Tulsa's Polar Bear Plunge

[sauerkraut]

As some of ya know I did the 2013 Tulsa Polar Bear Plunge, it was one grueling and brutal event. I was wondering if anyone on this forum plans to do it this  New Years Day in 2014? At any rate it's a real hoot to watch you have more screaming at those ice water pools as the runners jump into them than on a roller coaster. Unlike other cities where a Polar Bear event is just a quick run into a lake, river, or pool and out and your done- Tulsa's Polar Bear put on by Tatur has a two mile run then you jump into one icy pool, swim across that pool and climb out and  run a half mile soaking wet jump into a second icy pool, run another half mile with ice forming on your wet clothes and into the 3rd big drink dive under to collect your medal then climb out and run to the finish line. I was shivering for two hours after I finished the event even a hot shower did not help much. It's a tuff Polar Bear Event. It was one of the most crazy and wild things I ever done. The pictures of last years event are on line. For me that first icy pool was the worst.

[sauerkraut]

http://tatur.org/PolarPlunge.html

[RecycleMichael]

Thanks for the invite.

I'm out.

[AquaMan]

I am impressed Sauer. I would not make it past the first plunge. Even when such a thing appealed to me in my youth. Do they have EMSA nearby?

[Conan71]

It’s the whole: “I was frozen for two hours afterwards” thing is the reason I have never and will never do it.

[Ed W]

I've done inadvertent polar bear plunges twice. I will not do so again voluntarily.

[heironymouspasparagus]

I've done inadvertent polar bear plunges twice. I will not do so again voluntarily.

I've done it while duck hunting a few times.  Less than optimum way to hunt....

[sauerkraut]

It’s the whole: “I was frozen for two hours afterwards” thing is the reason I have never and will never do it.

Yep- same here, it takes about two hours to thaw out even a hot shower does not warm ya up fast enough, The Polar Bear Plunge that Tatur puts on in Tulsa is one of the most grueling Polar Bear events around and it was only 30 degrees air temp  when I did it in 2013- I'd hate to think how it would feel if it was 20 degrees or colder. In most other cities the Polar Bear is just a quick run into a lake, river, or pool and out and your done. With Tatur in Tulsa you have to run two miles jump into the first pool then run a half mile wet to the next pool two then run another half mile to pool number three dive to the bottom of that pool to grab your medal and dash to the finish line 200 meters away. The pools used  are that of an apartment complex on the River. They said last year before the first heat took off the pools had a coating of ice on them and some runners got cut by the sharp ice in the pools. By the time the second heat took off the pool ice was gone.

[sauerkraut]

I'm not sure if I'll do it this year or not (2014)- Last year they had two heats and I signed up in person on race day the first heat was sold out so I ended up in the second heat that started at 2:pm, this year they seem to only have one heat and if it's sold out I'm out of luck. It costs $45.00 to enter on race day. It's a heck of a wild challange and a hoot to do, you hear more screaming than you hear on a roller coaster, it's a blast to watch I plan to go there either as a runner or if it's sold out I'll just watch it. It's one of the most tuff and grueling events I ever entered. Last year I counted 6 EMSA units there and two fire trucks as I was leaving to go home shivering all the way. I guess 600 runners took part in the event last year. That first pool was the worst for me what a shock for your body to land in that icy water!