| Happy Sunday, everyone. There's nothing like cold ocean water. I've never been a cold water guy. For years as a triathlete, I dreaded the swim portion if the water was below 60 degrees. Part of the reason why I flocked to the first Kona Ironman was that I'd be swimming in warm Hawaii waters. The thought of swimming through something like Lake Tahoe or some clear alpine lake in Switzerland terrified me. I'd just freeze up, almost like I was actually taking the literal plunge there on the spot. But then later on as I was researching cold water exposure for my work at the blog, I started to incorporate cold water plunges. The proposed benefits were compelling. I had to try it myself, and I fell in love. Pretty soon, I was taking a dip every night in my unheated pool and as often as I could in the Pacific waters off the Malibu coast. Every time I'm back in California, I make it a point to get into the ocean. The best way to do it, I've found, is the following: Run some beach sprints. Not much has changed from 2007. You run the beach sprints at low tide, when the sand is nice and flat and slightly damp. This isn't just your workout for the day. it gets you hot and sweaty, and it gets your body temperature up so you not only can handle the cold, you crave the cold. Note: if you've already trained that day, don't push yourself too hard. Run a couple sprints instead of a full workout or even just take a brisk walk, throw the frisbee around, wrestle with the kids, run the dog. You get the picture. Just move and get the blood pumping. Go right in the water. Don't think about it. Don't slowly introduce body parts. Just go for it. Get your head underwater ASAP. The real cold shock hits when your head goes underwater. That's when mild panic can set in. That's when your nervous system truly wakes up. It's also what forces the quickest adaptation to the temperature for teh rest of your body. If your head and its precious cargo can withstand the cold, the rest of your body will have no issues. Rub yourself down with the cold water. Rub it into your hair. For my money, there's no better hair than post-beach swim hair. Does something magical to your hair and skin. Stay out there as long as you can. Be safe, obviously, but try to go longer than a quick dip and dash. I'm convinced that a cold ocean dip on a regular basis is the answer to many of your problems. It won't erase the serious stuff, the problems that deserve mental real estate, but it can help clear out the fluffy stuff that doesn't belong. What about you? How do you clear out the mental clutter that doesn't belong? Ever try cold ocean plunges? Let me know in the comment section of New and Noteworthy. | 
