Colder Weather: Harder To Ride?
 

Is it just me?

I definately get out of breath sooner when it's 40-ish than when it's 60-ish.

Doesn't seem logical. Seems like the cooler air should have more O2 in it per
unit volume, for one.

OTOH, I'm not getting the same miles in as during warm weather.
OTOOH, I've been doing the StairMaster pretty regularly....

Seems like an annual occurrance.

Anybody else?
--
PeteCresswell

Colder Weather: Harder To Ride?
 

On Sun, 28 Dec 2003 20:28:11 GMT, "(Pete Cresswell)" wrote:

Is it just me?

I definately get out of breath sooner when it's 40-ish than when it's 60-ish.

Same here.

Thicker air? Riding less often? More clothing?

I dunno, but I feel the same way.

Barry

Colder Weather: Harder To Ride?
 

(Pete Cresswell) wrote:
Is it just me?

I definately get out of breath sooner when it's 40-ish than when it's
60-ish.

Doesn't seem logical. Seems like the cooler air should have more O2
in it per unit volume, for one.

OTOH, I'm not getting the same miles in as during warm weather.
OTOOH, I've been doing the StairMaster pretty regularly....

Seems like an annual occurrance.

Anybody else?


It has nothing to do with the amount of o2. It's you body burning
energy/calories at a much higher rate trying to regulate your body
temperature. I've experienced this same effect surfing in the winter vs
summer.
--
Slacker

Colder Weather: Harder To Ride?
 

"(Pete Cresswell)" wrote in message
...
Is it just me?

I definately get out of breath sooner when it's 40-ish than when it's
60-ish.

Doesn't seem logical. Seems like the cooler air should have more O2 in
it per
unit volume, for one.

OTOH, I'm not getting the same miles in as during warm weather.
OTOOH, I've been doing the StairMaster pretty regularly....

Seems like an annual occurrance.

Anybody else?
--
PeteCresswell

As for cold air, i can barely exercise at all in it.

Cold air is an irritant for your lungs - it makes things constrict more, and
the shock of that cold air causes funny nerve stuff to happen. For those of
us with asthma, that can lead to nasty attacks.

For the rest of you, it basically comes down to this: your body can't use
the cold air well. It needs to heat it up closer to normal room temperature
before it effectively removes the oxygen and replaces it with co2. What
this means physiologically is your bronchioles (and all airways, for that
matter) can't be as wide as they normally would be, because the cold air
would get way down in the lungs really quickly. So you can't take in as
much air as fast as you can, you waste energy heating up that air, and its
still not quite as efficient.

or something like that.

Jon Bond

Colder Weather: Harder To Ride?
 

RE/
As for cold air, i can barely exercise at all in it.

Cold air is an irritant for your lungs - it makes things constrict more, and
the shock of that cold air causes funny nerve stuff to happen. For those of
us with asthma, that can lead to nasty attacks.

For the rest of you, it basically comes down to this: your body can't use
the cold air well. It needs to heat it up closer to normal room temperature
before it effectively removes the oxygen and replaces it with co2. What
this means physiologically is your bronchioles (and all airways, for that
matter) can't be as wide as they normally would be, because the cold air
would get way down in the lungs really quickly. So you can't take in as
much air as fast as you can, you waste energy heating up that air, and its
still not quite as efficient.

or something like that.

Thanks for the validation - I was starting to obsess...

Some years ago I had the flu and this neat new digital pulse meter that I'd
ordered arrived in the mail. It was February - about 20 degrees F - but I just
*had* to go out and run a few miles to try the thing out.

One case of pneumonia (not a bad way to go, actually...very mellow) and 30
pounds of body weight later I found out I had scarred something-or-other
(bronchs?) and now I'm only good down to about 40 degrees. Any lower and I
wind up coughing my brains out all night - and, worse, my Better Half gets
really ****ed....

--
PeteCresswell

Colder Weather: Harder To Ride?
 

"(Pete Cresswell)" wrote in message
...
Is it just me?

I definately get out of breath sooner when it's 40-ish than when it's
60-ish.

Doesn't seem logical. Seems like the cooler air should have more O2 in
it per
unit volume, for one.

OTOH, I'm not getting the same miles in as during warm weather.
OTOOH, I've been doing the StairMaster pretty regularly....

Seems like an annual occurrance.

Anybody else?
--
PeteCresswell

Yes definitely. Don't know exactly why. I'm sure some of the folks here will
be a lot more scientific.

--
Good... bad... I'm the one with the gun.
Fredzep

Colder Weather: Harder To Ride?
 

Fredzep wrote:
"(Pete Cresswell)" wrote in message
...

Is it just me?

I definately get out of breath sooner when it's 40-ish than when it's

60-ish.

Doesn't seem logical. Seems like the cooler air should have more O2 in

it per

unit volume, for one.

OTOH, I'm not getting the same miles in as during warm weather.
OTOOH, I've been doing the StairMaster pretty regularly....

Seems like an annual occurrance.

Anybody else?
--
PeteCresswell


Yes definitely. Don't know exactly why. I'm sure some of the folks here will
be a lot more scientific.

Haven't followed this thread, sorry if this is a repeat.
Your airways may be constricting from the cold air. I think this is a
normal response. Maybe some way to retain body heat in the cold, or
maybe just your body saying "Hey stupid its too cold out here, go inside!"
Anyway, in the extreme, its called bronchospasm. The airways really
constrict and you wheeze. Kind of like asthma without the allergy
induced swelling of the airways. Really can screw up a ride.
What to do? SLOW, like "God are we ever really going to get moving",
warm up and avoiding stops where I cool down too much works for me. So
does albuterol, a brochodialator inhaler. See your doc for that.

Cheers,
Shawn

Colder Weather: Harder To Ride?
 

Fredzep wrote with a lipstick:
"(Pete Cresswell)" wrote in message
...
Is it just me?

I definately get out of breath sooner when it's 40-ish than when
it's 60-ish.

Doesn't seem logical. Seems like the cooler air should have more
O2 in it per unit volume, for one.

OTOH, I'm not getting the same miles in as during warm weather.
OTOOH, I've been doing the StairMaster pretty regularly....

Seems like an annual occurrance.

Anybody else?
--
PeteCresswell

Yes definitely. Don't know exactly why. I'm sure some of the folks
here will be a lot more scientific.

It's a sign that you should be on skis this time of year.

Penny

Colder Weather: Harder To Ride?
 

It's a sign that you should be on skis this time of year.

Penny


Or in a wetsuit filled with your own urine.... mmmm.... those were the days!
--
Slacker

Colder Weather: Harder To Ride?
 

x wrote:
Is it just me?
I definately get out of breath sooner when it's 40-ish than when
it's 60-ish.
Doesn't seem logical. Seems like the cooler air should have more O2 in
it per unit volume, for one.
OTOH, I'm not getting the same miles in as during warm weather. OTOOH,
I've been doing the StairMaster pretty regularly....
Seems like an annual occurrance.
Anybody else?
--
PeteCresswell


Thirty miles in warm air . No problem. Yesterday 6 miles kicked my but
although it was steep terrain.Dry cold air is murder on me


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