Part 3/12:
The training kicks off with brutal assessments. Instructors openly mock the fastest runners or best swimmers, warning that those individuals will likely quit. The first day introduces the infamous bell—an icon of quitting. Ringing it signifies surrender, and many are tempted. The experience begins with forced immersion in the Pacific Ocean—cold, relentless, and unforgiving. The ocean’s coldness, especially in California, is renowned for its capacity to break even the most prepared.