Calling asthmatics...

[Crankin]

I would definitely agree to the warming up on the trainer. I have always needed a long warm up, even when I started cycling, 11 years ago, and I was, well, 11 years younger. Part of this is for my breathing, as well as my muscles. I used to do a group ride every Friday morning in the summer, when I was teaching. I could generally keep up with these people, but they started off like a bat out of h*ll, and usually we left the parking area and went straight up a nice hill. By the time we were done with that and on a flat, I was a wreck. I asked several times for a slower warm up, but the 2-3 different leaders couldn't do it. Then, one year DH and I led the rides and we did start out slowly for about 3 miles. A few didn't like it, but most appreciated it. If you ever go to a bike race, you will notice the racers all bring their trainers and warm up for a long time. In the cold, this becomes even more important. Also, the thin wool neck gaiter might help when the temperatures are not that freezing.
My asthma was once called "specious." Not sure why, except that I never wheezed, my chest just felt tight and got tighter.

[Owlie]

DBF definitely gets cold trouble with his asthma (allergy-, not exercise-induced). He carried his rescue inhaler with him when we walked to the grocery store.

[zoom-zoom]

Yep, used my inhaler before today's ride. I wonder if part of my issue is weather-related. Because we're having such an unseasonably warm late Fall/early Winter my Fall allergies seem to be neverending. My sinuses have been complete crap, too. So these things certainly aren't helping the lungs.

[Catrin]

I know that everyone has such different experiences with asthma. For me there is really only three things that sets it off: cats, very cold air, and sinus/respiratory infections and in recent years it has only been the latter that has been a significant problem.

I used to have a LOT more trouble with it prior to losing 50+ pounds, and the more I active I am outside the less I have trouble with it. I've gotten extremely lax at using my rescue inhaler prophylactically. I tend to develop deep, bad coughs before the wheezing starts.

Thanks for the feedback! Now that I have my LHT on the trainer, I can warm up on the trainer before I hit the cold temps on the Gunnar and see what happens. I will also make certain to get my rescue inhaler refilled before I ride in sub-40 temps again...