About those lungs

[Bklynmom]

I have been training regularly since March and still find myself breathing very hard on hill climbs - not short of breath but struggling - this is at the blistering hill climbing pace of 4 MPH. Hit 173 on the HRM too. My lungs just feel tight, like they aren't opening up fully. Actually, on longer climbs, I seem to get a second wind after the first 1/4 mile and breathing becomes easier.

This is also after trying to follow a hill climbing program of intervals for 3 weeks.

I have spring asthma - mild. I was on Advir for it, and I took a hit of Advir before my Sunday ride and actually felt better in the lung department.

One of my friends who is a gym teacher suggested that I cross train by running to improve my breathing - what does everyone think of that?

Anyone have a similar experience or have an opinion on what might help?

Thanks!

[makbike]

Is it possible you suffer from exercise induced asthma? I would suggest you talk to your doctor about what you are experiencing and see what they think.

[Bklynmom]

I did - Dr. said no because it goes away on long climbs. I will ask again.

[Kathi]

I have EIA as well as asthma triggered by things car exhausts, cold air, smoke, etc. For the EIA I was using a Maxair rescue inhaler before exercising but I still struggled on short climbs. I thought I wasn't strong enough to climb the hills but no matter how much I climbed I didn't get any better so I thought I was "normal".

All spring and summer I seemed to have trouble breathng, I was riding slower and if my heart rate got higher than 150 I was short of breath. I knew something was wrong but thought I had lost my aerobic conditioning because I skied all winter instead of spending some on my bike.

I recently went on Advair full time. What a world of difference! I can clilmb and really inhale the air into my lungs. No more huffing and puffing. My heart rate averages are up, my speed is up, I can't believe that what I had accepted as "normal" for many years wasn't normal at all.

When I climb I now pay attention to my breathing and am learning what it is like to "inhale" fully with deep breaths.

BTW, my Dr. told me there are tests that can be done to determine EIA.

[Bklynmom]

OK and thanks for confirming what I thought - my son suggested the Advir too - guess he should go to medical school!

I have the 250 Advir and was taking it twice a day - are you on the same? Do you also take Zyrtec - I was on it this spring too.

I will also ask the Dr. about the EIA test - good advice, much appreciated.

lisa

[Kathi]

OK and thanks for confirming what I thought - my son suggested the Advir too - guess he should go to medical school!

I have the 250 Advir and was taking it twice a day - are you on the same? Do you also take Zyrtec - I was on it this spring too.

I will also ask the Dr. about the EIA test - good advice, much appreciated.

lisa

Yes, Advair 250 2x a day. I take Singulair and use my Maxair inhaler 20 min. before I ride. My Dr's pa told me that the serevent in the Advair helps EIA. I've also noticed that I don't respond to any of my other triggers while I've been on the Advair.

I use the Singulair because it helps me with allergies.

Yesterday, I went hiking at 9,500 ft and just bopped right along. It was so easy and I could easily climb without huffing and puffing.

I too was warming up for at least 20 min. but now that I'm on the Advair I don't need the warm-up.

[Kano]

Not to discount the possibilities, but I've found that I need a decent warm up period before I'm breathing "openly" -- it's like the first 5 miles or so I struggle more than the rest of the ride. This meshes with my other muscles too: my legs grumble more the first few miles than once I get going.

I learned this summer that this has an effect on my hill climbing capability.

I can actually climb my "big" hill (turns out that for the TdF boys, it's a cat.4) better the second time around, or if I've ridden the long way to get to it than if it's one of the first things I do on my ride.

There's also a mental thing involved here. I tend to panic, or something, when climbing, and have this "I'm on a giant hill" thing that happens in my brain, which moves to my lungs and legs. When that happens, if I can't squash it, it's a race to see whether the legs or lungs quit first!

One time, I got to the top anyway, and that made a HUGE difference for me! My body now knows that I can do it, and I don't get so "out of control" or "behind," if this makes sense. I'm getting better at keeping my breathing in check, and along with that, my heart rate is better -- must be my fitness is improving -- but my legs, sometimes they just don't listen! (not that my lungs don't appreciate it when my legs just plain STOP on a hill and I have to take a break!)

Karen in Boise