Learned something new about myself when analyzing this weekend's tri

[GLC1968]

I raced a local race on Saturday and I learned something new about myself.

I felt like total crap on the bike. I was so nauseous that I wanted to throw up, but I held it together and survived. About 3/4's of the way into the bike leg, I started to feel better but it was touch and go there for awhile.

Same thing happened to me in 2011 when I last did this race except in 2011, I did throw up while biking. At the time, I thought I'd swallowed pool water or something.

What I'd failed to remember is that I had the SAME problem in 2010. I'd chalked it up to first timer nerves since it was my first ever tri at that point. I'd also eaten a gel before the swim and was re-tasting it and it was gross so I never gave it much thought (and I still don't eat apple cinnamon flavored gels!).

Now, looking back, I'm seeing a pattern.

When I compare this to all my open water tri experiences, I don't have this same problem. And I swam in this same pool, once a week for 10 weeks in 2010 as part of a lesson program and had no issues then, either.

I'm also extremely sensitive to motion. I've gotten car sick while I was driving. I can't wear full progressive glasses because they make me nauseous. I've thrown up on more planes, trains, boats and automobiles than I care to recall. I even have gotten ill while open water swimming when it was really windy/rough once (never during a race).

Guess what? I'm getting sea sick in the stupid pool!! 20 people swimming their hearts out in a small pool for 10 - 11 minutes is enough to make me motion sick. Go figure.

Next year I'm taking Dramamine!

[Crankin]

GLC, I will be able to tell my DH that someone else is as motion sick as he is! What we have figured out is that it's a vestibular issue. However, no one has found a cure for him. I hope the Dramamine works next time.

[tulip]

I get motion sickness, too. Last year I spent a lot of time on boats. I used those pressure bands on my wrists and they were very effective.

[GLC1968]

I've tried just about every remedy out there. For me, it's mostly (though not all), visual. If I'm in a situation where I can keep my eyes closed, I can usually ride it out (like on an airplane), but clearly that doesn't work in a race. The bands don't work though I will admit to never having tried the Rx patch thing.

Last June we went to Kauai and kayaked the Na'pali coast. I had tried the non-drowsy formula of Dramamine for our helicopter trip and not only did it not work, but it left me feeling really ill for like 24 hours. For the kayak trip, I just went with regular old Dramamine and it WORKED! I got a little queasy when we were in a cave (and there was no horizon to see), but other than that, I was totally fine. It does make me drowsy, but if I'm doing something active, that's not really an issue. I know it'll work great for the tri next year. I can't wait to finally have a bike time in this race that I'll be happy with!!