NY IM death - how to detect it - article on similar issue that day

Thanks for sharing this.

I assumed the deaths were pulmonary edema secondary to an MI but this makes much more sense.

Thank you for sharing - great article, very informative.  

Coughing up any blood should always be a warning sign, but with the "HTFU" attitude that I would speculate most Ironman competitors have, I can see someone (me) competing through warning signs.  

Good information to know.  

Good post.

What baffles me is I wonder if some of these victims of SIPE have had symptoms in training?  I would think that if they were susceptible they would have had it in a training OW swim, unless the race day stress/sympathetic nervous system overrides it so much that it only appears in a race environment

I would venture a guess that's exactly it, along with/or adrenaline. There's simply no sensation like swimming with hundreds of people in the open water, and the only real opportunity to train like that is during a race. I personally feel very comfortable out there, but I'm keenly aware that I'm still humming along with a fair amount of adrenaline. My aim during the swim is VERY mental - to get to that almost narcotic-induced-like rhythmic state where it's just stroke, stroke, stroke, and what I can see or hear becomes miles away. NOT focusing on the race is a very difficult thing to do, and I imagine it's the complete opposite of what a lot of folks toeing the line do, or would want to. However, IMHO it's the only way to responsibly race in the water over long distances. The risk over overexertion or just plain pushing hard on the bike or the run is limited to not being able to make that pass, or hold that position. In the water, the risk is invisible but deadly.

Without knowing much about it but trying to read up just to become educated on this, i feel that may be a good probability. And like the story says, how do you differentiate a crackle/gurggle from FPE  than what may be there from just possibly swallowing water wrong and having to spit it out? I end up coughing during swim training because of that.

I would also believe that the onset of this (or whatever it may be) is much more severe and debilitating for the people that may not have made it through this, than that for the author of this story.

Could it also be that one might spend an hour plus getting too warm in a too tight wetsuit before the race...

When practicing one does not sit around in a wetsuit waiting ....

Also it would be interesting to know if the swimmer that died routinely used a wetsuit,

or just got one for this particular swim as it was cold...having a rarely used wetsuit that is too tight could also be an issue....

Anyone have a cheap training wetsuit and a "fast" race wetsuit you rarely use?  

Scary stuff but at least it's given us some warning signs to look out for.  Like it or not in any race environment my heart is racing on the start line - warming up first has actually really helped and training in a squad in the Open water where we practise race day scenarios really helps and I'm just as nervous!

I think I will switch to drinking something other than pink Gatorade - try a different colour so if you're coughing up pink stuff you know it's not the drink.

I'm a BOP swimmer and I don't get into the melee of the other competitors, I'd rather do an extra 100m or so and be comfortable.  I also find when I swim on my own out the back and to the side you get your own kayaker!  always concerned for the slowies!

My first IM is March and this is now something to think (not worry) about.

And really, you shouldn't be all done up until closer to start time. Some other racer will always zip it up.