I have always been fascinated by charity drives and other athletic collections that are able to raise lots of money. For example Ride of Hope and Swim of Hope. I was a part of a 24 hour swim a few years ago to help raise money for Doctors with out borders, but I am not sure how much I really effected the amount we raised.

On Dec 2nd, a training friend posted a link to a winter swim that would take place today the 12th of Dec to help support Musikhjälpen.  This years goal was to raise money in the name of “Sex is not a weapon”.  The money collected will go to  provide care for victims, more education on the topic to avoid future victims and  to create safer places as well as try to change the negative standards and attitudes that are the foundation to this kind of violence.

This was finally my chance to do more than just give money, but to help spread the word and maybe get more of my friends to also donate to this charity.  So I decided I would jump in the lake.  Water temperature was to be about 40F (just under 5C).  I decided I would give 100kr (~$10) per minute that I could stay in the lake.  Then others started to say they would match that 100kr, or pledge other amounts that matched their wallets.  it is after almost Christmas and people have presents to think about.

So I leave work about 12:00 and arrive to the lake first.

There was more interest in our swim than i had expected.  There were teams from Swedish Television and Swedish Radio there talking to the organizer Håkan and talked to a  few of us that were going to jump in.

After a quick safety talk about getting in and out of the water, we did a short warm up on land. (It did not help)

As you can see I am not the only idiot in town.  A total of 13 people jumped in the lake for a various amount of time.  Some jumped in and then climbed about, other stayed in long enough to joke about what a bad idea this was, and then there was Crossfit David, “pappa smurf” Markus and myself.

(Foto: Peje Johansson/Sveriges Radio)

Jeanette was there to make sure I knew my limits.  After 2 minutes she wanted to know if I was OK.  By this time my feet were numb.  My hands started to get tingly, the skin on my chest and stomach started to feel like I was getting stung by 1000 bees.  But I was able to breath ok, so I said I would try to stay in another 3 minutes.

Around 3 minutes, there were four stubborn guys left in the lake.  Markus commented he wanted to stay until 4.  Håkan had been up and jumped back in. David took a short swim to the fountain.  As the clock hit 5 minutes, it was time for Markus to climb up. with no feeling or strength in his hands I could feel his struggle.  David was right behind Markus.  Someone had dropped something in the lake, so I volunteered to fish it up, before I climbed about.  I lasted 6 minutes.  It was really not that bad being in the water.

Jeanette had to help me put on my hoodie, she even had to help get my backpack over my left arm.  I had no function what so ever in my hands. The real pain came 5-25 minutes later.  It was a 400m walk to the showers. My hands were killing me.  I was swearing in my head and doing everything I could to not look like a crazy old man walking to the pool from the lake in wet shorts and a towel around my neck wearing a Santa hat. I get to the pool, thank the receptionist for letting us in, I drop my bag on the ground and take off my hoodie, then run to the sauna. It felt good for my body and my head, but my hands were starting to burn.  So I jumped in the pool instead and treaded water for a minute or two, before moving to the hot tub, after the lifeguard suggested that.  4 minutes in the hot tub really saved my hands.  I could then move back to the sauna where I slowly got my body temp back up to normal.

As promised from myself 100kr/minute plus and extra 130kr the value of using Medley Växjö.

If you want to do your part you can go here and donate

https://bossan.musikhjalpen.se/insamlingar/vinterbad-i-vaxjo