Residents kick off new year with an ice cold splash

Danielle Switalski

Dozens of locals gathered in the early afternoon hours on New Year’s Day at the dock in Thompson Falls to shock their systems into 2010.

After the 11th annual Fun Run put on by the Thompson Falls and Plains cross country teams, residents gathered at the dock to take an ice bath in the river at the annual Polar Bear Plunge.

The afternoon entailed jumping out of a warm car, jumping into the river and then back into the warm car.

Chris Everett did the Polar Bear Plunge two years ago and stood outside his parents’ car in nervous hesitation before taking the dive into the river for a second time. After he pumped himself up he took the dive into the river and ran to the car shivering and drying off.

“You just have to jump in the warm car when you’re done, put clothes on and go to a hot tub,” joked Everett.

The most remarkable participant in the Polar Plunge was 83-year-old Bob Hayes. Hayes partook in the Fun Run in the morning prior to the Polar Plunge and cut his 5K run time down by over a half an hour from his previous record, coming in at 30 minutes and three seconds. Hayes kept his day of New Year triumphs going and got the courage to jump into the freezing river for the first time in his life.

“My boy and his wife do it and I can’t let them get ahead of me,” said a shivering, yet smiling Hayes after his dip in the river.

Hayes said the water was not nearly as bad as he thought it would be and once he got out of the river the air was a lot warmer. He decided he would drive by the dock that day and if he saw people swimming, he would not think about it and simply jump in. After driving through Thompson Falls earlier in the day, Hayes didn’t see anyone in the river and thought he missed his chance to take the plunge. However, the second time he drove by the dock he saw people gathered at the river and decided it was now or never.

“I didn’t think about it, just put my trunks on and go,” said Hayes.

Polina Zorkina, 15, came from Russia to America in August. Zorkina made the jump into the river look easy, as if she was taking a nice swim on a warm summer day. After jumping, Zorkina waded through the ice in the river and did not seem to be in the slightest bit of pain despite the cold water.

“I’m just excited,” said Zorkina prior to taking the jump. “At least it’s not a Siberian winter.” Zorkina also ran in the Fun Run before going to the dock.

Before jumping in the river, Adam Peterman was only thinking about the pain on everyone elses face after jumping in the river. After taking up the challenge, Peterman said through clattering teeth, “It was a good way to bring in the new year.”

As far as the Fun Run and Walk went in Thompson Falls, organizer Sarah Neageli said numbers were similar to last year with 118 runners in total. There were 34 runners in the 2K race. Adam Moore took first with a time of 7:24 and was in the 16-19 year-old age group. Naegeli won the race for the 40-49 year age group with a time of 11:22 coming in fifth overall and Gail Brown came in first in the 60-69 age group with a time of 15:30.

There were 84 runners in the 5K race. Jacob Naegeli won the race with an overall time of 17:53. Adam Peterman came in first for the 12-15 age group and second place overall with a time of 18:52. Tony Banovich in the 40-49 age group came in third with a time of 19:04.