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Why This Pro Did an Open-Water Swim in 46-Degree Water

Eric Lagerstrom said he rode his bike by the river almost every day and wondered what it would be like to swim in those waters.

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Professional triathlete Eric Lagerstrom is known for his adventurous spirit (heck we even wrote an entire feature about his antics), but he took it to the next level last month when he did some open-water swimming in the frigid Sandy River just outside of Portland, Oregon. Lagerstrom said he rode his bike by the river almost every day and wondered what it would be like to swim in it, so he put on a wetsuit, dove in, and had his crew film it for his Transition Four video channel.

“I’m sure swimming in 46-degree water in January causes plenty of people to ask the question ‘why?'” Lagerstrom says in a follow-up video detailing the adventure. “To me, I’ve always been more of the ‘why not?’ type.”

Enjoy both videos below.

Swimming In a 46-Degree River in January!

Swimmig In a 46-Degree River—Why?