Anyone else feel this way?

[plantluvver]

Put me in bike shorts, and I look AWFUL! Standing in my bedroom, think I look like an idiot.

YEAH, you look as idiotic as all cyclists, with a mishapen head, goofy looking clothes and playing on a child's toy!

Mary

[Denise223]

Hi Mary:

I had to re-read to see exactly what I had posted....

Posted on 7/17/06 -->> plantluvver -- The only other rider I know is my husband. I've got a few girlfriends, but no one else rides bikes. So, I will make it my goal this week to get out at least one day by myself. Perhaps I'll make a riding friend when I'm out & about. Or, I really might enjoy going solo.

It's still "the week of the 17th", and no, I haven't gone out solo, just yet....
So...there's still time...

I had stayed riding around in parking lots for 3 summers, so.....I've made really good strides this year, in a month & half...

I'll be sure & let everyone know when I head out myself....because, that will be something victorious, for me, for sure!

Have a peaceful & great day everyone.

Denise

[plantluvver]

I ride the brakes all the way down, and I know this wastes all the energy I put in on the way up. So there is no anticipation of coming down, only releif that the climb is over. (And these aren't even hills, they are less than 5% grade.

I'd better follow Denise's example, and get back to the parking lot and learn how to brake. I've read interesting articles and realized how much I have to learn about riding technique and skills.

Mary

[Pedal Wench]

I am always getting passed or dropped on hills. At first I blamed it on my bike, wider tires, smaller wheels, heavier. (the bike not me)

Then I graduated to a road bike, smaller tires, bigger wheels, lighter. (not me - the bike - I gained a few pounds so we are now about even again

I was still getting passed.

I went to the doctor "Dr, Dr, what can I do ? ? I can't breathe when I climb hills,please make my lungs better - I want to be able to climb a hill without dying"

Lots of tests later I discovered I was functioning on 65% lung capacity and was chronic asthmatic (I used to just be exercised induced). Very expensive medicine later my lungs are much better although still not perfect

**Thread hijack in progress**

Wow - could have written that myself! I have about 62% lung capacity too! What can we do about it? I take my asthma inhaler before I ride, but I huff and puff all ride long while no one else is. Does the very expensive medicine help? Mind sharing the name of said very expensive medicine???

[emily_in_nc]

**Thread hijack in progress**
Wow - could have written that myself! I have about 62% lung capacity too! What can we do about it? I take my asthma inhaler before I ride, but I huff and puff all ride long while no one else is. Does the very expensive medicine help? Mind sharing the name of said very expensive medicine???

Me too. I have asthma, but it's mild, and even with albuterol before a ride, I am huffing and puffing WAY more than anyone else I ever ride with, and much slower up hills no matter how light my bike. Any suggestions or tips much appreciated!

Emily

[plantluvver]

Emily,
I have mild asthma, which originally was exercise induced. Two winters ago, I had "a mild cold" for about a month, and the doctor put me on Advair. In summer, I am pretty symptom-free, but I ran out of Advair, and after a few days noticed that my breathing was a little rougher. Something I would not have noticed, except by comparison.

Also, my nurse practionor has told me that this medication allows "retraining" of your respiratory tract. To me, that sounds like reversal of the asthma, but I've never investiagted.

You may give the Advair a try.

Mary

[emily_in_nc]

Mary,

Thanks for the recommendation for Advair. I have my yearly physical coming up soon, so maybe I'll "ask my doctor if Advair is right for me", just like in the commercials. Thanks!

Emily

P.S. I tried Accolate (a different type of allergy med) for nearly a year, but it didn't seem to make much difference in my breathing, if any, so I stopped it.

[Denise223]

Hi Everyone:

I have had asthma since age 19, and am currently on Advair 50/250, Albuterol ("rescue inhalor" - use prn), and Singulair.

Now, (this is what I've been told), when someone is on Advair regularly (twice/daily), you should really not need to use your rescue inhalor (albuterol) a lot -- but, it is suggested to use before & during exercise.

My breathing has become more concerning to me, in that it's almost like I am "forgetting to breathe". It has been this way for awhile, and I've been medicating myself with more Albuterol, without relief. Just yesterday I started getting a little bit dizzy -- nothing alarming though.

I made an appointment to see my internist today.

I was checking on the internet, and came across this interesting link that I wanted to share with everyone.

http://www.healthandyoga.com/html/pran.html

I'll mention it to my doctor & see what she has to say. When I am biking though, I am huffing & puffing very involuntarily, so.......I'm not sure what's going on.

Wishing everyone a happy & peaceful day!

Denise

[cherinyc]

[QUOTE=Pedal Wench]"If you only knew how infrequently people were thinking about you, you wouldn't really care what people were thinking about you!" There's a saying that goes something like that.

ladies - it's really crazy how warped our minds get - from our own doing. ya see - I am new (about 3 wks) to cycling - and I am one of the ill-mentioned skinny ones - I am 5'6" about 118 lbs - and I am STRUGGLING STRUGGLING STRUGGLING to get up hills. The longest ride I have gone on is 25 miles - and I couldn't wait for it to be over. I started a journal on bikejournal.com so I could track my miles - and between the other peoples stats on that - and this - I feel like a HUGE loser that I can't ride more miles at a time.
I also HATE seeing myself in the mirror in that goofy helmet - cellulite-enhancing bike shorts -and I can't find a nice fitting women's jersey to save my life. I am extremely insecure about what I think other people are thinking - and I hate that - but insecurity comes much more naturally than confidence, so.....I am working on that.
Truthfully - many of the cyclists that I see when I am out are bigger or older than me - and they are KICKING MY ***! I feel jealous more than anything else.

[mimitabby]

Cheri,
i'm one of those skinny gals too.
It took me a few years to build the strength in my legs to where i could ride more than 10 miles without feeling lifeless.
I would say to my husband, i'm all pooped out, i have no poop.. .
I didn't need food, water... I simply needed to build muscle. and it took a long time. I'm still not fast, but i can go forever now.
Hills will really kick you, but just get down in your granny gear and keep pedalling. I never get off the bike unless i am breathing too hard. (I'm 54, after all)

[cherinyc]

my biggest "pooped" situation came when - due to inexperience - I hit an uphill unprepared - didn't downshift enough and pretty much came to a stop. I just couldn't pedal/move my legs. Of course, I then proceeded to tip over with my feet clipped into the pedals (still getting used to clipless) cause I panicked. Didn't really hurt, but I learned my lesson about shifting to the easy gears.

[Curvygirl]

I'm certainly one of the larger girls on a bike and for a long time it bothered me but then I just decided I didn't care what others thought. Afterall what mattered was me and how good being on my bike felt. So I got myself the lycra and looked in the mirror and you know what I saw? I saw a cyclist, not a fat, unfit one but just a cyclist. I was proud of myself and still am. I still struggle up hills but each time it gets a little easier and each ride I go a little further. We are all fantastic no matter how fast or how far we ride, we are using our muscles, heart and lungs which is more than so many people do. Stand tall with your bike and be proud that you ride. Life is good and where there's an uphill there is aslo a down.

[Bikingmomof3]

Afterall what mattered was me and how good being on my bike felt. So I got myself the lycra and looked in the mirror and you know what I saw? I saw a cyclist, not a fat, unfit one but just a cyclist. I was proud of myself and still am. I still struggle up hills but each time it gets a little easier and each ride I go a little further. We are all fantastic no matter how fast or how far we ride, we are using our muscles, heart and lungs which is more than so many people do. Stand tall with your bike and be proud that you ride. Life is good and where there's an uphill there is aslo a down.

Brfilliant attitude! I have a lot to learn from you.

[bcipam]

The one good thing that comes with age... is that I don't care what others think of how I look in lycra. It feels good, it makes me feel good and it helps me ride a bike. Nuff said, period, end of statement.

Cherinyc - Just cause your are slim doesn't mean automatically you will become a super climber. Although most good climbers are slim they also have some powerful strong muscles working for them. Until you develop those muscles (so get out there and kept riding) you will struggle up hills. There is also technique that you have to learn - such as proper cadence, gear ratio, etc but give yourself time.

Since I'm big (tall and heavy - aren't I lucky), hills are not my friends but I have taken upon myself to make them so... I ride them as much as possible. OK so gravity keeps me slow but I do longer feel pooped or tired after a long hill. I look at the climb as a chance to rest - I put the gears in low and spin and keep my breathing under control. Once I crest the hill or hit the flats, then I start pushing and off I go!

[pooks]

I don't care about the lycra, but my husband does. He's embarrassed to wear tight biking shorts himself! And he's not the heavy one!