For you experienced swimmers! My wife recently began swimming with our local masters program. She is new to swimming, but has been a competitive athlete all her life (alternate to the Olympic volleyball team, cycling in TT and mountain bike events, etc.). Over the past 6 months she’s had a problem during swim meets that seem odd to us, but may be familiar to some of you.
She has had difficulty breathing during breast and butterfly events. She describes the feeling as something similar to exercise enduced asthma. Today she experienced it during a 100 breast stroke event. At about 50 yards, she felt she couldn’t take a breath. Almost like there was something in her throat. She later swam a 100 breast stroke as part of a relay. She had no problems, but didn’t push it either.
Could this be related to not exhaling enough? She has no history of respiratory problems and hasn’t experienced this type of problem in any other sporting event. Also, it has only effected her during breat and butterfly, not free and backstroke. Any thought?