Fluffing Through Life: Big Shoulders

The Big Shoulders 5K Swim: a Lake Michigan-size test of guts, determination and fortitude amidst the chilly, windswept waves.

Fresh-water, long distance swimming: an event in a hostile environment at which humans are not supposed to excel, and yet excel they do. While most of Chicago and the sane world sleeps on the first Saturday after Labor Day each year, tough competitors take on Lake Michigan's currents, turbulence and temperature inversions, just for the sake of saying they have "big shoulders". Every swimmer that comes to the Lake that morning, starting with a jittery stomach and swimming with guts, finishes with a personal version of the title "Champion".

A couple months ago my friend April talked me into the above event. Well, this morning it happened with us in participation. Water temps 64 degrees and of course we, and most other swimmers were without wetsuits. It was cold, there was no visibility, I thought I wasn't going to make it right after the start. But then swimmers spread out and things got moving. Other than feeling numb for most of the swim it was a good experience that I hope to repeat along with the 998 other swimmers. Can't wait for next year!