Being sick.

A swimming "first" happened to me this weekend. I was sick for my season-ending meet, for which I had tapered to, shaved, and wore an expensive suit. Last weekend, I had mild symptoms of the flu, even though I had a flu shot last September. I guess the flu shot is wearing off? I don't know, I'm not exactly an expert on how those shots work, anyway. Even still, everything would've been alright, except the flu was followed up by acute bronchitis. I would cough up bright yellow mucus and, periodically, I had a wheeze where it seems like your lungs and ribcage are rattling. Other than that, I felt perfectly fine! It didn't agree with my swimming, though. By Thursday, I would be going about my day normally, then I'd get to the pool, start doing my taper workout, and start expectorating again. Several websites I looked at advised that a lower respiratory infection means complete and total bed rest, no exercise at all. But what am I supposed to do? Not swim and thus not taper? Not go to my season-ending meet? Not hope that the next day the bronchitis would be gone for good, and everything would be ready just in time to swim fast? I went 2 seconds slower than last year in my 100 free (a 55 compared to a 53). Even though I was shaved, tapered, and wearing a tech suit, my 100 back was 4 seconds slower than my personal best of 1:08.6- a time which I got within a second of in-season with no rest (all the way back in February, no less). I did everything right this past year. Even with all the uncontrollables, from my dad getting a stroke, to having to go down south to take care of my nephew while my sister-in-law was on bed rest with nephew #2 on the way, to my ancient minivan officially dying for good over a week ago, I still did everything right. 16.5 percent more work I did in the pool this season compared to last. I guess I'm just trying to remind myself that sometimes **** happens and I don't have to blame myself for it.