Days before the Polar Plunge Festival in Virginia Beach, I was hitting the refresh button over and over again on the weather app on my phone.
Go up, I thought. C’mon … get warmer.
I’d registered for the 26th Polar Plunge a few weeks before, knowing I would be writing and reflecting on my experience of actually jumping into the frigid Atlantic Ocean. I wanted to go through it for myself to see what it would be like for the more than 3,000 “Plungers” as they raised money for Special Olympics Virginia.
I made my fundraising profile and encouraged a friend to come along for the Plunge.
“You’re going to do what?” my chosen Plunge-mate, Chris Leber, asked me.
I explained the Polar Plunge to him, and after a few minutes of convincing (and the promise of a free adult beverage or two), he was in. He created his fundraising profile, hoping at the very least to raise the $100 needed to actually participate in the Plunge.
Thanks to the magic of social media, I connected with a childhood friend I hadn’t seen in almost 10 years who was also taking the Plunge: Hannah Pierce, a physical therapist at Pivot Physical Therapy in Norfolk. I reached out to her about meeting up at the Plunge Festival and took a moment to ask what her motivations were for participating.
When I asked why she was plunging, Hannah’s answer was simple: “As a physical therapist, my passion is helping others reach their optimal physical potential. Special Olympics Virginia provides the younger population with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to be physically active in various sports, be engaged in their community and be the healthiest they can be.
I can’t imagine a better cause to freeze for!”
When we got to the Oceanfront the morning of Feb. 3rd, the first things we noticed were the costumes. Vikings, pirates, mermaids, Minions. They were all there, on the boardwalk, taking photos with the Neptune statue and the commemorative ice sculpture and in line for free chicken sandwiches and coffee. Teams of Special Olympics athletes with their families and friends wore matching t-shirts.
Inside the heated tent, we found the Plunge Marketplace, where local artisans and organizations had tables and booths set up, displaying and selling goods to everyone who came by. The environment was upbeat as a live band played on a stage.
As we gathered on the shore, a long line of rescue workers wearing huge warm wetsuits walked out into the icy ocean to form the barricade that would keep anyone from getting too far out in the 43-degree water.
A countdown clock displayed seven minutes left before the Plunge. A group of scantily clad, heavily bearded Vikings tossed a football on the beach as everyone lined up to get ready. I wanted to take as long as possible before finally taking off my shoes and socks. When I finally did, I learned that ice cold sand in winter feels much worse than burning hot sand in summer.
We had our numbers ready, dancing in the sand to keep as warm as possible. As the countdown clock hit the one-minute mark, the cheering started. I looked at my friends, smiled, and realized that what we were about to do was the last thing I thought I’d be doing on a Saturday afternoon in February.
The clock hit zero. A buzzer sounded. Music played. We cheered and ran straight into the water without hesitation.
In the end, my patchwork group of three Plungers only raised a few hundred dollars for Special Olympics Virginia. Looking around though, I saw over 3,000 people, individuals, united by a common goal. Together, we raised almost $1.2 million to support Special Olympics programs and athletes across the state.
The motto of Special Olympics is, “Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.” On that beach, I saw thousands of brave people running arm-in-arm as fast as they could into the freezing waters of the Atlantic with Journey’s iconic “Don’t Stop Believin’ ” blasting on loudspeakers, and we all won. Together.
Photography by Madison Landis