I get extremely winded when mountain biking with my friends. They seem like race horses and I feel like the turtle. Is this something that gets better with time and everyone experiences? Or something that I will just have to deal with? Any sure shot way I can improve my breathing? Guess nothing is sure shot.......lol! I'll try anything though.
Winded....Tired.......Huff.........Puff..........( sheeeesh)
uneek78
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So everyone who said keep riding and don't worry you'll get better. You are so correct! I have seen the progress and I'm extremely excited. I've been riding every weekend since november. Initially I would only complete between 3-5 miles. Lately I've been climbing into the 9ish miles distance. And today I completed 10 miles in about an hour and 30 minutes. I'm clearly going further and not having to stop 100 times anymore. Now when I get tired I just ride really slow until I catch my breath. Thanks all for the inspiration!
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I definitely started in the same boat as you. One of my early rides (5th or 6th ride ever) there was a 4 mile uphill trek to the top of this particular trail. I got to the top but almost 30 minutes after most of the pack and having heaved my guts out on the side of the trail. I was trying to keep pace with the others and my heart rate was WAY too high. If I had just stuck to MY pace instead of theirs I probably would have made it sooner and still had my energy bar in me. Live, learn and persevere.
I'm dealing with the dark by joining a gym. I can't make it to the trail during the week before dark and I can't get any riding buddies to get a light and go at night. There is a gym on my way home that is $10 a month and they have decent equipment so I joined up. They don't have spin bikes, just the "bikes" with huge grandma seats so I run on the elliptical or occasionally use a recumbent. I set it to vary the resistance to keep my heart rate at 165 and run for about 50 minutes then hit the weights. I'm to the point where I can run 5+ miles in 50 minutes and I am trying to break 6 miles in that time. Once I break that I'll try for more distance and/or up the resistance and try to maintain my time. I personally do a lot better with a challenge to work towards. I run for 50 minutes because they have TV on demand (Hulu based I think) and screens on each piece of equipment so I watch a full episode of something while running. Keeps me from stopping early because I have to see the end of the episode.
Anyway, keeping active during the week definitely makes things easier on the trails over the weekend. I am now keeping up with the same pack of guys. There is a big difference in enjoyment as well. I'm not just trying to hold on to the bike and make it to the bottom before I fall flat on my face from exhaustion. I have the energy to enjoy the ride from start to finish. HUGE difference and well worth it.
I'm dealing with the dark by joining a gym. I can't make it to the trail during the week before dark and I can't get any riding buddies to get a light and go at night. There is a gym on my way home that is $10 a month and they have decent equipment so I joined up. They don't have spin bikes, just the "bikes" with huge grandma seats so I run on the elliptical or occasionally use a recumbent. I set it to vary the resistance to keep my heart rate at 165 and run for about 50 minutes then hit the weights. I'm to the point where I can run 5+ miles in 50 minutes and I am trying to break 6 miles in that time. Once I break that I'll try for more distance and/or up the resistance and try to maintain my time. I personally do a lot better with a challenge to work towards. I run for 50 minutes because they have TV on demand (Hulu based I think) and screens on each piece of equipment so I watch a full episode of something while running. Keeps me from stopping early because I have to see the end of the episode.
Anyway, keeping active during the week definitely makes things easier on the trails over the weekend. I am now keeping up with the same pack of guys. There is a big difference in enjoyment as well. I'm not just trying to hold on to the bike and make it to the bottom before I fall flat on my face from exhaustion. I have the energy to enjoy the ride from start to finish. HUGE difference and well worth it.
Thanks for sharing!!! Guess I could stop donating to the gym and actually go. That's something I could take advantage of to get better wind. I can't believe you made it 4 miles uphill. I don't think I've been to a trail that challenging yet. Sounds scary! Guess I need to travel so I can get a real challenge.
Biking is so fun it's worth the effort it takes to get in shape for it. I've been biking since November of last year. The first time out I literally stopped and layed on the ground because I was getting dizzy and my lips and hands were starting to tingle. And I felt like I was going to faint. The crew I was riding with eventually realized I wasn't with them and came back and gave me some energy bars and waited for me to recover. Needless to say I walked most of the way back. I rode that same place this weekend and never stopped except to turn around and went way further than I did before. So I'm seeing improvement and I'm excited. But you're right..........I need to fill in those gaps with exercise, because this getting dark early thing sucks!
you need to stick with it.
when i started i was riding a carbon bike at 27 lbs, and I could only ride up 300 to 500 feet vertical after which I would literally lie on the fireroad to get some air.
in only 18 months I can ride a 41 lbs full DH bike with the wrong gearing up 2000 feet of the same steep fire road with no stops.
the best advice i can give you is not to climb in stupid super low granny gears where you just spinning away. its much harder to improve your cardio vs improving your leg strength. so yeah im telling you not to use it. the only reason to go into that kind of gearing is if the slope is ridiculously steep like over 12 degrees. even then I say dont go into that gear and get off the seat and pedal.
ride up in gears where your legs hurt, not your chest.
your legs WILL get stronger fast.
also learn to get out of the seat on uphill climbs at least some of the way. it uses slightly different muscles and just when you think your are done you can keep going sometimes.
when i started i was riding a carbon bike at 27 lbs, and I could only ride up 300 to 500 feet vertical after which I would literally lie on the fireroad to get some air.
in only 18 months I can ride a 41 lbs full DH bike with the wrong gearing up 2000 feet of the same steep fire road with no stops.
the best advice i can give you is not to climb in stupid super low granny gears where you just spinning away. its much harder to improve your cardio vs improving your leg strength. so yeah im telling you not to use it. the only reason to go into that kind of gearing is if the slope is ridiculously steep like over 12 degrees. even then I say dont go into that gear and get off the seat and pedal.
ride up in gears where your legs hurt, not your chest.
your legs WILL get stronger fast.
also learn to get out of the seat on uphill climbs at least some of the way. it uses slightly different muscles and just when you think your are done you can keep going sometimes.
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Nice story :thumbsup:
I'm not very far ahead of you, but don't plan on letting you pass !!!
Great tips! Thanks! I've actually gotten into the habit of not switching gears at all. I keep the gear on my left handlebar in the middle (2). And I keep the gear on my right handle bar on 5. I suck at switching gears and I should learn, but I was tired of my chain coming off. That's how bad it was. It started on the bike in bought in november (marin) and I did it the first day I had my cannondale. That's when I stopped switching for the most part, but this weekend I did switch a little bit. After reading and listening to my friends I realized it was me and not the bikes. I would switch gears on an incline and I was just sucking it up. Any who, I'm still learning.
OH YEAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Also true...
Thanks. I am also new and cant wait to give this a try. My wife is also new to mtb but she is a long distance runner that runs everyday so she doesn't have these problems. Now I just need to find a monitor. I could try and find a sensor and monitor to go on my garmin but I like the idea of something on the bike that I can see easily. Anyone have suggestions on a simple wireless monitor?Always listen to the body, if you don't you risk breaking something.
If you don't already have it, I recommend getting a bike computer with heart rate monitoring. Then find a long, not too steep climb, and start pedaling uphill at a pace you feel comfortable with. Your heart rate should be slowly climbing and at some point you'll start to feel your legs burning. That burn indicates that your muscles are running oxygen starved. For me that happens when I hit a heart rate around 160, but it's highly individual and yours might be different. After a couple of slow, steady climbs with an eye on the heart rate monitor you should get a feel for where your legs starts burning. It's called your anaerobe threshold.
Since you're new to riding and lack the cardio training, your primary goal should be to add distance to your rides. Start out with a couple of miles, then add a little bit of extra distance each time out. If you put in 3-4 rides a week, adding something like 200 yards extra each time out, you'll be able to ride 15 miles with no problems in 2-3 months.
Don't ride too hard, try to keep your heart rate below your anaerobe threshold. It's okay to go over on a short sprint up a short, steep climb, but in general try to keep your heart rate below the threshold. If your heart rate goes over the threshold you're riding too fast, pick a lower gear and slow down. By keeping your heart rate in check you're able to ride longer and building up distance is the key at the beginning.
Riding only weekends doesn't cut it. It's too far apart and whatever stamina you build one weekend will be gone the next. Get a light and do some evening rides during the week.
In 2-3 months you'll be able to ride 15 miles in an hour and a half or so. It won't be fast, it won't be pretty, but you can do so without bonking out and puking. When you ride with others don't get sucked into their pace, pick a speed that works for you and let them climb stuff twice if they get bored waiting..
Once you're comfortable riding 15 miles (or whatever your target distance is) you can start adding speed. Put in some sprints at the end and make your legs burn. Go a bit nuts on that last mile, if you bonk out and puke there is only a short distance to crawl before you're at the finish line.
When I started riding I could do 2 miles in 20 minutes and I was completely finished. One month and 20 rides later I did 10 miles in 1 hour 10 minutes. Two months in, I did 15 miles in 1 hour 30 minutes. I kept the distance and started to add speed and a couple of months later I did those same 15 miles in 1 hour 10 minutes.
Keep your heart rate in check and add a little bit of extra distance every time out until you reach a decent ride distance. Once you are comfortable with riding the distance, start adding speed. 5-6 months from now you'll have no trouble keeping up with friends or family.
Thanks again!
Your wife should take it easy starting outas well. One of my riding buddies is a runner, runs 2-3 miles every day since before I met him. I out weigh him easily by 50-75lbs and only been mtb riding a few months when we met. Anyhow, his first experience with mtb riding wasn't that much different than mine, the first 1.7 mile loop kicked his butt and had him stopping for breaks. MTB riding can be both mentally and physically exhausting. Unlike road biking or running, you always have to focus and think about up coming obstacles. You also move your body more, standing up, leaning the bike to one side or the other etc. So I think everyone new to the sport should go easy at first.
Good advice I am sure and something I wasn't thinking about. We have been taking it very easy. We are sticking with easy stuff and spending some time on the bike path getting used to new gear.
I totally agree with you on the "mentally and physically exhausting" part. It is VERY different from running for sure. Thanks for the good information.
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When I got my girlfriend into mountain biking she was a distance runner (half marathons) she didn't feel that mountain biking was going to challenge her physically. Holy cats was she surprised that after 2 miles of what she now considers a easy trail she sounded like she had been smoking for 50 years. What some folks don't realize is that there is a synergy to mountain biking. It involves strength, cardio, bike handling, reading the trail, quick changes in exertion, among others. After a year she is hitting races and showing a lot of fellas up. As a physician I can't think of a better all around activity for fitness. Keep with it, it's certainly worth it.
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Haven't read the whole thread - just glanced at many of them. If it hasn't been mentioned, get a cyclometer with a Heart Rate Monitor. This will help you understand your zones and what causes you to blow up. You'll find your cruising heart rate and your climbing heart rate. When you get within 10 BPM of your max heart rate, slowdown or stop to recover. The more you do this, the faster you will recover.
Also, as for gearing, for beginners, I recommend the lowest gear possible without bouncing around on your saddle. Getting up out of your saddle will use different muscles and feels easier, but requires more energy. So, sit and spin as much as you can. Do not be afraid to go into your granny ring to get up hills.
Also, I have been swimming laps at the gym when I can't ride. And riding on the road or on a spin cycle with intervals for only 30 minutes a day three times a week will do wonders for you.
Also, as for gearing, for beginners, I recommend the lowest gear possible without bouncing around on your saddle. Getting up out of your saddle will use different muscles and feels easier, but requires more energy. So, sit and spin as much as you can. Do not be afraid to go into your granny ring to get up hills.
Also, I have been swimming laps at the gym when I can't ride. And riding on the road or on a spin cycle with intervals for only 30 minutes a day three times a week will do wonders for you.
couple cans of Red Bull right before you hit the trails, you'll blow past everyone. That stuff gives you wings!!
For me tho, I just got out on the trails as much as possible. Just keep at it, you'll find yourself sucking back less wind each and every time.
Also the proper diet can help a lot. I usually try to eat as healthy and proper the day before and day of.
For me tho, I just got out on the trails as much as possible. Just keep at it, you'll find yourself sucking back less wind each and every time.
Also the proper diet can help a lot. I usually try to eat as healthy and proper the day before and day of.
My pre-ride morning poison is a Triple Grande White Chocolate Mocha from Starbucks. They would probably be scraping me off some tree if it wasn't for my morning coffee lol
Anyhow, what's the word from the OP? You making any progress?
I have not anyone used the word "ROADIE" yet???
That's right, those guys in colorful spandex you see riding in packs on the road every Saturday & Sunday morning. Nothing improve your legs better than hitting the road and putting in base mileage. Many great XC guys are also good roadie guys. In fact, most XC guys ride road more than dirt as part of their training.
No road bike? No problem, just use your mtb bike. But be warned, you tires will wear out quicker on pavement. And many many female roadies will pass you by like you're standing still. But in 3-6 months, should you put in your saddle time, you will smoke all your race horse buddies, they will think you're on dope.
That's right, those guys in colorful spandex you see riding in packs on the road every Saturday & Sunday morning. Nothing improve your legs better than hitting the road and putting in base mileage. Many great XC guys are also good roadie guys. In fact, most XC guys ride road more than dirt as part of their training.
No road bike? No problem, just use your mtb bike. But be warned, you tires will wear out quicker on pavement. And many many female roadies will pass you by like you're standing still. But in 3-6 months, should you put in your saddle time, you will smoke all your race horse buddies, they will think you're on dope.
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For me, I ride because it is fun and good for my soul, and secondarily, it is good exercize. I find that going out with excitement and enthusiasm from knowing I'm about to have huge fun just naturally results in better endurance over time. Endurance isn't the primary goal but it sure is nice because it begets the ability to have even more fun as time goes on with longer rides into new places. I also enjoy an almost out of body experience when riding solo. A part of my mind wanders to the most unexpected places and I really get a lot out of it. Maybe mix in some solo rides where you can just go at your own pace and try new things. One things for sure as was mentioned before - no matter what you do, there will always be faster riders out there. Being as fast as them can't be the goal because there are others even faster. The goal for me is to have fun and advance my skills. To have as much fun as I can on that day. Every ride is a winner if you have the right mindset. Find the mindset that's right for you and the endurance will come as a byproduct of what you are doing - and you'll have a fun every step of the way.
I'm doing better. I rode 10 miles for the first time this past weekend. I actually rode 9.3 on saturday, 9.7 on sunday and 10 miles on monday. This is what I wrote earlier within this thread:
I've been biking since November of last year. The first time out I literally stopped and layed on the ground because I was getting dizzy and my lips and hands were starting to tingle. And I felt like I was going to faint. The crew I was riding with eventually realized I wasn't with them and came back and gave me some energy bars and waited for me to recover. Needless to say I walked most of the way back. I rode that same place this weekend and never stopped except to turn around and went way further than I did before.
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