My race didn't go nearly so well as Dave's.
I felt great on Friday. And had high hopes for Sunday's racing, but on Saturday morning I woke up with a bit of a sore throat and major congestion in my chest. I did what I could with fluids and vitamin C and was hoping that I would start feeling better through the day, but it was not happening. Sunday morning dawned with me feeling like a total bag of crap. I couldn't take a full breath without coughing, and I just was not getting the air I needed at all.
I went down to York anyway and got on that erg! I started out much to fast, and couldn't maintain the rate at all. I just flat couldn't breath at all. I slowed down to a 2:00 pace and tried to kick it back up for the last 250, but I still got creamed by everyone who finished.
I ended up with a final time of 07:45.0 in 14th place, but there were nineteen people that were registered for that event, so I guess the DNF's just didn't make it on to the list. . .
My second race was not great either. I entered in the Men's recreational event (1K), and by the time 11:30 rolled around, I could barely manage any sort of breath at all without coughing let alone the full lung capacity that would need for a race.
Again, I started with too fast a pace, and fell right off at around 750 meters to go. I was really dying by the last 250 meters, but finished it up in a time of 3:39.2.
So, not even close to the medals, but I did make it to the event, and I didn't handle down. And both times were personal bests. I just think I could have done better with lungs that were in working condition.