Bastyr University holds an annual event for faculty and students on the first day back from winter break that is certainly not for the faint at heart. This past Monday on January 7th, 2013, about 23 people and one brave dog gathered for a brisk jog in the afternoon’s seasonably mild fifty degree temperatures to increase their internal body heat. Once their blood was pumping sufficiently, those in attendance then stripped down to their bathing suits and sprinted towards the near-freezing waters of Lake Washington where they promptly dove straight in.
Their mission was far from over, however, because each of them then tried to grab a cute little rubber duck since that would be an accomplishment that would yield one of many prizes. Now, you may be thinking that maybe a new car or a college scholarship was at stake here, but then you’d also be wrong. The top prizes consisted of warm clothing, dark chocolates, and pepper flakes.
“It was not bad at all,” said Steven Rude, a science professor at Bastyr University. “It is not cold once you get out. The energy of everyone here makes it easier…but once is enough.”
As crazy as it sounds, the Splash and Dash event has been celebrated at Bastyr University for the past 15 years and it was started by faculty members that have since moved on. This traditional run and dive has seen as many as 50 participants in good years and as few as three during a recent snowstorm. Regardless of the weather conditions, however, the event always takes place on the first day back from winter break to celebrate the new school year and the cleansing that it represents.
“I only went in up to my knees,” said Bastyr student Stacy Wallace. “The wind ads an extra nip to the experience.”
Of course, that exhilarating downhill run into Lake Washington takes an entirely different meaning once you’re back out of the water. It means a long uphill trek back to the campus and the faster you go, the more you’ll regret it. Considering that the average temperature in early January in Kenmore, WA usually hovers around freezing with a steady breeze, the annual Dash to Splash at Bastyr certainly is not for the faint at heart.
Even so, this crazy tradition actually attracts some prospective students as well. “I saw it on the website and knew it was the right decision,” said Jim Gilchrist, a current student and president of Bastyr’s Polar Bear Club. Gilchrist and other members actually sprint into the lake weekly year-round, regardless of how frigid the outdoor air may feel.
