I have been swimming for 40 years (I'm now 52). I regularly attend masters swim practice (3 X week). Recently, I have been struggling a lot in practice when I try to push myself at 90% or on harder efforts. I feel incredibly fatigued even in a short sprint like a 100 I.M. I feel very comfortable swimming at 80% effort for a really long time but as soon as I push myself a little more the wheels fall off in a big way, and I don't recover very well. I have been to the doctor to get checked out and had my blood work...everything is great. I'm wondering if this is just age or maybe my diet is affecting me?? I have not made any changes. Has anyone else around my age experienced this? Thanks.
Swim_McG,
I share your "pain" - literally. A little background - plenty of Top Tens in my 40s and still swim 4500 yds/day. A few comments that I hope will be helpful:
a) When I was around 50, I started to experience intense chest discomfort after 75 yards of swimming hard. I had no idea why until I was rejected for donating blood. Turned out I was severely anemic (unusual for a man). After alot of tests and no colon cancer, no idea why I was anemic, I started taking an iron supplement and the issues disappeared in 90 days. So, was your iron, hemoglobin, red blood cell shape all good?
b) The markers that Froderick mentioned are only done in the ER when someone comes in complaining/experiencing a cardiac event. I know that because last year, at age 65, I experienced atrial flutter, and went to the ER. No elevated enzymes indicating heart attack and all the subsequent tests and stress tests were A-OK. The tests you need/want are beyond the normal ones they will do - unfortunately. You need something more like a nuclear stress test which are not done without good reason.
c) But, now at 66, if I push hard longer that 75-100 yards, I get a strong discomfort right below my sternum. If I go at 80%, no issues and swim forever. BUT, push hard beyond 100 yards, I cannot do so without extreme discomfort. I passed the routine stress test with flying colors - because my knees are bad, I could not get my heart rate up high enough to trigger any episodes. :(
While I would want to think that my discomfort is lack of hard training for 15 years, I suspect it is result of a slight blockage (hereditary with Dad and grandpa). For me though, I am just fine with cruising along at 80% instead of spending alot of time and appts figuring out what it might be.
Don't know if this is helpful - just my experience and approach to it.
Good Luck - hope it helps.
Paul
Swim_McG,
I share your "pain" - literally. A little background - plenty of Top Tens in my 40s and still swim 4500 yds/day. A few comments that I hope will be helpful:
a) When I was around 50, I started to experience intense chest discomfort after 75 yards of swimming hard. I had no idea why until I was rejected for donating blood. Turned out I was severely anemic (unusual for a man). After alot of tests and no colon cancer, no idea why I was anemic, I started taking an iron supplement and the issues disappeared in 90 days. So, was your iron, hemoglobin, red blood cell shape all good?
b) The markers that Froderick mentioned are only done in the ER when someone comes in complaining/experiencing a cardiac event. I know that because last year, at age 65, I experienced atrial flutter, and went to the ER. No elevated enzymes indicating heart attack and all the subsequent tests and stress tests were A-OK. The tests you need/want are beyond the normal ones they will do - unfortunately. You need something more like a nuclear stress test which are not done without good reason.
c) But, now at 66, if I push hard longer that 75-100 yards, I get a strong discomfort right below my sternum. If I go at 80%, no issues and swim forever. BUT, push hard beyond 100 yards, I cannot do so without extreme discomfort. I passed the routine stress test with flying colors - because my knees are bad, I could not get my heart rate up high enough to trigger any episodes. :(
While I would want to think that my discomfort is lack of hard training for 15 years, I suspect it is result of a slight blockage (hereditary with Dad and grandpa). For me though, I am just fine with cruising along at 80% instead of spending alot of time and appts figuring out what it might be.
Don't know if this is helpful - just my experience and approach to it.
Good Luck - hope it helps.
Paul
