Swimming and CMT

[Guest guest]

I've just caught up on my e-mails - all 56 of them! I had to

respond to Reema's questions about swimming because of my background.

I was diagnosed with CMT much later in life, and I believe my CMT is

mild compared to some on this list. I'm now 43 years old and I'm a

swim coach (one of several part time jobs, all fitness related). I

also swim with a Master's Swim program 3 times a week in the winter

as it's the perfect cross-training for my favourite sport, Outrigger

Canoe racing.

I hated swimming when I first learned as a child (my Mother's on this

list and will attest to all the pouting!). But it was one of the very few sports

I could do well at. Probably because it didn't require

much hand/eye co-ordination.

As for flutter-kicking, I think my CMT has made me a better kicker. A

fellow swimmer, who's a Doctor and knows of my CMT, commented that he

figured the way my feet flopped forward (like a ballerina on her

toes, kind of) made my feet better at propelling me. I can kick

faster than most of the Ironman triathletes that train with us, so

it's always exciting when we do kick sets and I go to the head of the

line!

As a swim coach, I can tell you that all adults, for the most part,

are really not very good at just kicking. I just tell people to get

used to it, and work on other things that will make you fast (and

there's lots of other things!).

As for over-exerting yourself - and this is just my exercise opinion

based on discussions with a specialist - swimming is a whole-body

exercise and it can definitely get your heart rate up. Plus you add

any nervousness about water, and the fact that you can only breath at

certain times. It's a challenge, but it's a great workout! And it's

one that persons with CMT can experience some success at.

I was concerned about the negative effects of too much exercise. I

discussed it with my Dr and Specialist. They said it was the best

thing I could be doing (for me) to " slow " the effects of CMT. Because

I'm so old, I'm careful about how much I do. But the challenges are

what keep me feeling like CMT won't be slowing me down.

This past weekend I completed a Half Ironman triathlon. That's 2 km's of open

water swimming, followed by 90 km's of cycling, followed by a half marathon

(22km's). I had a good swim, which meant I spent the

rest of the day getting passed by everybody on the bike portion, and

then getting passed by everyone else on the run. Because of my CMT I

was careful to change my socks regularly, and had extra pairs of back- up shoes

in case my feet hurt. I got one blood blister, which bled

right through my shoe - I figure that makes me a true triathlete!

The official results show that I beat a 71 year old woman by only 13

seconds. If I'd seen her I probably would have let her go first, I

was just happy to be finishing.

I hope I don't appear to be bragging. Nobody here knows me (except my

Mom, and she's already heard it all), but I just want to make sure we

as a group remember that CMT progresses differently in everybody. I

have a 7 year old son, and I hope he never knows what CMT is. He

swims, along with everything else a 7 year old can do. And he thinks

his Dad is an athlete, just maybe not the fastest.

Don Mulhall

Penticton, Canada

[Guest guest]

This is one of the best stories I have heard.

I found swimming long before I was diagnosed with CMT. I have loved

it.

Mike