As if I needed another reason not to do triathlons, news outlets are reporting that 40+ triathletes became sick after participating in the Boathouse International Triathlon in May. Officials believe that the cause of the sickness was the 1.5k swim in the Oklahoma River which tests have since revealed contained parasites, bacteria, flotsam and jetsam and more than double the accepted amount of E. coli for “primary body contact recreation in which there is a chance water could be ingested.” A chance water could be ingested? If I were to ever do a triathlon (which is waaaaaay less likely after this story) there is not a ‘chance’ of ingested water, it’s a certainty. I would swallow so much water that I wouldn’t need to hydrate on the bike, in fact I’d probably need a catheter.
Other reports stated that lab analysis of stool samples from several of the sick triathletes indicated “exposure to water that was contaminated with human or animal waste.” That’s disgusting. It’s no wonder those guys got sick, I’m getting ill just thinking about it.
Since the title of this post claims that this is one more reason that I’m not going to be doing triathlons anytime soon, allow me to tell you what the other reasons are. 1 Swimming. 2 Biking. 3 I don’t want to. 4 Vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. (See: symptoms of drinking parasitic, E. coli-laced river water.) 5 I don’t like catheters. Now you may be thinking that the fourth item belongs above swimming and biking but you’d be wrong. Swimming and biking are much worse. Besides I have a little secret that totally cures vomiting and diarrhea, it’s called Pepto-Bismol. If you don’t have any Pepto-Bismol handy then alternately, you can just not drink and swim in a river that has a history of fecal coliform pollution. Sometimes you have to make sacrifices.
[Story Source: USA Today]
On a more pleasant note, Candis completed her triathlon last Friday without any of the aforementioned symptoms. She finished in pretty much the same time as the last one she did in September even though this one had a slightly longer swim course (read: more time to be exposed to human and animal waste). In an effort to provide you with a positive race report I’m going to say that she totally rocked the bike portion and not much else. I will add that she finished 5th in her age group and would have been 3rd had she been able to run at anything close to her normal pace.____________________________
I’m 10 for 10 on the running streak and will do run #11 after work today. The novelty is starting to wear off, so get ready for some of those whining posts that you’ve all been looking forward to.
Hopefully you drink bottled water at home too. Pull down your Local Water Quality Report and see just how much waste is allowable. When we bought our new home I took a look at the latest water quality report and opted for the water filter. because testing positive for fecal matter twice in a one youer period is two times too much for my tastes.
ReplyDeleteNothing beats streak run whining! FTW!
ReplyDeleteUUmmm goood water. I with you. No reason to tri. But then I can't swim or afford a $1000 bike. At least my shoes only cost $80.
ReplyDeleteAgree - I seem to find a way to spend plenty on a sport that requires no equipment. If I biked, I'd have to work a second job.
ReplyDeleteAnd it is no telling how much one of those LAZR swimsuits costs...
Congrats to Candis on her tri and her rockin' bicep flexing skillz!
ReplyDeleteCongrats to Candis, and I really want that tank top. Where did she get it?
ReplyDeleteAlso: Oklahoma. Nuff said.
@XC2 - I think that she got it from Skirt Sports, they sponsored the first tri she did.
ReplyDeleteIsn't Oklahoma down river of Nebraska? I'm just saying...
ReplyDeleteCongrats to Candis! Finishing a tri and not needing a catheter is an excellent accomplishment.
ReplyDeleteI used to do those things. In one of the last ones I did I literally swam right into an 18-inch long dead fish. Nice! All I could think of was 'I wonder what that thing died of? Probably the stuff in the water.' And those bikes run about $5,000+ these days. I would rather keep paying my mortgage.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, I don't get sick near as much since I stopped doing triathlons. Enough said.
Reason #6: you don't want to get beaten in a race by your wife.
ReplyDeleteI hear that's worse than ingesting human and animal waste.
It's funny that they had to test their poop to see if they ate poop.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised you're so squeamish. Fecal matter is a key component of running blogs.
ReplyDeleteCompletely valid reasons not to do a tri.
ReplyDeleteAnd Oklahoma is downriver from Kansas--everyone knows the Kansans are filthy.
Sincerely, Nebraskans for Cleaning Up Kansas
fecal matter is for sure a component of a running blog! :) ha ha, also I'm not a trier either. I don't think I EVER will. It doesn't look fun nor inviting.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to Candis! The whole point of doing a triathlon is that you get buy all kinds of cool stuff. That's why us women like it!
ReplyDeleteCongrats to Candis!! Please thank her for giving all of us tickets to the gun show.
ReplyDeleteI figure ingesting all that fecal matter gives our immune system a workout, which prepares us for the zombie apocalypse.
ReplyDeleteYou and your weak digestive skillz are doomed.
looking forward to reading about your running streak. You inspired me to run 7 days in a row this week. Not a huge deal, but it is for me.
ReplyDeleteYep, river water, nothing like river water to challenge your immune system.
ReplyDeleteI was on my uncles boat on the mississippi and my aunt jumps in and says the waters great.
I look over the edge and all I see is murky, off-green, with skeletons of small dead fish caught in lifeless river foilage floating along the river.
I look at her swimming amongst that and all I said was, "well, it's a good thing Uncle bob is here with you to take you home when you start barfing."
Sure enough, the next day, technicolor yawns, flu like symptoms, and a whole pile of regrets.
You don't have to drink the water, all you have to do is get into it.
The parasites will do the rest.
This is why I don't eat fish.
ReplyDeleteIf you're not into contaminated rivers, you can always go to your local pool. Chlorine doesn't kill it the little beasties.
ReplyDeleteYou don't need a catheter--bikers just usually pee on themselves during tri's hoping that no one notices since they are wet at the beginning of the bike anyway. I am sure this makes you want to do them more, right?
ReplyDelete