0.6mi and i'm out of breath.

[Melonfish]

Its an odd quirk i've noticed since returning to cycling since being ill.
at about 0.6 miles i'm panting and out of breath, i'm not overdoing it, rather i'm just doing about 15mph
if i push through it i'm fine and my breathing returns to normal, if i stop i get dizzy and feel odd. once past it i can happily do 10-20 miles without probs.

what on earth is going on? does anyone else get this?
pete

 

[MrJamie]

Dunno if its relevant but I used to get a similar thing running which I think was caused by not bothering to breathe heavily until my body demanded it and then playing catchup, at the start of races and such I would start my breathing more heavily from or even before the start. Doesnt happen noticably cycling though, but i tend to start out slow anyway.

 

[redcard]

I get a similar feeling every time I'm out

 

[Blue]

Maybe a hangover from your illness, whatever it was. I usually need a '2nd wind' to get going so, like others, I take the first mile or so of every ride very easy.

If you're worried see your GP.

 

[User269]

Maybe give your body a bit of a break and warm up gradually?

Precisely. Or just carry on as you are, either way works so long as you survive the first 0.6 miles.

 

[fossyant]

Don't expect too much if you've been ill, ease off till it fades. I'm sure it will get better.

For example, if I've ever have a 'chesty' cold, with a bad cough, for weeks and weeks after I get really bad coughs whilst cycling as the tissues are still inflamed. E.g. I can be out in the cold of winter, be fine. Stop as some lights, and as the air and body temperature rises, this brings on the coughing. Settles down again as I start moving. As soon as I get in the house, I'll start a coughing fit. Once that's settled I'm fine. Purely down to the fact that my chest isn't 100% since the bad cold !

 

[Melonfish]

i came back to work in april and by mid april was cycling again. i actually remember my first ride out with calibanzwei, the idea was to do 5 miles, we ended up doing 12.5
tbh it was partly because it was such a bloody lovely sunday morning and partly because i just had to get back on my bike.
after 1 mile i almost fell off i was that knackered but i pushed through.
ever since as i say i've hit that 0.6mile wall.
regarding coughing fossy, i suffer similar myself, being asthmatic and having hey fever can add up sometimes and coughing fits are usually my body's way of saying "this'll learn you to exercise!" heh, only really get em during hey fever season, after that no issues.

so yeah, i think i'll take it a bit easier for the first mile, 12mph or something, once i'm past the barrier i'm happily riding at 18-20mph on the flat smiling and singing away as you do. will defo speak to GP also methinks just to get another check up.
hilariously i'm still waiting to see the specialist regarding my long term illness. oh NHS how i love thee.
pete

 

[Crackle]

i came back to work in april and by mid april was cycling again. i actually remember my first ride out with calibanzwei, the idea was to do 5 miles, we ended up doing 12.5
tbh it was partly because it was such a bloody lovely sunday morning and partly because i just had to get back on my bike.
after 1 mile i almost fell off i was that knackered but i pushed through.
ever since as i say i've hit that 0.6mile wall.
regarding coughing fossy, i suffer similar myself, being asthmatic and having hey fever can add up sometimes and coughing fits are usually my body's way of saying "this'll learn you to exercise!" heh, only really get em during hey fever season, after that no issues.

so yeah, i think i'll take it a bit easier for the first mile, 12mph or something, once i'm past the barrier i'm happily riding at 18-20mph on the flat smiling and singing away as you do. will defo speak to GP also methinks just to get another check up.
hilariously i'm still waiting to see the specialist regarding my long term illness. oh NHS how i love thee.
pete

I think you've identified it right there. Asthma seems to affect everyone differently and one of the first things I was going to ask was are you asthmatic and the next question was are you sure you have it properly controlled.

Even with it properly controlled it takes me a while for my breathing to settle when I start running. Same on the bike except if I'm also in a running phase, running is pretty good for asthmatic gaspers like me.

Definitely try a reliever about 10-20 minutes before you start, I'm sure that will help.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

I would have been proper chuffed with 15mph when I started taking cycling more seriously! 12mph for half a mile seemed like a total victory against adversity!

 

[Nihal]

You say you were ill,if it was some breathing related probles then it would be normal to experience these problems.It will get better after a few days

 

[lulubel]

I'm also asthmatic, and if I push on right at the beginning of a ride, I feel like I'm going to die! Same if I come across an unexpected climb after taking it very easy/freewheeling for a while. If I build up gradually, I'm fine, but if I need a sudden burst of effort, my breathing and heart rate go through the roof. I'd never make a sprinter!

 

[Melonfish]

I am no sprinter that is a fact lol! then again i'm no hill climber either haha!
i think asthma is something i'll have to check with the gp, i've pretty much grown out of it as i've got older but who knows i could have issues with it again?
pete

 

[Shaun]

Doesn't your body need around 20 mins. to adjust anyway - you know, get into the groove of being "worked" so to speak?

It's always taken me a bit of time to get "into it" on longer rides and if I do the 'straight in' ride to work, which is around 20-25 mins. I'm usually puffing and panting, but if I have time to go the longer way (about an hour) I usually arrive looking/feeing far less fatigued.

I've never been naturally athletic though - I don't think I have the right mindset for getting my body into tip-top shape.

 

[Melonfish]

Okay so big test this morning, got out of the house, hit the main road and within 50 yards was doing 17mph.
hmm thinks i. i best slow it down or you'll be out of breath in a mo
but no apparently my legs don't like listening to my brain and were going "Hey check out this epic cadence, can we keep this up all the way"
so i think i've sussed that my problem appears to be that i don't know the meaning of starting off slow....
thanks all, i'll let you know what hte gp says about my asthma.
pete

 

[Hicky]

Could be the residue of illness could be asthma or a bit of both....if you have hayfever then like me it could be that, I'm in a right state if I havent had anything to surpress it.
To do athletic work your body should have around minimum 5 mins ideally 10 mins of warmup before pushing to 80%.....treat the first mile or so as a warmup, nice and slow for a mile then spin for a few mins to get the heat rate up but not working hard...you need the glycogen in the body to get around and stokeup the fire so to speak.