I started a 3-minute timer on my phone and put it down on the bank of the creek.
I stepped into the cool, flowing pool. The contrast between the hot spring sun on my shoulders and the cold mountain creek was shocking.
I’d already come this far. I couldn’t walk down here in my bathing suit and go back to the house without getting in.
I’ve been finishing my showers with cold water for a while but getting in a Highland County creek in May is a whole other animal.
The timer on my phone was ticking down. I told myself when it hit 2 minutes, I was getting in till the alarm went off.
Finally, with about 1:50 left on the timer, I lowered myself into the cold pool.
Instant Regret…
It was so much colder than I thought it would be. My breathing was immediately short and labored. That timer couldn’t tick down fast enough.
Time slowed to a halt while I tried to catch my breath. Finally, I started feeling like I was getting used to it, (I had probably only been in there for 45 seconds).
Out of the corner of my eye above me on the bank, I saw something moving toward the creek…fast.
Before I knew it our pit bull Lucca was in the air above me. Time REALLY stopped now. I was shivering in the cold creek and floating above me was a 40-pound ball of excitement, (and claws).
This was the moment Lucca had been waiting for since the day she was born. A chance to swim with Bubba, (my childhood nickname that I still use around our dogs).
“LUCCA NO!”
It was way too late. She couldn’t have stopped herself if she wanted to. It was up to gravity now.
It happened slowly and then all at once. Lucca and I were crammed into the tiny pool. She was licking my face and, (not on purpose) scratching me all over in her excitement.
Well, needless to say, I didn’t make it to the end of the timer. Lucca and I got out of the pool. I shook my hair off and tended to my war wounds. She looked up at my with wide disappointed eyes. She thought we were going to play in the creek all afternoon.
I put my phone somewhere safe and took Lucca for a walk around some of the cow pastures while the glorious sunshine dried us both off.
Needless to say, I learned my lesson about bringing Lucca with me on my cold plunges.
We have a few customers who do cold exposure, and I was inspired to try some myself. It feels terrible during, but afterward, you feel invigorated.
I think there’s something about making yourself do something uncomfortable now and then. It makes it much easier to do uncomfortable things in the future. It could be more cold exposure or just getting some work done when you don’t feel like it.
Luckily for us, eating some of the healthiest meat on the planet isn’t uncomfortable at all. In fact, it’s awesome. Turns out, not everything good for you has to be a challenge.