Since most of us aren't teenagers any more, I'm pretty sure a large masters population is having to overcome all kinds of health issues on order to getin shape, and go as far as competing.
I was starting to get pretty competetive 4-5 years ago and setting a lot of PB's, when in my mid to late 30's I got slammed with a lot of health issues, couple of which (ick) caused a lot of rapid heart rate even at rest, and made me very exercise intolerant. Some of this is getting under control, other things I just have to live with, and accept I can't push as hard as I used to :(
I have a genetic blood disorder, thallasemia, which manifests itself in my case an untreatable chronic anemia, fast thyroid causing heartbeat irregularities (and other things), and one of arthritic conditions, scleroderma. In last couple years I'm just starting to figure out how to handle my newly dysfunctional body, and still keep active. It's been a very disheartening struggle, since at 40, I'm supposedly too young to be falling apart. Eh!
I'd like to hear from people who are having to manage their health issues, so they can keep swimming, and even competing... I'm hoping this can be motivating to a *few* people.
Parents
Former Member
One thing I learned early on: Knowledge is king (or queen, in our case...). Being armed with research from reputable websites and being your own advocate is the only way to survive the medical maze. It shouldn't have to be this way...:confused:
Do you swim in an outdoor pool or indoor pool? Does the sun affect you adversely? Just curious...
I swim outdoors. Sun actually helps me. Without sun I stiffen very quickly. Sunny days help thaw me out and I'm much more flexible.
Luckily, here in southern California we don't get much in a way of stifling humid heat. When it gets very humid, and I can't get a good breath of crisp air is when i'm affected the most.
I'm probably a bit spoiled, our pool is run for just our team, Nadadores (age groupers and masters total over 1000 swimmers), so we're pretty lucky with not having a lot of temperatire fluctuations (unless a piece of equipement breaks down)
Early morning practices, I like our dive pool, which is kept a few degrees warmer. I think around 81-83. Noon or afternoon practice, I like the 50 meter race pool, which is around 79-81.
Sun UV's tend to be beneficial for sleroderma... I read that the 'harmful UV rays' break down the collagen. Having excess of it I guess is like having built in sunscreen. My body over-produces collagen, while most people don't have enough. It gets very frustrating when people look at my skin, and go OMG, you're 40, you look like 30... but it comes with all these other problems :D
If I could only figure out how to bottle and sell the extra collagen ;)
One thing I learned early on: Knowledge is king (or queen, in our case...). Being armed with research from reputable websites and being your own advocate is the only way to survive the medical maze. It shouldn't have to be this way...:confused:
Do you swim in an outdoor pool or indoor pool? Does the sun affect you adversely? Just curious...
I swim outdoors. Sun actually helps me. Without sun I stiffen very quickly. Sunny days help thaw me out and I'm much more flexible.
Luckily, here in southern California we don't get much in a way of stifling humid heat. When it gets very humid, and I can't get a good breath of crisp air is when i'm affected the most.
I'm probably a bit spoiled, our pool is run for just our team, Nadadores (age groupers and masters total over 1000 swimmers), so we're pretty lucky with not having a lot of temperatire fluctuations (unless a piece of equipement breaks down)
Early morning practices, I like our dive pool, which is kept a few degrees warmer. I think around 81-83. Noon or afternoon practice, I like the 50 meter race pool, which is around 79-81.
Sun UV's tend to be beneficial for sleroderma... I read that the 'harmful UV rays' break down the collagen. Having excess of it I guess is like having built in sunscreen. My body over-produces collagen, while most people don't have enough. It gets very frustrating when people look at my skin, and go OMG, you're 40, you look like 30... but it comes with all these other problems :D
If I could only figure out how to bottle and sell the extra collagen ;)
