question for rowers

scinamon1

hi!

Never posted a question before, but could really do with some advice hopefully I won't sound like a self-pitying moron (sorry if I do!):

I row at university,and this involves a pretty intensive training schedule: water sessions 3 times a week, circuits once a week; 2 ergs a week; 1 rest day. Last term I got ill and the dr told me not to row for a while why they worked out what it was- i was fainting and getting really bad pains in my ribs. They haven't worked it out exactly, and I don't really understand it, but it's something like my lungs spasm so my heart rate drops a lot, and this causes the pain. It happens randomly, but quite often when I exercise. They've given me a couple of inhalers to try to get air in when it happens, BUT...

Obviously, passing out when doing a 2k piece isn't go to go down well... it's freezing at the moment, and if I drop my blade 7 other people will get soaked as well! But how do you take an inhaler while rowing? Where would you put it so you could reach it? Would it be OK to take it before I got in the boat as it takes a while to work anyway, and just assume I will need it? (I've been trying to get back into cardio by running in the holidays, and always seem to need it after 2-5 mins but can then run for another 40 without much pain).

Sorry for the essay! Any advice is much appreciated!

Altandra

Hi! I used to be a rower in college too! I used to take my inhaler right before we shoved off the dock and kept it in a plastic bag down by my foot stretchers. It always stayed dry in the bag and I never had a problem with it. Hopefully if you ever needed it during practice, you could pass the message up to the coxie and he/she could stop the boat for a minute!

vanillanilla

I am a coxswain and I always take any inhalers that my rowers have. Most coxswains carry some sort of waterproof bag or pocket. Also, make sure someone (the coxswain is best) knows what to do in the case of an emergency.