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My bane

Bane: That which causes ruin or woe. Well, to be sure, it causes me woe, and often. Back in an earlier geologic epoch, when I was in my late 30s, I got a case of bronchitis that my HMO refused at first to accept for what it was. Since that time, I have gotten colds at a rate that seemed unfair, certainly to me. Every few years for a while I would get a cold that stood above all the others in it's intensity and duration. I would be tempting fate no doubt to say that the 100 year respiratory storms that I would suffer more often than once every 100 years have lessened, but I am going to say that. However, I still get more colds than I think a person should get.

There have been some colds memorable if for nothing else than the timing, and the timing usually has ruined a ride that was weeks or months in the planning. I've had colds wreck riding the Terrible Two, The Death Ride, the Gold Rush (twice!), the 2004 version of the San Ramon to Malibu multi day ride, and countless club rides.

Am I unique in this among randonneurs? Are brevet riders, ultra distance cyclists, more prone to respiratory ailments? My guess is no, it's just me, but let me know.

Comments

ccollins said…
I've done two fully loaded tours. August 2006 and December 2009. I '06 I came down with a cough/bronchitis just before the start. I coughed heavily and slept poorly the whole trip. It took about another week after getting home to recover.

In December 2009, I got a cold about three days before the trip. I coughed and didn't sleep well the first several nights. (almost DNF) Recovered by the last day. I arrived home feeling good.

I don't know how, but I want to go on a nice bike tour, without a cough, and have the ability to sleep through the night.

My two, or your numbers, are probably not good sample sizes. Hang in there, as it is probably dumb luck.
January 22, 2010 at 6:11 PM
CurioRando said…
Big Bummer! Can't say about link between riding and respiratory as I'm pretty new. I lost the month of November to sinus pain, low energy, crud-like conditions. But then I've had an annual dose of that since before rando.

In addition to Western doctoring--saw mine an hour ago--I see a homeopath. I give him credit for nearly eliminating my Spring Hay Fever symptoms.

Here's to your long term good health! Cheers!
January 22, 2010 at 6:20 PM
Robert said…
Racing cyclists are definitely more prone to certain kinds of respiratory ailments so it wouldn't surprise me if you would be, too.

Pursuiter's cough (which is nonviral and nonbacterial) and exercise induced asthma are both related to sustained aerobic exercise. You're also inhaling dust, pollen, and the occasional bug part. It wouldn't surprise me if an opportunistic infection occurred under those circumstances -- the surprise is that it doesn't happen more often.
January 23, 2010 at 8:26 PM
Anonymous said…
The first time I had Bronchitis, I had such a bad coughing spell that I cracked a rib. Ouch.

Second time I waited for a while to go into the doctor - thinking it was a virus and there wasn't much the doc could do. Boy did I feel dumb when the doctor explained that I had something called "walking pneumonia".
I can remember him shaking his head and asking me why I had waited so long to seek medical attention.

Both those cases were about seven years ago. I still don't feel that I breathe as well as I used to. And I started having much more severe asthma problems, too.

One foot in the grave and the other one is slipping . . .
January 24, 2010 at 10:44 PM
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