Hey Gang -
I've been riding for several seasons recreationally (4 or more) and I've built up enough strength that I did a few century rides last season... I'm an ex-smoker, and I quit 4 years ago, and kept riding...

This season I've noticed that while riding the trainer, doing some intervals, that while my legs will start to ache the bigger problem is that I constantly feel like I've got to cough crap outta my lungs. I'll do for instance, 1 min. on 1 min off. and by the third "off" period I can't do #4 cause I start gaggin' & it sucks.... I know my legs can do 19 mph for miles on the flats without pain or fatigue setting in but when I wanna hit 22mph, it's my lungs that start to give me issues.

SO, what can I do? Suggestions? Training Ideas to help improve this? Medical advice? etc.?

Errr not really, except that I've never been a smoker and I still have to cough up junk after / during a hard set of efforts. Jsut general pollution I guess/hope.

Keep doing the intervals, lots of water, the usual health advice.

hmmm guess that's a pretty worthless poast huh?

Good to know Non-smokers have the same issue...
I quit like 4 years ago after a 10 year habit, and can't stand them at all anymore.

If you have a chronic, productive cough 3 months or more out of the year, than by definition, you've got chronic bronchitis. That can persist even after you've quit smoking, if you've done enough damage. Be very glad you quit smoking when you did! An arterial blood gas, and some basic pulmonary function testing, would tell the story. If nothing else, please ask your family doc for this. Do a google on 'pulmonary toilet' or 'secretion clearance'. You might need bronchodilation, and some help getting that stuff out. Also, you might need your sinuses checked, because a lot of chronic bronchitis can come from untreated chronic sinusitis (the pt may not even be aware they've got it). Look at your diet as well...just cutting out the dairy can really help diminish mucus production. Good luck, and whatever you do, keep riding! It is crucial that your muscles stay well trained, as a well trained muscle doesn't need as much O2 as a deconditioned one (or maybe I should say, it functions more efficiently with the O2 it receives).

Hey Gang -
I've been riding for several seasons recreationally (4 or more) and I've built up enough strength that I did a few century rides last season... I'm an ex-smoker, and I quit 4 years ago, and kept riding...

This season I've noticed that while riding the trainer, doing some intervals, that while my legs will start to ache the bigger problem is that I constantly feel like I've got to cough crap outta my lungs. I'll do for instance, 1 min. on 1 min off. and by the third "off" period I can't do #4 cause I start gaggin' & it sucks.... I know my legs can do 19 mph for miles on the flats without pain or fatigue setting in but when I wanna hit 22mph, it's my lungs that start to give me issues.

SO, what can I do? Suggestions? Training Ideas to help improve this? Medical advice? etc.?

I smoked 4 packs a day for about 7 years and then decreased and finally quit before I started cycling. For about 2 years I basically gagged up what I called green buddhas every other week,

You might be getting exercise induced asthma, which will follow a smoker more than the ethiopian kid did while racing Sally Struthers to the dinner table.

Advice: Go to a doc, and change your program to where you are a bit more gradual when building an aerobic base. BUT, I am not a doc, so the better deal is to await the docs on the board.

Agree with getting checked out for exercise induced asthma, it is fairly common and can be controlled. See your doc about it.

Great Suggestions guys...

Doggity.. You a doc?
You've got alot of detailed info there....
The cough is definitely exercise induced... I don't cough at all unless I start pushing it harder on climbs, or sprinting for more than about a hundred yards... If I'm just sitting around, working in the office, watching TV, whatever... NO Issues at all...

I've tried using Mucinex before, I'm not sure that it really opened my breathing passages any though, it basically just gave me cotton-mouth and I still had coughing occur when I pushed the pace harder... I stopped taking the Mucinex after a week's time and seeing no changes to my problems.

Sounds like the Doc needs to do a check... By what means does exercise induced asthma get controlled?? Puffer? Pills??? I just don't know.

Inhalors (puffers) are common, they contain bronchial dialating drugs.

UPDATE:
Went to see he doc after work yesterday...
Did the Pulmonary Function test... Easy enough.
Even the nursing asst. mentioned that she was asthmatic and it gives her issues with running... She noticed her time across her training course were slowing but made her work harder as well...

Anyway... After smoking for 10+ years (and going into my 3rd full year away from smoking) the doc tells me that he sees no signs of permanent damage, and nothing that can't be remedied, and that YES, I'm most likely asthmatic since I only have an 83% lung function right now... He also said, "No, wonder you can't breathe during heavy sprints and harder climbs at pace... Well, we'll fix that..."

So, a script for Singular and a script for Proventil inhaler and we'll see how that goes.
I'll keep ya posted...

OH yeah... And thanks guys...
Good suggestions as always.

EIB...shoulda caught that one. It sounded like in your original post that you cough all the time. You're on the right track. (BTW, not a doc...respiratory therapist, polysomnographer, and EEG tech). Keep those lung-ers comin!

UPDATE:
Went to see he doc after work yesterday...
Did the Pulmonary Function test... Easy enough.
Even the nursing asst. mentioned that she was asthmatic and it gives her issues with running... She noticed her time across her training course were slowing but made her work harder as well...

Anyway... After smoking for 10+ years (and going into my 3rd full year away from smoking) the doc tells me that he sees no signs of permanent damage, and nothing that can't be remedied, and that YES, I'm most likely asthmatic since I only have an 83% lung function right now... He also said, "No, wonder you can't breathe during heavy sprints and harder climbs at pace... Well, we'll fix that..."

So, a script for Singular and a script for Proventil inhaler and we'll see how that goes.
I'll keep ya posted...

Glad to hear you've got it in hand. Sometimes asthma is triggered by allergies, so you may find that you don't need the Singulair when you can get outside again (indoor alergies- like dust or household chemicals). I know hay fever can trigger mine, so I usually keep some Benedryl in my seat bag.

Matt:

As a musician, I have to constantly train my breath for what I do. One of the things that I have learned was taught by a professor of mine who is a world class tuba player (tubas use A GREAT DEAL of air to play!)

Its called the Breathing Gym, and its emphasis is to, by consistent breathing exercises, develop your body and your lungs to take in and hold more air than a usual person. The best things about them is that you can do them without bodily exertion, therefore, you don't cough while doing it.

If you are interested, I will send you the info. I was doing it for my lessons, but found that my riding, and especially my swimming and running, became much stronger. I also know for a fact that there are college and pro football teams using this now and they are also noticing a strong change in their breathing. It is also beginning to be seen as a way to counteract asthma.

Matt:

As a musician, I have to constantly train my breath for what I do. One of the things that I have learned was taught by a professor of mine who is a world class tuba player (tubas use A GREAT DEAL of air to play!)

Its called the Breathing Gym, and its emphasis is to, by consistent breathing exercises, develop your body and your lungs to take in and hold more air than a usual person. The best things about them is that you can do them without bodily exertion, therefore, you don't cough while doing it.

If you are interested, I will send you the info. I was doing it for my lessons, but found that my riding, and especially my swimming and running, became much stronger. I also know for a fact that there are college and pro football teams using this now and they are also noticing a strong change in their breathing. It is also beginning to be seen as a way to counteract asthma.

When I was a child my doctor recommended swimming as a way to develop lung power to control asthma. Breathing gym sounds interesting. Is it a commercial product, or a series of exercises? If the latter, why not post them for everyone to see. If the former, maybe a link?

Magsdad - Thanks that sounds like a great idea.. I'd love some extra info on it..
I played Alto, Tenor, and Baritone Saxophone from 5th grade thru High School..
So I can definitely understand how a musical instruments would require some serious breath control... Not like a TUBA for pete's sake.. but I have experience with the concept and control needed... I"m 37 now, and my Alto paid for my rent when I moved away from home years ago...

CALI L33 - That's interesting that you brought up swimming, my doc mentioned that swimming is his sport of choice and that he still takes singular, and keeps a non-CFC inhaler in his bag just in case he feels like he needs it once he gets out of the pool, but he doesn't need it regularly, just with the activity of exercise, AND that swimming was a preferred sport for asthmatics cause the warm, moist air hovering right at the water level is better suited.... But that cycling, and running, (especially in the cold) is at the top of the list of things that are the WORST for asthmatics....

but I say screw it, if they'd ever really ridden their bikes they'd be hooked, and then they'd ride even if they couldn't breathe... just like most of us here on these forums.

Thanks guys...

Quick update...
I seem to have been breathing a little better lately...
Just routinely not while exerting myself on the bike yet...
I still have "green buddhas" getting kicked out... which I thought had been all over and done with, but apparently the daily script is doing more the clean my lungs than I had thought...This week has been busy, almost too busy to ride, so I'll give it another week and we'll see what happens.

BTW - The inhaler has been helping as well... It at least keeps me from coughing so hard that I can no longer continue spinning the pedals... We'll see if that improves over then next couple months too... Maybe the inhaler will become more effective as the lungs are able to absorb the meds better...

Singulair rocks. I rarely use my inhaler when I'm good about taking it. But I can tell when I've skipped a dose- out comes that dang inhaler. Seriously, one missed dose is enough....