Wow. I'm desperately out of shape.

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

So, this morning, shortly after my husband left for work, the sun began to come up… and well, it would have, if it weren’t for all those clouds. Anyway, it got light enough outside that I got thinking I’d strap on my helmet and take a ride on my bike. (My real one, not my stationary one.)

You see, my husband bought me a bike a couple weeks ago, as an early Christmas present. I’ve been complaining lately that I don’t get out enough, and I want to exercise more often. My weight has hit a stubborn plateau at an unflattering time. So, off we went to the bike shop, fitted me up with a nice shiny new bike, and off I went! Wheee! I rode the bike home that day, and every day after, I’ve hopped on it and zipped around Ballard. Much fun!

So, today, I decide to take a slightly different route, and see if I could find the Burke-Gilman Trail that starts around Shilshole somewhere and leads up to the Locks. I live right across from the Locks, so that is quite convenient. I took off, and enjoyed the cold air, and rode down by the marina. Ahhh. The sea air smelled and felt good. I turned around when I hit Golden Gardens and start back, keeping my eyes open for that bike trail. I find it and take it.

I notice I’m breathing quite heavily, but that’s okay. That’s what exercise does, right? Gets the heart pumping, the muscles aching, the lungs straining… straining…

Did I mention I’m asthmastic? Oh, yeah. Sometimes I forget that, too.

I hit the end of the trail and turn up the hill for home. Puff… puff… just a little further… puff…

The hill gets very, very steep. Okay, I think. I’m not as fit as I used to be, so let’s just face it now before I hurt myself. I hop off my bike and walk up the hill. Puff… puff…

I can’t seem to get my breath back. I’m starting to wheeze and take gulping breaths. For some damn reason I cannot fathom, I refuse to stop pushing my bike up that hill, and I continue walking. I reach my alley, and lift one leg to get back on the bike to coast down the hill to my own driveway…

And frighteningly, I can’t lift my leg. I suddenly don’t have the strength. Okay, Stasia, I think, you pushed it too far. Now you’ll just have to walk the rest of the way down the hill…

Oh, look, there’s a nice rock. Let’s sit down on that for just a second. Puff… puff… puff… finally it dawns on me that I keep a respirator in my pocket for a reason. I fumble it out and take a long, satisfying honk… ahhhh…

And the world goes black.
*
I passed out ten feet from my own driveway! * :smack:

I couldn’t have been out for too long. I came to and sat up, feeling dizzy and disoriented, but strangely warm and tingly. A stranger was walking his dog and asked me, from a safe distance, if I’d fallen off my bike and broken anything. I told him no, but I was so confused and still very dizzy, and I just flapped him away. I kept saying “Thank you for asking” but couldn’t seem to find the words to ask him to please just keep an eye on me so I didn’t pass out again. He didn’t seem to want to stop, however, and I felt more like I was putting him out. Sheesh.

I slowly stood up and picked up my bike, and he yelled helpfully from the end of the alleyway: “You might want to wait and catch your breath!” I almost laughed. I probably would have, if I’d had any strength to. I just waved him off and lifted my suddenly very heavy bike up onto my porch and locked it up. I let myself in, and the sofa never looked so divine. I passed out there.

And here I am. I feel chilly. But I can breathe again.

But damn, am I ever out of shape. I’m certain my passing out had more to do with that than asthma.

Damnit. :mad: :o :frowning:

2

Is it cold there? 'cause that sounds alot like the time I went for a bike ride and got a little hypothermic.

Nice morning, pack up bike, drive to trail, bike ~15 miles, turn around…into a bone-chilling-getting-colder-by-the-moment headwind. I bike on…'cause I don’t really have a choice. There is a truck on the bike trail…which is odd for a bike trail. The truck stops ahead of me and I notice the DNR logo, the nice occifer wants to see my trail pass…which I don’t have because the bartender told me I didn’t need one that early in the season and refused to sell me one on those grounds. As I stop my bike, the laws of physics are temporarily suspended and my bike crashes, but I am still standing, but my knee hurts. I look down and there is a cut, not a scrape, mind you, a cut. Nice DNR guy listens to my story and offers to sell me a trail pass and waive the $5 riding without a trail pass fine. Now, when I couldn’t tell him where I lived and what my phone number was, and since it was now around freezing and I was wearing bike shorts and a long-sleeved jersey and I was shaking almost uncontrolably…you would think that he would show a little concern for my welfare, but no. By the time I figured out where I lived and that an Illinois zipcode did not match my Wisconsin address, there was a coagulated river of blood (where the outside has clotted, but there is still fresh blood flowing inside) that had made its way from my knee, all the way down my leg and was saturating the heelcup of my shoe. He asks me if I’m OK and this is when I notice for the first time that I seem to have wrecked my bike somehow.

Yep! I’m fine! Nothing to see here!

Seriously, though, you might wanna call a Dr. but it sounds like you took the hold your breath for 30 seconds thing a little to seriously.

3

Actually, now that you mention it (and also now that I am bundled up nicely and feel somewhat normal again), it was quite cold this morning. I was wearing my fleece lined jacket, which is nice and warm, but my poor fingers were red and raw from the chilly wind.

Also, I’m realising now, and this was probably a very stupid move - I’m really hungry. I haven’t eaten yet, and didn’t eat a thing before I took off this morning. :smack:

I tend to not eat unless I’m hungry, and when I left, I wasn’t hungry. But I would hazard a guess that I probably could have used the fuel.

Sheesh.

4

Also, if you hadn’t eaten, is it possible you were also a bit under-hydrated? That, plus low blood sugar, plus cold, plus a sudden increase in your workout is a recipe for the Bad.

They[sup]*[/sup] say that the number one mistake beginners make when embarking on an excercise program is doing too much, too fast. This leads to Bad Experiences, you start hating exercise, feel bad about yourself because you’re out of shape, you lose your motivation, and before you know it, you’re back to Couch Potatoville.

You should always increase your exercise level gradually. I think they[sup]*[/sup] say something like no more than a 5% increase in distance or time. I’d say, start with what seems like a very easy, comfortable ride, such as your ride home, do it regularly (sounds like you already are!) and then add very gradual increases from there to build up to longer distances.

[sup]*[/sup]Yes, they. You believe them, don’t you?

5

Nuts, girl. Pain is simply weakness leaving the body! Eat a soda cracker and hit that trail again this afternoon! Oh yeah…get yourself a bunch of bananas and eat a few before you go to bed tonight. Do this all week. And drink a bunch of water.

I’m not kidding.

6

Pfft. You think I’m going to stop because of one piddly pass-out? Hell, no. I’m not afraid of pain - pain fears me!

I’m actually on my way back out the door here as soon as either my package arrives or my husband gets back home (whichever comes first). I have errands to run and no car.

Podkayne, I listen to Them all the time. They have lots to say! It is very possible that I was underhydrated, as well. I pretty much woke up, put some clothes on, and hopped on my bike. I was awake, and that was about it. I have been biking regularly since I got it, and I have moments where I do have to stop, take a puff, and then I keep going. I never came anywhere near passing out before, and I think I set myself up for failure this morning by not drinking or grabbing a quick snack or something.

I just had a glass of milk and a granola bar, and I’m feeling pretty good. Ready for more. I’ll take a bottle of water with me.

7

If it makes you feel any better, that hill is hell.

Admittedly, I’m a horrible hill climber and not a great cyclist. But, I’ve done hills. I’ve done rather hilly routes with few problems, and I’ve done very long (flatter) routes with no problems. And last year, when a friend and I decided to ride from Gas Works to Edmonds, I nearly gave up 10 minutes in, because of that hill. A guy was walking up it faster than I could ride it. (he was in shape and all. but still, totally humiliating).

Eat next time. And take water.

8

At least one time every spring I end up on the side of the road, off the bike, helmet off, head hanging down, pouring water on my head so I don’t overheat and puke. I always get a little too excited on early rides but it passes and I go on to bigger and better rides.

Bicycling is my big sports passion in life and I’m all for it but as far as losing weight through cycling goes - it could take a while.

9

Hey, I had a asthma attack today too! Only mine wasn’t from overexerting myself on a bike trail. I was just riding along with my brother in his car to school.

Do they have Balance bars where you live? They’re a not nasty tasting, filling, nutritional bar. Gives you enough fuel for an exercise without making you feel sick. I eat them before my dance classes.

10

Yeah, we do have Balance bars. Incidentally, they sell them at the 7-Eleven at the bottom of the hill. :smack:
I’ll pick some up and keep 'em in my jacket pockets in case it ever happens again.

Sorry you had an attack, as well. I’m not sure if mine was an actual attack, I just hauled out my respirator, figuring opening the passageway would help me get more much needed air. Apparently I got a little too much at once.

I don’t feel so bad though, with all the stories. I mean, I’ll never hop on the bike without a little fuel first from now on. I had a good ride this afternoon with no problems at all.

And Inigo, I bought some bananas. :wink: Couldn’t hurt.

11

Try the chocolate kind.