besides distance, there are 3 main pillars of training one needs to conquer to cross Lake ontario: dark, waves, and cold.
On Saturday I did my first true cold water swim of the season: 7.5 minutes in water that was a brisk 3-4 degrees Celsius (around 37-39 Fahrenheit). The air wasn’t much warmer at about 10 degrees, and it felt fantastic. I brought my swim buoy (a brightly coloured float that I tow behind me for visibility in the open water) because I planned to focus on getting my face in and swimming freestyle in the lake for the first time this year.
After 7.5 minutes and a slow 260 meters of swimming, I wasn’t sure I wanted to get out; but when my swim manager Yaldah felt the water, they told me I had to! I like to meet my comfortable edge, but I decided that was enough for the day. When I get out of the cold water, I’m completely red, my feet are numb, and I feel a euphoric endorphin high, almost like being drunk. The cold water is my happy place, and it’s a blessing to spend time in the lake when it’s like this.
My Strange Cold Water Adaptation
My friends and family are constantly baffled by my cold water tolerance. I don’t get the pins and needles or hand pain that most people describe when they get into cold water. I can feel that the water is cold, but it’s not distressing—I find it exciting, and it feels fresh.
My mom asked me the obvious question: “What’s the benefit of doing this to yourself?”
There’s actually a solid training reason! Lake Ontario is very deep, and when big tankers drive by, they can create upwellings of cold water from the bottom of the lake. During my swim, I may encounter a “wall” of cold water between about 10-15 degrees that could last for several hours. If I can continually train in the lake while it gradually warms up through spring, I’ll be acclimatized enough that if I experience one of these cold water walls during the actual crossing, it won’t derail my swim.
My sister Elyse asked what accounts for my ability to swim in water temperatures that most people would not even want to spend one minute in. I think that it’s partly body fat distribution – I have an even layer of fat over the muscle of my body that keeps me warm. I also think that my body has adapted to run hotter and hotter the longer I have exposed it to cold water. I’m a big fan of the cold plunge, and I will sometimes sit in it for 10-15 minutes or more at a time, alternating with hot sauna sessions.
I believe another element of my comfort in cold water is mental; I embrace the cold because I love it, and I love it because I embrace it. I never psych myself up or get stressed before I go in; I feel happy and excited. If my body starts to hyperventilate, as it naturally does below about 5 degrees Celsius, I let myself hyperventilate until I adjust. Then, without hesitating, I put my face in and swim.
Cross-Training Adventures
Today was actually my non-swimming day, and I went to do hyrox (a workout combining running and functional fitness) with my friend. I thought that would be a fun rest day activity…I was wrong. It was HARD! For a whole hour my heart rate was through the roof! It’s very different from my normal meditative long-distance activities. I struggled royally with the wall balls and the farmers carry, but I discovered my swimming fitness translated well to the ski erg machine and rowing, so those were a nice break for me.
As I continue preparing for the Lake Ontario crossing this August, I’ll be gradually increasing my cold water exposure time. Follow along on Instagram @Lev.Swims.Lakes for daily updates on my journey to becoming the first transgender person to swim across Lake Ontario!
– Lev
Want to support this historic swim? https://levswimslakes.ca/#DONATE
The easiest way to contribute is through my Gofundme: https://www.gofundme.com/f/levs-historic-lake-ontario-swim-for-trans-youth
Follow Lev’s training journey on Instagram: @lev.swims.lakes
#51kmForTransVisibility #SoloSwims #LakeOntario #TransAthletes