DNF

I guess the DNF says it all, the first in my triathlon career. I sort of expected the DNF but not the way it happened. The whole week I've been looking at options with my knee that was not 100%. First I said I am only going to do the swim but as my knee improved during the week I decided to do the swim and bike leg and yesterday I decided to do the whole event. I had a plan "A" and a plan "B" but never a plan "C".

After roughly 200 meters in the swim I felt that I could not breathe, there was no air getting to my lungs. I swam to the shore to rest a while and then tried again but after 400 meters I had to get help from the life guards. I was coughing so badly that I just could not breathe. They took me to the shore and I sat there until I felt better. First time ever that this happened to me.

After a while I got my breath back and asked the race referee if I could do the rest of the event although I would be a non finisher. I got onto my bike but as soon as I started pushing and my heart rate went over 120 bpm there was just no way I could breathe. I completed the 90km cycle but the only reason that I did was because there were no pick up vehicles in sight. The last 20km was so bad that I had to ride in my small chain ring just to keep my heart rate below 100 bpm.

My time for the bike was 2h57 compared to last years 2h32. Average heart rate was only 126 bpm and my ave power was a miserable 151 watts compared to last years 229 watts. Did not even think of starting the run leg.

I am so disappointed as this never happened to me and I am really concerned about this as Ironman is only four weeks away. Will go to the doctor tomorrow to help me, don't know if I am having some asthma problems, as I've been coughing now the whole day and can't take any deep breaths. Felt really sorry for "Team Stemmet" as everybody was up and about at 3 am this morning to make the 2 hour journey to the event. Sorry guys.

It is funny how something like this can make you feel like a real failure, even if you just wanted to do the event as an tester for Ironman. Need to stay focused now and not let this make me negative for Ironman. Well I guess it is as they say "back to the drawing board"

Some more sad news is that a cyclist got hit by a car at about the 60 km mark. This looked real serious as the whole bike was recked and there were people everywhere to assist the guy as the medics were on their way. I really hope and pray the guy is OK.

Today's disaster

Swim: 400m, 12min

Bike: 2h57, 90 km, 126 bpm.

Weeks Totals

Swim: 4.9 km

Bike: 113 km

Run: 2.8 km

Total: 6h27, 120km, 4465 kcal.