problems to get over

Hi Wolf,
It sounds like you need to just ride. At first, the more you ride, the stronger you will become. "Cardiovascular endurance" is a broad term, but maybe all you need to know is that if you push yourself, you will get stronger. Very vague, but very true! At least for when you're starting out..... Best of luck!

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by the red wolf
I just joined and gettigt ready to start riding alot but I have 2 problems. My first problem is I have exzema and I can't ride much because I will have to stop to itch any suggestions on getting over that? My other problem is my cardio, I have very bad cardiovascular endurance any ways to get better at it?

Hi, RW

Can't help you with the itch -- I'd ask my doctor about that. As for endurance, you're not alone. I started a thread last week to vent my own frustrations, and I received tons of great advice.

Two things are really helping me a lot. First, I've had to learn basic technique, especially in the area of cadence. For whatever reason, I was killing myself trying to keep my road speed up on hills, when I needed to just slow down, down shift, and keep the pedals spinning. This is so fundamental that I'm a little embarassed that I'd never learned it before!

Secondly, and most important for me, I needed to back off a bit. Someone suggested that a little bit of exercise frequently is the best, and quickest, way to improve my endurance, and that certainly seems to be the case. Depending on your personality, you might appreciate getting direct feedback in the form of a heart-rate monitor. In my case, I just apply the "fun" principle -- the proper pace for me is the one that lets me simply enjoy my ride, without driving my body to rebellion. Lance might blow by me every day, but at least I'll be riding when he passes, and not lying on the side of the road clutching my chest!

Read this thread and you'll find much more good advice.

Good luck!

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by the red wolf
I just joined and gettigt ready to start riding alot but I have 2 problems. My first problem is I have exzema and I can't ride much because I will have to stop to itch any suggestions on getting over that? My other problem is my cardio, I have very bad cardiovascular endurance any ways to get better at it?

Welcome to the Forum and to the sport of Cycling !

Your message states that you have bad cardiovascular endurance.
While this is a slight obstacle, Red Wolf, believe you me, this is not going to stop you from cycling.
First off, I do not know from your message how low your endurance is.
Essentially, it is immaterial because even a little bit of cycling each day will
improve – and it will quickly improve – your cardio endurance.

What you need to do is to get on your bike and find a comfortable gear and simply pedal.
In selecting a gear, try to find a gear that puts a very mild strain on your legs when
you rotate the pedals.
If you initially find that you tire quickly using that gear, it may be that you are rotating
(called cadence in cycling terms) the pedals to quickly : simply select a higher (a smaller
sprocket on your rear wheel) gear to pedal in, so that your legs cannot rotate the pedals too quickly.

When you have selected the gear which you are most comfortable with – just start pedaling !
I would suggest that you start cycling for a period of time which makes you mildly tired, but not exhausted (anything from 5 mins to 25 mins : would be ideal).
Do this for a fortnight and try to do this once per day.
When you are cycling, confine yourself to cycling on a flat route.
If you start going uphill you will tire quickly – especially if your endurance is low.

I think that after two weeks, you will most definitely see an improvement in how you feel during and after each cycle.
The first few days may well feel difficult but this is only because you body and your muscles are not used to the motion of cycling (unlike running, cycling is not a natural body motion).
It is perfectly normal to feel uncomfortable after the first few initial rides.
But with perseverance and practice, your body will become accustomed and it will adapt.
As your cardio-endurance improves, you will be able to cycle for longer using higher gears.
The watchwords here are patience and practice !

I am afraid I cannot help you with regard to suggesting a solution to the problem of eczema, unfortunately.
I do have every sympathy with you regarding this condition.
What I would suggest (and you may want to consult your doctor) is that when you do go cycling in the open air, it is definite that you will incur wind resistance.
You would need to make sure that your exposed skin has some sort of protection – given that you have eczema.
Also, with cycling, we tend to sweat – so again I would make sure that any sweat is not exacerbating your condition.

I would suggest that you purchase a head band (called a headsweatband) which can fit under your helmet.
These sweatbands are very cheap to buy but more importantly, they absorb all the sweat from your forehead, neck etc.
This would prevent sweat from irritating the exposed skin on your face.
Also make sure to wear a 100% cotton T-shirt under your cycling jersey.
Again, these T-[censored] absorb and retain sweat and will prevent chaffing against your skin.
Finally, when you are putting on your cycling shorts, make sure that you lather the inside padding of your shorts with perhaps a cream like sudocream.
This will help to prevent the skin around your nether regions from chaffing with sweat as well.

One final point – I always apply surgical spirit to my nether regions after I shower following a ride.
This helps to clean out bacteria – and to close open skin which has been chaffed during a ride.
It is painful when I apply it but after a couple of minutes, I feel fine.
Given your condition, I would check with my doctor to see if it is advisable to apply same.

Hope this info is of help.
Please update us with your progress.
Above all, try to enjoy the experience.

Have you tried the new medication called Elidel (brand name?) My yound son has ecxema and it has completely eliminated all of the minor symptons he would enocunter in the summer.

Might want to look into it if you haven't yet.

I've been using elidel for about 10 years now, no effect. For the rest of you, thanks for the advice I will start trying that.

There's a otc product called "skinzinc" advertised on the radio. Ever tried? It may be the same as Elidel, I don't know. But they make it sound as though it is a life saver!