While most of Lexington sleeps, there's a glow coming from the water at Millpond Pool where the Lexington Dolphins Masters team practices at 6 a.m., even in freezing winter conditions.
"We are at a 6 a.m. Lexington Dolphins master swim team practice. So we are right off Man O' War and Boston Road. We're actually at the Mill Pond pool, and we've got, I don't know, over 10 of us swimming, and it's, you know, 6:01," said Kristy Maggard, a swimmer on the team.
The Lexington Dolphins Masters team consists of adults who choose to swim laps outdoors before the sun even rises. While swimming may make you think of summer, these athletes are doing it in the dead of winter.
"I think the coldest day we've ever swam was 12 degrees, which was awesome. We've had ice, snow, a lot of times our practice sheets are frozen," Maggard said.
The water stays warm at around 80 degrees, creating a unique experience for swimmers.
"For the athletes, it's great. They love it. It's nice and warm. It might be snowing and they feel like they're in a snow globe," said Dave Doolin, CEO of Lexington Dolphins.
But the air temperature can get chilly, requiring coaches to bundle up with hand warmers and toboggans while the swimmers enjoy the heated pool.
"A lot of people think we're crazy. My husband does. I think it's just the sheer love of the sport. I'm 48 years old and started swimming when I was 7," Maggard said.
The team isn't just former college stars, though there are some, including a Division I swimmer from Georgia. There's also a grandfather in his 60s learning to swim stronger for his grandkids.
"He is really wanting to swim because of his grandchildren and wanting to be safe with them in the water, so he wanted to become a strong swimmer," Maggard said.
Doolin encourages people not to be intimidated by the sport.
"It's not as scary as it sounds sometimes, and I think people get scared off because 'oh, I've never done that before,' because we have people that didn't swim competitively. This is the first time they've actually been in the water where they actually swim laps," Doolin said.
Swimmers can choose beginner, intermediate or advanced workouts, all before heading to their day jobs.
"They come 3 or 4 days a week, usually at 6:00 a.m. because they all work," Doolin said.
For this group, it's more than exercise.
"When you find a group of people that you really love and you enjoy being with, who cares what the water temperature is or who cares what the air temperature is. You want to be here with them," Maggard said.
The group proves that swim season never really ends.
