Discomfort Heals
These photos capture the daily cold-water practice in different places and conditions. Here, discomfort isn’t shown as a challenge, but as a consistent process that has become part of life.
Picking up our race bibs before the Anaga mountain run. Little did we know how tough the run would be — with breathtaking views. Tenerife. October 2025.
A friend wearing a Saulės Ženklas Kyokushin karate club hoodie, printed with important words from the founder of Kyokushin karate. Always good to read and reflect. July 2023.
Received a cryo sauna visit as a birthday gift. Loved it. Spent a few minutes at minus 173 degrees. Vilnius. June 2025.
Straight from the sauna into the deeply frozen Lake Bebrusai, Molėtai. January 2021.
On the road to a Kyokushin karate black belt. After a dynamic training session. Got a great workout in. Vilnius. March 2022.
My Kyokushin karate black belt diploma from the federation. Palanga. August 2023.
Waterfalls in the mountains of Madeira, Portugal. While others were taking photos, I decided to go for a swim. April 2023.
First weeks of the 1000-day challenge. An ice fisherman in the background. Photo by Gintarė — we'd just met. Lake Balžys. January 2022.
A moment from sailing in Kintai. June 2024.
A visit to the cryo sauna. A great experience. This time I brought Amigo along for company. Vilnius. June 2025.
A briefing with the Wild Souls running community before setting off toward Trakai Castle. About to get moving. Vilnius. July 2025.
A break while hiking from Smiltynė to Nida. Juodkrantė's central beach. May 2024.
Clowning around with a cup of coffee in the ice bath. By now I'm used to the cold water, so I keep coming up with more creative photos. Kalvarijos Street Central Sauna, Vilnius. November 2022.
Enjoying Italian gelato before the marathon. Rome, Italy. March 2023.
A moment caught by the photographer while running the Curonian Spit trail marathon, somewhere near Smiltynė. Still full of energy and smiling wide. The first kilometers. Klaipėda. October 2024.
Supporting my beloved Vilnius basketball club Rytas. Posing with the club's sports director, Donatas Zavackas. November 2021.
Getting ready to start from the town of Marathon and run to Athens. November 2023.
Getting ready for one of my races in Europe. Ignalina. October 2021.
Marking my 38th birthday. I decided to celebrate the morning with a 2 km swim across Lake Balžys. Vilnius. June 2023.
Day one of the cold-water challenge. A still frame captured at the foot of the Pučkoriai outcrop. January 2022.
My first triathlon ever. Just out of the swim leg and heading to get on the bike. Successfully completed the Olympic-distance swim. Varėna. June 2023.
The first kilometers of the Curonian Spit trail run. A wide smile, full of happiness hormones. Somewhere near Smiltynė. Klaipėda. October 2024.
Posing after a successful finish at the Trakai triathlon. Completed the Olympic distance. July 2024.
At the Ginučiai mill. After a cold-water meditation. Very cold water — a great recharge. Flexing a little. Ignalina district. April 2025.
Sitting on the pier with running friends in Málaga. Running the marathon tomorrow. In great spirits. December 2023.
A protest outside the Russian embassy in Vilnius, right after Russia invaded Ukraine — the war had just begun. The pond in Žvėrynas was dyed red, and Rūta Meilutytė swam through it. March 2022.
Found a small tub in an abandoned monastery in the middle of the mountains. Couldn't resist meditating in a place like that. Somewhere in Northern Italy, in the mountains. April 2021.
A morning in the Vilnelė river with my friend Vaidas. The body is getting used to the cold by now. Just a good moment to close your eyes. January 2023.
A sacred circle in the Vilnelė river with the community. We like linking hands in a circle like this — they say it feels warmer. Pučkoriai, Vilnius. January 2024.
A weekend in beloved Spain with a friend. Atop the highest hill in Alicante. A stunning view over the city. My friend photographing me from behind. A good memory. May 2025.
Successfully completed my first-ever marathon. Post-finish photo with friends. Brighton, United Kingdom. April 2022.
A solo trip through Spanish cities. Four days of peace. Drinking cold tomato gazpacho on a hot day, sitting on a park bench. Granada, Spain. July 2025.
With friends on a great hike along the sea from Klaipėda to Palanga. Enjoying autumn, the views, the wind, the sea, and hot tea. Somewhere near Giruliai. September 2024.
With friends at a legendary snack bar in Klaipėda, discussing tomorrow's hike from Klaipėda to Palanga. September 2024.
With the Kyokushin karate community after a morning training session, the day before the black belt technique exam. In great spirits. July 2023. Monciškės, Palanga.
Posing with the Kyokushin karate community at the federation's camp in Monciškės, by the sea in Palanga. July 2023.
With the Saulės Ženklas Kyokushin karate club community after another especially intense training session. As always, feeling recharged with energy. March 2023.
Posing with friends from the Saulės Ženklas Kyokushin karate club after a dynamic training session. March 2023. Pilaitė hall, Vilnius.
One beautiful winter morning, I broke open an ice hole. Žalieji Ežerai, Vilnius. February 2023.
One of the highlights of summer — a run with the Wild Souls community from Gediminas Castle to Trakai Castle. Loved it. About 25 km. Vilnius. July 2025.
The Vilnelė riverbank community creatively congratulated me on day 1000 and completing the challenge. Vilnius. July 2025.
The Vilnelė riverbank community came up with the idea of making an AI-generated photo of me taking a cold shower. Vilnius, Gulbinai. July 2025.