Cold water wakeup call

COEUR d’ALENE — Shortly after 6:30 a.m. Thursday morning it’s dark, cold and quiet at Independence Point. A man on a bike pedals past, a woman is standing outside her car talking on a phone and Canada geese are floating on Lake Coeur d’Alene near the shoreline.

All of this is what one would normally expect at a time when most are sleeping, warm in their beds Except for the two guys in shorts doing pushups next to the Mudgy and Millie statue.

After going down and up a few more times, they rise and take the steps leading to the lake.

They stop and look out at the calm, deep water as the skies continue to brighten.

“Are you ready?” Kent Kastning asks his roommate, Alec Davis.

He is.

“Let’s do it.”

Davis dives headfirst and Kastning follows. Both emerge and float around, not splashing frantically to get out of the lake, as Kastning's dog Oso keeps a close watch.

“It’s not too bad,” Davis said.

“Feels good,” Kastning responds.

They chat and admire their surroundings before Kastning checks his watch.

“That’s five minutes.”

They leave the water, walk up the steps and grab towels.

“Good job, man," Kastning says.

They bump fists and do a few more pushups as they warm up after being submerged in 55-60degree water that’s around 55-60 degrees.

Kastning is used to this early morning, five-minute wakeup call. He’s been doing it daily since late July, but for Sundays, often joined by another friend, Jesse Suitter.

He said the cold water plunge provides energy and positivity that carries him through the day. He firmly believes it benefits his health, both mental and physical.

“It felt so good to start the day by jumping in the lake I just never stopped,” the Coeur d'Alene man said.

Davis isn’t as confident. He kind of got talked into it.

“I know he does this every morning. Last night after a couple drinks I committed to it,” Davis said, laughing.

So, what did he think?

“I can feel how good it makes you feel,” Davis said.

Still, he warns Kastning there might not be a repeat performance.

“Don’t count on me doing this again,” he said, smiling.

Alone or with company, cold or warm, rain or wind, Kastning plans to keep leaping into the lake at the prearranged time.

He speaks of rising dopamine levels that keep him coming back for more.

Dopamine is "a chemical released in the brain that makes you feel good," according www.healthdirect.gov.

“It’s a good way to wake up,” Kastning said.

Even with fall weather settling in and winter’s snow around the corner, Kastning doesn’t plan to stop. Not just yet, anyway.

“It’s still really nice,” he said. “We’re going to keep going until it’s not worth doing anymore."

Kastning invites anyone to join him at 6:30 a.m. at Independence Point and for the post-plunge celebration.

Don't worry. It's designed to heat you up.

“Generally, we go get coffee,” he said.