So the temperature Outside on this particular task is -20 something, and the idea is to jump into freezing cold water to get a feeling of rejuvenation!! How Mauler and Rush come up with these tasks I'll never know, I definitely need to take a mental note and remember to ask about the Method to their madness. Anyhow, this one sounded fairly simple, insane, but simple. I guess you could say I was a little too confident walking out of the studio that morning.
Lunch time - I needed to get out of the office to stretch my legs and get a little bit of fresh air.....wrong move! It was so bloody cold outside I couldn't even begin to comprehend how I was supposed to jump into water. I was all bundled up with an extremely warm winter coat, hat, mitts and scarf, but I still wanted to die it was so damn cold!! I started getting phone calls and texts from concerned individuals telling me it wasn't worth my safety or health to do the Polar bear dip...All of these combined factors really made me feel nervous, and I started to re-think my quick response to go ahead with it.
4:00 pm @ Baxter Conservatory in Kars.
I know people do this type of thing for fun, but really, to me, this doesn't sound like it could be any type of fun, just a heart attack in a 3 x 3 hole in the ice. I drive up only to see the ambulance ready and waiting to revive me once my heart stops, such a fabulous feeling knowing that if you're ever going to get hurt, now would be the time. The audience today was a big one - Mauler, Josie and Jenny came out as well as my parents and Charlie, the freaking had begun.
The Paramedic (comedian - J.P) took all my vitals to ensure I was physically able to take the dip and then came the walk of shame... about 50 yards or so from the ambulance to the actual dipping hole. Did I mention I was doing this dressed in soccer shorts, a t-shirt and yellow crocs? Amazing! I walk up to the designated area and the adrenaline started pumping like crazy. Jenny made a suggestion to just dunk right away, not to slip in or I'd turn and run, so that was the plan I chose to stick with. It took me about 20 seconds....and in the hole I went......FREEEEEEEEEEZING!!!!!!! Words can't describe the feeling I had in the water, but the second I got out all I felt was pain. The feeling of 20 or so people slapping me all over my legs at the same time as well as numbness at my feet made the walk back to the ambulance almost unbearable. I have never felt so cold before in my life, I felt it everywhere, like my blood was made of ice.
If I wasn't rejuvenated after past tasks, you can bet your top dollar I was now, I felt like I took a shot of 3 triple espressos, and I felt alive!! I see why they chose this challenge - I need to take the plunge, take the risk, just jump in - You need to RISK big to WIN big!!
