Luna All Women's Triathlon/Duathlon - TriathlonSprint

About 10 minutes into the swim leg, I started having breathing problems. Doing backstroke, which worked last year, didn't help. I felt like my wetsuit was too tight and I was choking. I felt like I needed to calm down and then I would be okay. I yelled for assistance, and hung on the edge of a boat to rest for a minute. Loosening my wetsuit (unzipping) didn't seem to help. I felt a little better and swam around the first buoy. After a few more meters I had to find another boat. I still could not catch my breath. I could only swim a few strokes before I had to hang on the boat. I completed the swim by doing this, but after getting out had no energy, could hardly breathe, and was coughing a lot.

I would skip the wetsuit.

I walked to T1, removed the wetsuit, walked my bike (could not run) to mounting area.

I had done a good job laying out my stuff, so it was easy to change.

After a couple miles I turned back. I was coughing up bloody foam, though not like before, still could not get my breath, and knew that even if I sucked it up and finished the bike leg, there would be no running at all. So there was really no point to finishing the bike. Once I got back, I left my bike at transition, packed up my stuff, and went to the med tent. They called the EMTs who gave me oxygen and a blanket to warm up. I felt better after the oxygen, but still short of breath. The EMTs suggested Urgent Care.

Hot shower at home prior to heading to Urgent Care. My EKG was normal, chest films were hazy. I suggested to the Doc that maybe I had pulmonary edema as I had read someone else's BT race report who had seen it happen to someone in a race. The doc said that the chest films were consistent with that. He then left the room. I told my hubby that he was probably googling it. Ha! He was. He came back in with an article on it and said to go see my PCP and take the article with me.

According to available info, SIPE resolves itself in 24-48 hours with no treatment, and has no known lasting effects. I may or may not ever get it again. Though after reading a few people's stories indications are that it seems to recur, but not regularly or for any particular reason. Go figure.

I will be taking it easy for the next few days and seeing my PCP for a follow up.


Pretty much that part where my lungs filled with fluid - that slowed me down a lot.


If I could, I'd love to say thank you and give a big hug to the volunteer that followed my stubborn self in the boat. Because of him I wasn't afraid during the swim. Should have been, but wasn't. It was very calming to have a boat right there. Looking back, I should have gotten in it.

I'm really disappointed with the swim outcome - mostly because I feel in a way "cheated" out of the fun weekend that I'd trained and planned for. My next event is a Du and I'll be working on the swim for next season. I don't know that I can train to prevent it, but being a stronger more efficient swimmer can't hurt.