Long story short, instant drop in immune system and I ended up with a chronic cough and fatigue that wouldn't go away. I spent 3 days a week laying down so I could continue to lead the Saturday bike rides and complete my long runs. I kept up what I could for cardio, but I couldn't swim. I couldn't keep my body temperature up in the water and was pretty miserable.
My training camp was incredibly tough as I was having to lead the rides and swims. I would get hypothermic in the water working with the new swimmers, then turn around and try to lead out the faster bikers. It was at the end of day 3 after the 3 hour run where it all crashed down. I was sick with a migraine, cough and fatigue. I led the next 2 days from the shore and the vehicle. I made one swim for myself on the Friday and managed to do the bike on the Saturday in Whistler. It provided us with rain to bike through and I was desperate to get into a warm vehicle when I finished.
I had a lot of emotional lows on the training camp as I usually do not fail physically and it is very dependent on me being there in spirit and in person. I have looked at some changes for this year to make it more successful.
My first race I ended up pulling out before it started. I went down to get ready and it was so cold I got too cold to start, I couldn't imagine recovering the energy it would take in time for Ironman, so I cheered instead. I didn't feel any more rested sitting it out. I couldn't increase my training to Ironman I just did what I could and rested when I could.
Every part of me didn't want to go to Whistler, I had no energy to do it and I just felt like it was a waste of money already spent so I went hoping when I got there the day of the race I would have some sort of high to carry me through.
Whistler was brutally cold, it was 2 degrees at the top of Callaghan and raining, the descent was between 50 - 70 km/hr and the windchill was incredibly cold. I finished the swim slow and the bike slow, but when I went to get up from Pemberton on the last climb I was having a complete energy powerout. I took a gel, I took off my arm warmers to avoid overheating, ha ha, no worry about that. Then I started having problems breathing. I took my puffer hoping it was the high heart rate triggering my sports asthma, but it wasn't. I was hyperventilating. I think the puffer made it worse.
When I got close to town my legs were numb, my arms were numb and I was starting to tingle in my face and crotch as well. It was bizarre. When I came into T2 I went to get off my bike and couldn't negotiate walking very well, my legs were unsteady and I was really dizzy. I didn't feel this while biking, but as soon as I went to stand things were not better, they just got worse.
I have hyperventilated at the end of 4 of my 7 Ironmans. I attributed it to having a migraine and being in intense pain. Here I had no migraine, no pain, I had no idea what was up. But this pointed out to me that this was the end of the race day for me. So I pulled out before the run. Not a popular move with those there to support me, but I just didn't want to finish and end up in a hospital because I did something stupid.
I took time to rest when we went on holidays. It took me until October to feel like I could start training again. I began with weights and the new goal of doing a bodybuilding competition in February. No cardio requirements except my classes.
I kept cycling through being sick until we went to Cozumel at the end of November. I had a full week of rest and came back feeling better. I haven't been sick since then and am feeling like myself again. I am weight training and on a lean out diet. I have 7 weeks left and have to figure out the posing thing.
My weight right now is 154.5 and I will be checking in regularly until the final competition in February. February 27th 2016.
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