(wind whispering) (gentle music) - [Weather Reporter] Feeling the chill, certainly.

We are here in Chicago... - [Weather Reporter] It's bitter cold as well.

A polar vortex is set to bring record low temperatures... - [Weather Reporter] A polar vortex.

This is a cold pocket of air near the pole.

Some of this cold air... - And it just gets colder and colder as the days go on, especially as we head towards early next week.

(gentle music continues) (ice crunching) - One of the first things I like to do when I get out is just get the surface temperature just to get an idea.

I mean, I know it's in the thirties now, but I do track it.

(ice crunching) (playful music) But yeah, this is just a regular pool thermometer, and it looks like we got, I think it's like 35, let me yank this out, 36.

- Mostly what you get cold in there is your hands and your feet, so I like to cover those up.

This is my heaviest wetsuit I have, it's like a three millimeter, and it's usually made for like surfing, but I use it for my swimming at this temperature when it gets below 40 degrees in the water.

(bright music) (ice crunching) All the alarms are going off in your head as you get in the water, and you just practice calming, calm that anxiety.

- It's mostly keeping your breath calm and not hyperventilating, so I put my face in to try to get the sensation first.

- You don't really get used to that initial cold reaction, but your body gets used to being in the cold water and breathing and being able to calm down and just relax as much as you can.

(water splashing) - People at work, they think I'm crazy, but when you're with people, it seems less crazy.

(laughs) And I never thought I would do this.

I do triathlons and things, and at the end of the season, I wanna keep swimming, but I'm like, let's just keep going as long as we can.

We went through October and November and then we just kept on going through the year.

- Well, it looks like we hit some ice over here.

(ice cracking) Yeah, this would cut right through your wetsuit.

- I almost backed out like November, 'cause the water was so cold and it was uncomfortable, and part of it for me was just like facing my fear and following through on a goal that I set for myself and realized it wasn't that bad.

The big part of it now is just doing it with other people and having a social group that I'm excited to do this with, not only in the winter, but also enjoy it when it gets warmer outside too.

(bright music) Some sharp ice chunks in there today though.

- Some ice started to move in, so I got a little, cut myself shaving.

(chuckles) - You have a lot of clarity right now after you swim, so just really focusing on getting changed quickly and efficiently before your temp really just plummets.

I learned from Steve and some of the others to bring some hot water.

- My hands get really cold, so, it's temporary though, so you gotta just hustle to get back in your gear.

- After you've been in there and done this, for the rest of the day, you feel so relaxed, like the endorphins are going or something, I don't know, just very relaxed and great for the rest of the day, supercharged.

(chuckles) - (indistinct) It's kinda like a reset button for all the stressors that are going on in your life.

- It's a wonderful feeling of accomplishment, you know.

I think everybody out here, you know, we're ordinary people, and you do extraordinary things.

- Chicago winters are brutal.

Being able to be outside for 30 minutes once a week and enjoy and be with nature instead of resisting it, it's pretty nice.

- It's a great morning.

It's just beautiful out.

The water was fantastic.

It's a great swimming morning.

(bright music continues)