For years (since 99 or so) I have had one small issue with the swim. Today I was at Lake Geneva Wi in the lake swimming and again - seems like every time. I have a short bout with some very thick saliva during the swim. I am able to get rid of it by skipping a few breaths and trying to spit in the water. I have had this at ever IM race I have done and been able to just deal with it. The saliva is quite thick - and to sound gross…once I get it out of my mouth I can feel it cling to my lip as I swim before it departs. I am not sure if I am the only one with issues with thick sticky saliva in the swim - nor the reason that no other aspect of my life can bring this out. A time or two at races it has been a concern as I can not inhale as it will sort of clog my air way until I get it out…today in the lake was sort of the same…
Is this just some human thing that we dont talk about or is this just my special blessing that I get to spit in the water some slime for the BOP folks to enjoy?
I’m so glad I swim faster then you. of course swimming causes me to clear my sinuses so if anyone has ever swam in my lane or behind me, sorry about the bumps in the road.
happens to me a few times over the course of a mile. either try and hack it down like you said, or just wait for a good one & let it fly.
dont know if its from the way i breathe, the water i take in, who knows.
if you thought letting a loogie fly on land too talent, wait til you try it in the water.
I have the exact same issue, but it happens to me on almost every swim. At least once a week it will be so bad that when I go to take a breath, no air can come in. It used to freak me out, but now that I’m used to it, I just stay come, and work really hard to spit it out, but like you explained, it is really thick and disgusting. It happens to me in both the pool and in the open water, regardless of the distance, but does seem to happen more often when I am pushing hard. I have no idea what it’s from, but I do have allergies, and a ton of post-nasal drip. On the bike, I have to blow snot rockets every 20minutes or so. Not very lady like, but at least I have a weapon against drafters
If you figure out a solution, let me know. I use flonase and claritin, which help a bit, but does not get rid of the pesky mucus. I’ve also tried Mucinex, but it only works the morning after I take it, and is too expensive to be a long term solution. If I take it right before swimming, I practically choke on all the mucus, so that doesn’t work. Finally, I tried using a ‘nettipot’ or whatever the weird thing is that you flush your sinuses with. I had excruciating pain in my ears, which lasted for a day, so I won’t be using that thing again. I have no idea if it helped, because I was in too much pain to swim.
I get this same thing on longer swims (heading back into shore on lap 2 @ LP this weekend for example). So thick that it is almost choking. Not sure what causes it, but one good harrumph and its gone…
I’ve got the same issue. Always wondered just how I was supposed to be breathing out my nose during swimming since I’m always so glompy once I’m about 300 yards into a workout.
I solved this problem by backing of on most dairy offenders, switched to Soy milk and soy yogurt, love them both now, still eat cheese, cottage cheese occasionally, zero mucus problems ever since.
It’s mucous. I have the same problem in every swim. It’s a hassle but I’m learning to deal with it. It always strikes the first inhale after swallowing…so I try to avoid the swallow reflex when I swim and when I do I match the exhale of my stroke with a good cough to get it out.
Part of the reason this happens swimming is likely to be the head position (face down) along with the breathing (face up) and perhaps the very high humidity of the air you are breathing while swimming.
Ooo! That’s a good one! I mean, it totally sucks, but it may help. Did you show any other signs of lactose intolerance?
I knew a kid who was…shame of the matter was that in 6th grade he thought farting was cool and funny…terrible…So, one persons lactose issues are another persons funny farts…
