Attacking hills

Pat said:

I do not have the lung problems because I am a swimmer. You might consider
taking up swimming as it really trains the lungs while you are doing
something pleasurable. Even as a newbie bike rider, my swimming 'base' gave
me an edge.

Yeah... unfortunately, although I'm actually an adequate swimmer, I'm
scared to death of the water. It's not rational. *shrug*

I have lung problems because I have lung problems. Abnormal gas
exchange values, slow exchange in the gas permeable membranes in my
lungs. I can improve my aerobic capacity, but not as much as if I had
normal gas exchange, and not nearly as quickly. It will be an
interesting experiment to see how much more I can improve than the doc
says I can. *evil grin*

-km

--
the black rose
proud to be owned by a yorkie
http://community.webshots.com/user/blackrosequilts

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Sounds like a fitness issue. Just keep practicing and you will
improve quickly.

Well yes. I've only been at this for two months.

But it's also a lung issue. I've had a complete pulmonary function
workup. My lung capacity and flow rates are normal, but my gas exchange
values are abnormal -- IOW, the gas permeable membranes in my lungs are
exchanging gases more slowly than they should. I will always get out of
breath more easily than I should. The symptoms mimic asthma. It's just
the way my lungs are, no treatment, no cure.

i wonder whether a CPAP machine would help at night. it forces more air
into your lungs.

Quoted message said:

Yeah... unfortunately, although I'm actually an adequate swimmer, I'm
scared to death of the water. It's not rational. *shrug*

Where I work out, the 24 Hour Fitness Center, the water is mostly only 3
feet deep. Can you feel okay in water where you know that you could stand up
at any moment?

Quoted message said:

I have lung problems because I have lung problems. Abnormal gas
exchange values, slow exchange in the gas permeable membranes in my
lungs. I can improve my aerobic capacity, but not as much as if I had
normal gas exchange, and not nearly as quickly. It will be an
interesting experiment to see how much more I can improve than the doc

says I can. *evil grin*

Quoted message said:

-km

Would something like this help? http://www.powerlung.com/us/index.htm
I don't know anything about gas exchange, but would this kind of training
aid do anything to improve it?

Pat in TX

SoCalMike said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Sounds like a fitness issue. Just keep practicing and you will
improve quickly.

Well yes. I've only been at this for two months.

But it's also a lung issue. I've had a complete pulmonary function
workup. My lung capacity and flow rates are normal, but my gas
exchange values are abnormal -- IOW, the gas permeable membranes in my
lungs are exchanging gases more slowly than they should. I will
always get out of breath more easily than I should. The symptoms
mimic asthma. It's just the way my lungs are, no treatment, no cure.

i wonder whether a CPAP machine would help at night. it forces more air
into your lungs.

Not sure what more oxygen at night, when my body is more-or-less
motionless, is going to do to help the high demand during vigorous
exercise at other times. If I could store oxygen like a camel, now,
that would be cool...

-km

--
the black rose
proud to be owned by a yorkie
http://community.webshots.com/user/blackrosequilts

the black rose said:

Not sure what more oxygen at night, when my body is more-or-less
motionless, is going to do to help the high demand during vigorous
exercise at other times. If I could store oxygen like a camel, now,
that would be cool...

Three little letters:

E-P-O

-Luigi

Quoted message said:

-km

Pat said:

Quoted message said:

Yeah... unfortunately, although I'm actually an adequate swimmer, I'm
scared to death of the water. It's not rational. *shrug*

Where I work out, the 24 Hour Fitness Center, the water is mostly only 3
feet deep. Can you feel okay in water where you know that you could stand up
at any moment?

Used to (which is why I can swim), but not anymore. It's something that
developed slowly, over about 30 years, after coming close to drowning in
a swimming pool.

Quoted message said:

Would something like this help? http://www.powerlung.com/us/index.htm
I don't know anything about gas exchange, but would this kind of training
aid do anything to improve it?

Mmm, not sure, but thanks for letting me know about it. I can point it
out to my doc, but I suspect that a device designed to strengthen the
muscles I breathe with isn't going to do much for the membranes inside.

-km, whose basement now features 4 artesian springs

--
the black rose
proud to be owned by a yorkie
http://community.webshots.com/user/blackrosequilts

Tue, 27 Jul 2004 20:09:03 -0400,
<[email hidden]>, Luigi de Guzman

Quoted message said:

Three little letters:

E-P-O

You took the electrons right off of my fingers.
--
zk

Booker C Bense said:

_ As far as emulating Lance, it's taken him years to train to
climb at that high a cadence. Spinning up hills is good technique
IMHO, but 70-80 rpm is a reasonable goal for most people. 100-110
rpm will have you sucking wind very quickly since it takes some
practice and skill to keep power to the pedals at that high an
rpm.

This is something I really want to learn to do! I am a poor climber
but I can spin well. Every once in a while I stand at texacly the
right time and I can spin 90-110 rpm up a hill. I tend to be able to
do it longer than seated. Afterwards I'm dead tired (lungs and legs)
but I last longer spinning. If I'm too fast to begin with or too slow
I'm stuck dropping gears until I can climb seated. Obviously I can
only do this for about 500 ft but when I do it I fly. Otherwise I
trudge. :-) Currently I've spent this year working on my leg strength
and I spend most of my time in the big ring (53 and I live in the flat
lands of central/south New Jersey). This winter it's spinning and
strength!

--
Linux Home Automation Neil Cherry [email hidden]
http://home.comcast.net/~ncherry/ (Text only)
http://linuxha.sourceforge.net/ (SourceForge)
http://hcs.sourceforge.net/ (HCS II)

Luigi de Guzman said:

the black rose said:

Not sure what more oxygen at night, when my body is more-or-less
motionless, is going to do to help the high demand during vigorous
exercise at other times. If I could store oxygen like a camel, now,
that would be cool...

Three little letters:

E-P-O

*sigh* Okay. I'm stupid. Here's what Google came up with (among
100,000 other things)

European Patent Office?
Epidemiology Program Office?
Education and Public Outreach?
Editing Process Organizer?
Emergency Preparedness Office?

-km, starting to build an ark now

--
the black rose
proud to be owned by a yorkie
http://community.webshots.com/user/blackrosequilts

Wed, 28 Jul 2004 01:34:13 GMT,
<[email hidden]>, the black rose

Quoted message said:

*sigh* Okay. I'm stupid. Here's what Google came up with (among
100,000 other things)

Add _cycling_ to the search expression.

It ain't pretty.
--
zk

Zoot Katz said:

Wed, 28 Jul 2004 01:34:13 GMT,
<[email hidden]>, the black rose

Quoted message said:

*sigh* Okay. I'm stupid. Here's what Google came up with (among
100,000 other things)

Add _cycling_ to the search expression.

It ain't pretty.

Oh. Erythropoietin. If I'm not mistaken, they gave that to my mom to
boost her red cell count during chemo. Is that what these cyclists have
been trying to get away with taking? Ew.

-km

--
the black rose
proud to be owned by a yorkie
http://community.webshots.com/user/blackrosequilts

"Zoot Katz" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Add _cycling_ to the search expression.

It ain't pretty.
--

Forget it Zoot.

The good stuff would just be wasted on you amateur riders.

Quoted message said:

: the black rose [email hidden]

wrote in part:

Quoted message said:

So it is with great trepidation that timidly report that I was able to
get up hills at least 50% faster by attacking them, some of them 100%
faster, and increased my average speed for the entire ride by 1.3 mi/hr
(around 16 miles). This is a HUGE improvement for me.

No one else has mentioned it so I will. Perhaps you aren't as fast as some but
increasing your average speed by 1.3 mph over 16 miles is an outstanding result
for *anybody*. Forget timidity and trepidations. Be proud.

Regards,
Bob Hunt

Wed, 28 Jul 2004 04:24:30 GMT, <2UFNc.123703$Mr4.44531@pd7tw1no>,
The Pro's pro, "Fabrizio Mazzoleni" <[email hidden]> advised:

Quoted message said:

"Zoot Katz" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Add _cycling_ to the search expression.

It ain't pretty.
--

Forget it Zoot.

The good stuff would just be wasted on you amateur riders.

I've got 60 grams of juvenile bonobo pineal gland in the fridge.
Wanna party?
--
zk

the black rose said:

It will be an
interesting experiment to see how much more I can improve than the doc
says I can. *evil grin*

Good attitude! Good luck!

--
jc

Remove the -not from email

the black rose said:

Pat wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Would something like this help? http://www.powerlung.com/us/index.htm
I don't know anything about gas exchange, but would this kind of training
aid do anything to improve it?

Mmm, not sure, but thanks for letting me know about it. I can point it
out to my doc, but I suspect that a device designed to strengthen the
muscles I breathe with isn't going to do much for the membranes inside.

The good news is that by exercising you are making the rest of the
body more efficient so it doesn't require as much air. I know that
doesn't help much when your on a climb and your lungs hurt. :-)
BTW, I'm asthmatic so I know the feeling.

--
Linux Home Automation Neil Cherry [email hidden]
http://home.comcast.net/~ncherry/ (Text only)
http://linuxha.sourceforge.net/ (SourceForge)
http://hcs.sourceforge.net/ (HCS II)

Zoot Katz said:

The Pro's pro, "Fabrizio Mazzoleni" <[email hidden]> advised:

Quoted message said:

Forget it Zoot.

The good stuff would just be wasted on you amateur riders.

I've got 60 grams of juvenile bonobo pineal gland in the fridge.
Wanna party?

just in case anyone missed the joke (which i quite liked btw):

http://www.blockbonobofoundation.org/
--
david reuteler
[email hidden]

Neil Cherry said:

the black rose said:

Pat wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Would something like this help? http://www.powerlung.com/us/index.htm
I don't know anything about gas exchange, but would this kind of training
aid do anything to improve it?

Mmm, not sure, but thanks for letting me know about it. I can point it
out to my doc, but I suspect that a device designed to strengthen the
muscles I breathe with isn't going to do much for the membranes inside.

The good news is that by exercising you are making the rest of the
body more efficient so it doesn't require as much air.

This is true. My heart is healthy (well, it was last time we checked --
I just had bloods drawn to check a couple things so we'll see) so it
should become more efficient as well. The fact that my heart will be
becoming more efficient is one reason why I think I can probably improve
more than my doc thinks. My resting heart rate has already dropped to
70-ish bpm, though I suspect it'll be a long while before it drops much
more.

Quoted message said:

I know that
doesn't help much when your on a climb and your lungs hurt. :-)
BTW, I'm asthmatic so I know the feeling.

In WV, I had a friend who was severely asthmatic. She had gotten down
to 50% lung capacity. After pulmonary rehab, she could ride me into the
ground; it was SO discouraging. One day we were on a pretty steep, long
hill, best I could do was slowly grind up it, she sprinted to the top,
turned and flew back down, then climbed it again and passed me before I
got to the top. *sigh*

-km

--
the black rose
proud to be owned by a yorkie
http://community.webshots.com/user/blackrosequilts

Hunrobe said:

Quoted message said:

: the black rose [email hidden]

wrote in part:

Quoted message said:

So it is with great trepidation that timidly report that I was able to
get up hills at least 50% faster by attacking them, some of them 100%
faster, and increased my average speed for the entire ride by 1.3 mi/hr
(around 16 miles). This is a HUGE improvement for me.

No one else has mentioned it so I will. Perhaps you aren't as fast as some but
increasing your average speed by 1.3 mph over 16 miles is an outstanding result
for *anybody*. Forget timidity and trepidations. Be proud.

:-) Thank you!

-km

--
the black rose
proud to be owned by a yorkie
http://community.webshots.com/user/blackrosequilts

28 Jul 2004 17:15:04 GMT,
<[email hidden]>, David Reuteler

Quoted message said:

Zoot Katz said:

The Pro's pro, "Fabrizio Mazzoleni" <[email hidden]> advised:

Quoted message said:

Forget it Zoot.

The good stuff would just be wasted on you amateur riders.

I've got 60 grams of juvenile bonobo pineal gland in the fridge.
Wanna party?

just in case anyone missed the joke (which i quite liked btw):

http://www.blockbonobofoundation.org/

What joke? That stuff costs serious money!

http://taolodge.com/pineal.html
--
zk