prior to the swim this morning – a balmy 54F. While the mercury reading was quite tolerable, the water itself was “mercurial” to say the least.
We had some fairly choppy conditions that made it a tougher workout than usual. In addition, the occasional unplanned mouthfuls of lake water certainly added some extra “fun” into the mix. But when you’re “in the arena” like today, you’re having way too much fun for any of this to phase you. Here are the shots:
Patriotic sunrise
Colin, Lake Monster #4 (congrats!)
“Scout” makes an appearance!
May 20, 2008 / by srhernan / 1 Comment / Filed under Fitness & Training
The Hadza are some of the last functioning hunter-gatherers in the world. They reside in Tanzania near Lake Eyasi and are a nomadic group of people who have lived essentially the same way for thousands of years.
The Hadza diet consists primarily of berries, roots, greens, and other wild plants as well as meat obtained by hunting and killing wild (lean) animals. Children learn early on how to pick fruit and roots as well as how to kill small game animals such as birds. Honey is the only “pure sugar” source of carbohydrates, and it is gathered and stored (when available) because of its natural suitability for long term preservation.
The Hadza are also very physically active. As the primary game hunters, the men carry axes, bows, arrows, and knives, and they often spend the majority of the day stalking prey or chasing predators away from freshly killed animals. The women carry food pots and fire making material, and they often have to transport heavy equipment when the camp needs to be temporarily relocated due to a large animal kill.
It’s a tough life. But it’s also the type of life for which you are physiologically optimized.
The key takeaway here is to realize that, while your lifestyle may be drastically different from that of a hunter-gatherer, you are essentially the same human being. And when you deviate too extremely from the diet and activity patterns that have been ingrained into your genetics for over 50,000 years, you are likely to experience some “push back.” Unfortunately, this usually takes the form of such niceties as hypertension, impaired glucose tolerance, atherosclerosis, and type II diabetes.
So toss away that iced caramel macchiato (with whipped cream) and get in a power law workout...
May 18, 2008 / by Steve / Make A Comment / Filed under Swim Reports
Another great swim…
Sometime around mid to late September you wake up in the morning and you notice a chill in the air that wasn’t there before. That’s nature’s way of gently breaking the news to you that summer is finally over.
However, the inverse happens around this time of year.
You wake up earlier than usual and you notice that it’s not only warmer outside, but that it’s also a lot lighter – and that everything’s coming alive once again. Indeed, nature is telling you that it’s time to shuffle off the sluggish coil of winter and reawaken for yet another awe-inspiring Great Lakes summer.
Maybe you’re not a swimmer, and perhaps this whole open water thing just isn’t your fancy. That’s okay. But you owe it to yourself to get outside early this time of year and take in the splendor that only springtime in Chicago can offer. With that in mind, I leave you with these:
Magnificent sunrise
May 17, 2008 / by Steve / Make A Comment / Filed under Cool News
Check out the recent episode of Outside the Loop RADIO that aired on Friday. I had a great chat with Mike and Andy, and this will really give you a better idea of what we’re all about.
You can follow the link and listen to the whole program (I’m at the end of the show at 22:00). Or you can just check out my part here:
May 10, 2008 / by srhernan / Make A Comment / Filed under Lake Monsters, Swim Reports
We had great swim this morning. I was a bit concerned about the water temperature given the 40F – 45F days we’ve been having, but the lake actually seemed a bit warmer this time around. I didn’t do an official measurement, but I’d estimate that the water temperature was in the 50F – 53F range. Just a few observations:
- Light exercise the night before seems to help “prime” the body for swimming. I did a low exertion 25 minute run before dinner last night, and that may have had a positive effect on managing the temperature changes.
- Diet and food intake seem to make a significant difference in thermoregulation as well. I always try to get a quick energy snack in my stomach 1-2 hours before each swim, but I’m finding out that it’s the evening before that really matters. I typically eat a lean source protein dinner with a “wet” carb such as steamed vegetables or fruits. However, last night I deviated from this and ate some whole wheat pasta and marinara sauce. This, combined with the run, seemed to take the edge off of the cold. In fact, I first noticed this during my pre-swim cold shower.
As always, here are the featured shots of the day:
Awesome sunrise
Dominique – Lake Monster #3 (congrats!)
May 9, 2008 / by Steve / Make A Comment / Filed under Tips & Techniques
By now you should have a much better idea on how to effectively manage the “front end” of your swim (cold water “priming”, mammalian diving reflex, etc.). This post will focus on managing the “back end” part with a special emphasis on the afterdrop phenomenon.
When you first enter the water and begin your swim, your body reacts by constricting the peripheral blood vessels in your arms and legs. This helps prevent heat loss by consolidating your body heat into your core. And as long as you continue with your physical activity, you will easily preserve a stable temperature.
However, once you end your swim and exit the water, your body sends your blood back to the skin to “warm up.” Because your skin is very cold at this point, your blood actually gets colder and is then recirculated back to your core. In essence, your core body temperature actually decreases during this rewarming period in a phenomenon known as the “afterdrop.”
There are two keys to managing the afterdrop:
1) When you end your swim workout, get out of the water right away. Don’t dally around and expose your skin to the cold water while your heart rate begins to drop.
2) Rewarm your core – not your periphery. This means placing warm, dry layers onto your torso and head and getting some hot liquid into your stomach to warm up your core from the inside. You may have cold hands and feet, but these are secondary concerns.
I typically remove the top part of my wetsuit and throw on a warm, long sleeve shirt or sweatshirt over my O’Neill Thermo. The Thermo does a great job of keeping the moisture away from my skin, so I usually keep it on underneath.
Just remember, the key to it all is to keep the heat in your head and torso.
May 3, 2008 / by srhernan / Make A Comment / Filed under Swim Reports
There were too many amazing experiences to list, but one particular highlight was having a herring gull snatch a fish from the water about four feet from me. I was impressed!
Amazing Spring sunrise
Crisp and clear swim area
May 3, 2008 / by Steve / Make A Comment / Filed under Tips & Techniques
When the alarm clock chimed at 4:30am this morning, I didn’t leap enthusiastically out of bed. I hit the snooze button 3 times and really regretted not going to bed before 11:30pm the night before. I thought about quitting the swim.
When I looked out my window and saw the trees being tousled about by a swift wind, I imagined how cold it was going to be getting out of the water. I thought about quitting the swim.
When I checked the surface temperature map for the Chicago area, Lake Michigan had a reading of 51F. Since I was already online, I realized that I could easily update the blog with a post about this morning’s swim being postponed. It’s usually just me anyways this time of year, so I doubted anyone would get upset if I didn’t show up. I thought about quitting the swim.
When I started my progressive cold shower, it seemed more uncomfortable than usual. Research shows that poor sleep can affect your metabolism. So perhaps my body’s ability to thermoregulate was compromised by my lack of a full night’s sleep. I starting to convince myself that this was indeed the case and that I might be endangering myself unnecessarily if I entered the water. I thought about quitting the swim.
When I arrived at my favorite swim spot, I saw a Chicago Police vehicle parked on the grass nearby and directly facing the Orange Ladder. I “suddenly realized” that he was waiting there for ME. After all, the beaches are technically closed until Memorial Day. And aren’t there signs all along the lakefront path that instruct people to report swimmers who disobey this hard and fast rule? I was sure that someone had finked on me, and that as soon as I started to suit up, he would come over and tell me that swimming was prohibited. I thought about quitting the swim.
As I began putting together all my gear, I removed my swim goggles from their case. I immediately realized that something was very, very wrong. They had snapped apart at the nosepiece, and I had no spare set. I would have to go goggle-less – which I had never done before. This meant that I wouldn’t be able to keep my eyes open in the water. The swim was ruined. I couldn’t go on. Bottom line, there was no choice. I HAD to quit the swim.
But I didn’t.
As I climbed down the ladder and started to immerse myself into the water, I realized that everything was going to work out in my favor. Why? Because despite all of these setbacks, I was mentally “anchored” by my desire to have an adventurous (and admittedly, a slightly outrageous) experience. I knew deep down that I was completely prepared for this swim, and that I wasn’t endangering myself.
And I had one of my best swims ever this morning.
The key takeaway here is that you will always experience these emotional surges of doubt and uncertainty whenever you undertake any challenging experience. And the closer you get to “D-Day,” the more intense they are likely to become. So get in touch with what makes you tick, and learn to mentally anchor yourself to a single value or set of values that enable you to override your “monkey mind.”
