Just when you think you've seen it all, something new. There was something evil in the air last night, literally, which got me to coughing very hard as my throat started to swell shut out riding on the bike trail. There is something that blooms this time of year that really gets me and last night I felt like I was choking.
My BP med aggravates this condition, as it can cause a dry cough all on its own. Long lay-offs from exercise when taking this drug appear to deposit a lot of phlegm in the lungs. Another reason I would like to stop taking this snake poison. The attendant dehydration isn't so great either. If I ride every-other day, I don't need this med.
Once home the coughing got worse - at least for the first 5 minutes or so - before I got smart and jumped into the shower to wash my skin, face, and hair. Just as I was about to step into the shower, a final coughing fit, and darned if I didn't end up with an abdominal strain.
No crunches for me today. I have had this a few times before and seem to recall it takes about 10--14 days to get back to normal. I can ride (I hope), but not for a few days, and no climbing out of the saddle. I would rate my pull a II, based on this description.
First ride back after Mt Hamilton, and I pushed hard - up to 166 bpm - and am monitoring fatigue. I am working on speed, and so sprint intervals. Twenty-five miles of intervals really kicked my butt. I was pleased though that my BP was a cool 115/55 last night, and 125/65 this morning with resting pulse at 55.
