T88 - H1N1, You Better Come Stronger than That - Swim

Gainesville

I had planned to do the long swim Wednesday night. But as I was teaching my last class I started to feel really overheated and dizzy. And by the time I walked home all I could do was get in bed and stay there. I spent the night tossing and turning and cooling myself off, and praying that I did not have the flu. Because I can't afford to get sick. Not now. It wasn't unlikely that I had it, but I also knew that my immune system managed to keep my from getting sick almost all the time.

So I took some Tylenol PM and fell asleep about 1 a.m. I woke up probably 5 times over the next nine hours, each time feeling my bed completely soaked in cold sweat. Like the whole fucking thing. I have no idea how I sweat that much, but I did. I got up each time and drank water to replace the fluids, and by the time I woke up, I felt 100%. I felt better than 100% actually. I felt better than I had in a few weeks. Apparently the virus had gotten into my system, but my immune system managed to kick its ass out all night long, leaving it a beaten mass of sweat on the sheets, as impotnent and useless as the activity stains it was blending into. And so I decided to go swimming before flying to Seattle.

S: long day
wu: 200swim, 200kick, 200pull, 200swim
main: 1900 ladder. Do a set of 300, then 275,...


2 Lipodrene
I'm not gonna lie. As pumped as I was about my immune system's convincing victory over What Might Have Been H1N1 But Probably Wasn't, during the warmup I felt like my lats were going to die. I guess dehydration and body aching from flu symptoms will do that. And the kicks didn't feel a lot better. But by the time I got to the main set, I was just coasting along. Every set felt short, although I did note I was going slightly slower than normal on the first 2 sets. I picked up the normal pace by the 250 set, and was doing exactly what I was supposed to be doing: Focusing on getting my strokes turned over faster, and keeping my form good. I'm using that swim move that Justin recommended for my right arm, as I think I'm just now really figuring out how to get the most out of it.

I took a gel after the set of 225, and continued on with a fantastic swim. Really, felt better than I had in a while. The only thing I notcied was that my quad cramped up when I got out of the pool, not something that usually happens after a swim. But if that's the only lingering effect from a night of sweating through my bed, I'll take it. I'm sure the rest helped, but maybe in addition to the virus I sweated out some toxins that had been holding my muscles back. Who knows? All I know is that my immune system kicks fucking ass, and that I am definitely ready to tackle this last month of training head on.

Flew accross the country immediately afterward, and was still wired when I got to Seattle. Its amazing the energy and motivaiton a great workout, and demolishing a flu in one night, can give you.