Checked off the Bucket List.....

I was wimping out on the Polar Bear Plunge until I talked with a 70-year old lady at New Year's Eve Mass last night. I asked her what she was doing to celebrate the new year and she informed me she would be crossing the LAST of her bucket list items when she did the Polar Bear Plunge at Coulon Park this morning.

Huh. 70 years old. Taking the plunge..

This gave me a renewed spirit on the whole plunge undertaking. Never mind that the ONLY officially RSVP'd RTB athlete (Kelvin) opted out this morning with some recommendation from friends that he stay home due to a cold or something. Kristin was certainly behind this.... Doris Klein was there with her family sporting the RTB colors in support....she'll go in next year, I'm sure!

But there WERE RTBers there - with big huge hearts...and goosebumps. Tina Coleman, who was at the Steilacoom 5K this morning agreed to take the plunge after the race....NICE!! Tina has a heart just about as big as they come and she needed it today to get out of that cold water without having an actual heart ATTACK.

Paul Mueller was there too. This, in retrospect, does not surprise me.
Paul lives on Lake Morton and has a hot tub and HOT shower at his beach so that when he does open water swimming in MARCH, he can warm right up.(I'll give you his address but it will cost you...) Future RTBer (I hope) Sherrie was there too... although I don't think the pictures captured her - SORRY Sherrie!!

Best thing about this event was the time involved. Bill and I left our house at 11:45 and were home by 12:20. Done. The shortest event in history. A big shirtless guy in the fuzzy hat gave the rules, and a bit of a countdown, then the 60 or so athletes did a mass beach start. The rules state you have to go under ALL THE WAY. I complied....so did Tina...I'm sure Paul did. But I think every person - including the winner who stayed in the longest - was out in under 40 seconds.

So, Bucket List, TAKE THAT!!! I think I'll write this one back in so I can do it again next year.... Tina, Paul, Sherrie, Doris and family members - SO glad you were there too.

Some photos for your viewing pleasure - Happy New Year everybody. Off to drink some hot coffee!!