Race day blowup, loss of power, fatigue

Raced Mooseman last weekend…first 1/2 of season. Training up to event had been great. Went in with specific strategy, time, power targets etc.

I completley fell apart 3 mins into swim. Main issues were tightness in chest and lack of ability to get air into lungs. Couldnt maintain target power which steadily declined over course of bike. Any thought of redemption on run was dashed in first mile. Bottom line I felt like the engine was running on 3 cylinders and everytime I hit the gas it bogged down.

Has anyone experienced this? Is it seasonal allergy related?

could be seasonal allergies…at least I think.

Firstly, welcome.

Secondly, sounds like it’s probably not allergies, if the race was close to home. Otherwise, they’d have affected you during training as well, no?

Maybe it was first-half-of-the-season anxiety.

I think he might have suffered similar symptoms in training, maybe?

Yes, I’ve experience something similar-- exercise induced asthma.

Yup- Had a “not so great” week leading up to race. Did a little praying that it would be ok on race day but no luck. I have to consult with coach to make sure training/prep is better next time!

Be aware of the major signs and symptoms of asthma, such as coughing, wheezing, tightness in the chest, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulty at night, upon awakening in the morning or when exposed to certain allergens or irritants. Symptoms

Seasonal allergies mostly affect the respiratory setup, eyes and nose and may also cause problems in lungs, especially for those suffering from asthma. A runny and/or itchy nose, congestion of the nasal passages and watery and itchy eyes. Those who suffer from asthma, show symptoms like wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath. People who are severely allergic, show symptoms which result in increased complications like fatigue, headaches or the inability to concentrate and so on.

I mean, maybe…could be…no?

Sounds like allergies.

Especially considering the time of month…er year :slight_smile:

I had the same thing happen to me at Rev3 this past sunday. I normally take allergy meds but haven’t taken them lately and will be going back to taking them again.

Thanks- I started taking zyrtec last night. hopefully it does the trick!

I completley fell apart 3 mins into swim. Main issues were tightness in chest and lack of ability to get air into lungs.

Was the water really cold? This sounds a lot like my last race in 2009. Cold air and water activated the asthma, never recovered on the bike or run, despite a couple shots of albuterol. My asthma is definitely better with Zyrtec.

I’m not a doctor nor do I play one on TV but that sounds exactly like SIPE.

http://www.slowtwitch.com/Training/Swimming/Swimming_Induced_Pulmonary_Edema_SIPE__45.html