Seeing as the weather was pretty good - dryish and with a breeze, not the howling gales we had recently - I set off for another easy pootle. Was hoping to replicate Monday nights ride. The reality, however, was it was not to be.
The weather was chilly, but I was wrapped up nice and warm.
Up towards Ashton with no problems. By the Wild Bean Cafe/BP garage, I turned off to avoid the one way section. While turning I got a heart stopping moment as my rear wheel began to slide out from under me. SHIIIIIIIT! I'm not sure how, but I managed to stop it sliding completely out from under me as I didn't want a repeat of the pelvis injury I got in February when I got splatted. My poor pelvis has been in a state of shock since February and is really susceptible to injury for a few years yet.
Phew!
Passing Ikea my lungs were beginning to scream at me. My chest felt like it was caving in, and I was having problems breathing due to the extreme pain around my sternum. With each breath it felt like I was sucking on dry ice and the waves of pain were rather nauseating. I knew that this ride would be pathetically short. The situation was evident: the icy cold air was freezing my broncheoles and alveoli (sections of lung to those not medically-minded) and causing my asthma (which was thought to have long gone) to return with a huge boom. This has happened before* and docs are wary of giving me steroids again to deal with it as other than these vary odd episodes, I'm pretty much ok. I knew how to deal with it without medical help, so just got on with it while receiving very odd looks due to what I was doing.
When the pain had subsided to an acceptable level I carried on towards Daisy Nook where a welcome sweet hot tea calmed me down and the warm indoor air melted the icebergs in my chest.
I decided there and then to just head home and not go any further to reduce after effects (I'm now wheezy). The warm air back at home has helped massively.
* The sudden change in air temperature is the usual suspect for these episodes as my lungs don't have the gradual decline in warmth to get used to. Think of how you get goose bumps going from a warm car into the snowy outdoors. My brochioles and alveoli sort of react like that but constrict at the same time.
Stats -
Miles: 8.46
Average speed: 14.6mph
Climbed: 181ft
Wednesday 4 November 2009
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Perhaps you could try a buff? Something 'thin' over the mouth just to take the nip off the air.
ReplyDeleteYou are still quicker than me despite being in pain / hardly able to breath!
I have this in the winter as I cannot really breath through my nose, which warms the air up. So I put a buff over my mouth, has a warming effect. It also takes me an hour to warm up as well, so most of winter riding is just done easy. Well that is what winter is for!
ReplyDeleteRed and Trio - can't wear buffs much as they make the air moist and that ain't good for my asthma. I do own them but they only get worn when it's uber cold outside and only for a short while.
ReplyDeleteBeing a glasses wearer it creates havoc every time I have to stop at lights/level crossings etc with the glasses steaming up, so it's constantly up, down, up, down. Often easier to juts let my lungs get chilled for a bit til they get used to it all.