FROM FIRST DIP TO ICE MILE: Finding Your Why in Winter Waters
BY LEXI TINKLER
Shared experience of cold water creates instant bonds
I study what makes humans flourish, and there’s something fascinating about the winter swimming journey. Whether you’re content with brief dips or called toward ice miles, understanding why you’re drawn to cold water transforms random suffering into purposeful challenge. Not everyone needs to swim a mile in sub-5°C water (that would be madness for many). But finding what winter swimming means for you personally? That’s where the magic happens.
As a runner, not a swimmer, I understand the pull of pushing boundaries and that sweet spot where challenge meets capability. But I’ve learned that sustainable challenges, the ones that enhance rather than exhaust us, align with our deeper purpose, not anyone else’s expectations.
Taking the Plunge: Mental Preparation Matters
Before you even touch the water, your mind needs preparation. Visualisation isn’t new-age fluff: neuroscience shows that mental rehearsal activates the same brain regions as actual experience. Your nervous system begins adapting before you take a single step.