Ode to an Ice Bath

Why, Marci, why are you sitting fully dressed in a bathtub of water, drinking coffee?

Ah, the ice bath. Friend to distance runners everywhere.

For the uninitiated, an ice bath is one of the recovery tools athletes use after a strenuous workout. It helps to reduce inflammation and speed recovery.

It is exactly what the title suggests. You get bags of ice, dump them in a tub, add cold water, and get in. Keep your shorts on if you know what's good for you. Your legs and nether regions will turn to blocks of frozen sausage in seconds; the rest of you will be more comfortable if you wear a sweatshirt and hat and drink a hot beverage. The first few seconds are the worst. Once the shock wears off and the numbness sets in, it's actually not too terrible. Ten, fifteen minutes is all you need.

HINT: add warm water before you actually start bathing.


PROOF MATH DOESN'T ALWAYS HAVE A LOGICAL CONCLUSION:
Athletes use ice baths.
I am in an ice bath.
Therefore, I am an athlete.
QED.