I never would have imagined...
When I think back on my early days of ice swimming, I laugh a little because doing an ice mile wasn't something I ever thought I'd seriously consider! I remember talking about it with swim friends, but by the time we got down to 5C/41F for the first time, we all exclaimed the same thing - are you kidding me, it's SO FREAKIN cold!!!
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And then a few years later there I was, swimming my first ice mile, proud that I'd come so far in my training. I also became the first Canadian woman to be complete the swim and be ratified by the International Ice Swimming Association (IISA), and because I actually swam longer than a mile, my swim was recognized as the 9th longest ratified ice mile documented amongst women internationally. I was thrilled! And I had trained hard that season, so in the weeks that followed, I did a few more swims...​​
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November 11 2018, IISA ice mile 1.18 miles (1.90 km) 00:41:31, water 4.53C(40.15F), -14C(6.8F) windchill - Meech Lake, QC
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November 18th 2018, extreme (sub 2C) ice km 1.06km 00:21:02, water 1.82C(35.8F), air -6C(21.2F) - Meech Lake, QC
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November 25 2018, IISA ice mile 1.03 miles (1.66km) 00:33:45, water 4.10C(39.38F), 2.8C(37.04F) windchill - Lake Ontario, ON
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December 2 2018, IISA ice mile 1.05 miles (1.69km) 00:34:49, water 3.93C(39.07F), 4C(39.20F) windchill - St Lawrence River, ON
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Consistent training and hard work pays off!
I'll tell you more about the swim and how I trained for it, but click here if you'd like to read my swim report for ice mile #1.
What's a ratified ice mile?
Let's start with a little info about the International Ice Swimming Association (IISA). IISA was formed in 2009, with the vision to make swimming in icy water a recognized sport. IISA publishes rules and ratifies "Ice Miles", which is 1 British nautical mile in water temp of 5C/41F or below, following a set of rules about attire and safety. IISA also publishes rules, sanctions, and ratifies ice pool competitions, with the long-term goal of one day having it be a sport at the Olympics.
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There are very specific and strict rules about how an ice mile has to be conducted in order to have it ratified. Does ratification matter? That's up to you, really. I appreciate the role that ratification plays in keeping the playing field level across swimmers who, like me, decide to participate and want to lay claim to having done ice miles. Anyone can claim they've swum a mile under ice conditions, but ratification helps those of us who value the structured documenting and vetting that ratification brings to the swim. To each their own, I suppose.​
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The rules get amended occasionally, so always check the IISA website rule page, but here are the basics:
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An ECG must be done within 6 months of the swim, along with a medical assessment
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An Observer, Witness and Medical Officer are required to support and document the swim
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There is a number of photo and video documentation that must be taken as evidence
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A qualifying swim must be successfully completed beforehand
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Water must be 5C/41F or less, measured with 3 thermometers along the route​​​​
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No neoprene, fins, hand paddles, etc, only a basic fabric bathing suit, cap, goggles, earplugs
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1 British mile = 16.09km​​
Training for an ice mile
Training for the swim is everything, you may think you can muscle through it or wish and will yourself to the finish, but in water that cold, it's a really risky approach. Chances are, you won't actually succeed anyhow if you aren't physically and mentally prepared. Don't be an idiot. It's not worth the risk. Train, train, train.
I started with the following general rule of thumb: know what you're getting into before you attempt it. I think it's a pretty risk thing to attempt an ice mile in your first season of cold water swimming. If you've never even been in sub 5C water before ever, and have no idea how it will affect your body during or after the swim, an ice mile is probably not the place to try it out. I had my eye on an ice mile for some time, mulling it over in the back of my head for years before I was really ready for it. Everyone is different, and it depends on your availability and dedication to training, but understand that it's a huge risk to your well being to attempt this swim without knowing what it means to spend time in water that cold.
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There were 4 things I did to train for my first season of ice miles, which I will continue to use, and I think they helped me both succeed in finishing but more importantly, stay safe both during and after the swim:​​
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I used the IISA's qualifying time/distance chart as a basis for my training plan, but I also reached above it. So as an example, at water temp between 10-11C, the minimum distance for a qualifying swim is 3,500m. I did more than that, 4,000m+. I actually started this approach as soon as the water started cooling in the fall, and swam as long as I possibly could each time I got in the water. As a result, I was acclimating above IISA requirements if my swims had been qualifying swims. By the time I got down to sub 5C water, it was just another swim in a series of long training swims, and I had exposed myself as much as possible while riding the temperature down.
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I swam as often as I could, my schedule only permitted once or twice a week but that worked for me. I just tried to fit in as much as I could before swimming the mile, especially the very first one.
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Because I swam long and swam often, I trained the recovery as much as I trained the mile itself. I was cold, went through after-drop again and again, making sure I knew what it felt like. The recovery is a dangerous part of the swim, as cool blood starts to recirculate through your body, your core temperature drops even further down than during the swim. Sometimes it was miserable, but doing this helped improve my acclimatization, and it also meant there were no surprises when I was done the mile itself. It was still the coldest I've ever been and the roughest recovery I'd been through, but I knew what to expect and I knew I was ok.
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I practiced the swim itself beforehand. The entry, the route, the exit. I knew the area well as we were training there regularly, and it gave me a chance to check out every aspect of the swim. I felt confident, and there were no surprises.​
Training for an ice mile
Swimming the ice mile
​I didn't. Don't get me wrong, I knew I had trained well and was confident in my preparation. But I made a point of putting my ego aside before starting the swim. At the safety briefing, I was clear that (a) I would not be risking my safety and I'd get out if I felt at all "off", and (b) the Observer had final say if anyone on the support side felt I needed to be pulled. My support crew would see things I couldn't. Warnings would be treated as warnings, and not challenges. I knew it was possible that I might not finish, and I accepted this before even stepping foot in the water. I was still motivated and driven, but felt even more empowered knowing I was not willing to put myself at any additional risk. I felt in control, but I let the swim and my body dictate whether I would succeed or not.
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​It was really windy that day, the wind chill was -14C. My approach was to take each lap one at a time and “see how things go”. I spent a lot of time checking in on my body to see how things were doing. My arms and hands got chilly right away because of the wind, but I was able to keep moving my hands and fingers, I had been worried they would freeze. I forgot to kick, even just a little, and didn't realize it until I noticed how cold my legs were. The most important thing, I just stayed focused and controlled, constantly checking myself for any warning signs. I didn't stress about the swim, I just calmly went about doing what I had trained for.
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Click here if you'd like to read my swim report for ice mile #1.