3050

200 free (warmup)
8 x 75, 25 kick / 25 catchup / 25 kick (with fins)
10 x 50, 1 breast, 7 back, 2 free (set was 4 non-free, 4 choice, 4 free, but I cut the last 100 because I was so far behind)
400 free
3 x 50 back
400 free
5 x 50 back kick (that extra 50 was to catch up on the 50 I skipped earlier)
400 free
100 free easy (warmdown)
50 back easy (warmdown)

Total: 3050

I had a rough night last night, as my sleeping schedule was kind of a mess after five days off from work and masters swimming for the holidays. I managed to get to bed at 11:30, but could not seem to fall asleep. I think I must have drifted out a little after midnight, but woke up at least twice because I couldn't breathe (jointly because of congested sinuses, and tightness in my chest from my asthma). Surprisingly, waking up at 5:00 wasn't as horrid as expected.

Swimming was a little hard, though, as the tightness hadn't really gone away. I hit my inhaler about twice as much as normal, and didn't really get into any kind of groove until that 5 x 50 backstroke kick set, which I did to attempt to save myself from drowning. Every time I tried to do backstroke all together I was getting a really nasty burn in my thighs from oxygen debt, so I cut the arms out to see if it would help (it did).

Once I finished the bulk of the core set (I cut the last 4 x 50 non-free that everyone else did, but I tend to do at least 500 less than my teammates on average anyway), I did the 100 free to get myself to 3000, and tacked on that last 50 because being in the water felt really nice. I don't spend a lot of time just enjoying the feeling of being almost weightless, and I took some time today to find my zen, just kicking slowly through the pool on my back. It felt really nice. Centering.

Two hours later, I still can't breathe worth a damn. It's sort of hard to understand if you don't have asthma, but right now I feel like someone is pressing really hard against my sternum constantly (meaning, basically, pain, in the area of my bronchial tubes). Beyond that, I can't get a deep, full breath unless I really focus and draw my inhalations deeply. The pain is constant, but it increases when I breathe in like that. Fun times.

Luckily our insurance rolls over on Thursday, so I'm hoping I can actually get my new group number on Friday and pick up my Advair then. I wish I wouldn't have had to go off it for almost a month, but I couldn't afford the $200 price tag (ouch).