WonderMonkey

I have a 10 mile route that I do here and there. It has a steep hill and some rolling ones along the way. I find that no matter what the hill is I try and use the gear and effort that ends up hurting the most and allows me to barely get to the top. I didn't start out that way a few months ago as I wasn't sure how much I could take or what that would do to my recovery for the rest of the ride. Since then the closer to the top I get the harder I make it on myself and if I do it just right I feel nauseous the last little bit.

I don't do that on every rolling hill but if it seems like a "workout climb" I'll use that strategy.

Anybody else do that sort of thing?

Seattle Forrest

I really hate being nauseous. There are worse things in life, but not too many of them.

There's a hill ( 3rd Ave going up the north side of Queen Anne ) that I thought I would puke on the sidewalk after climbing, once, a few years ago. I avoided it for a long time after that, searching for the mythical easy way up the hill. There is none. I found other routes that make you climb longer, mostly with a gentler grade, and a few blocks at 18 % thrown in to keep you on your toes. Eventually, as I spent more and more time on the bike, I got to the point where it wasn't that hard. It takes a lot of energy, and slows me down, but it doesn't feel like a punch to the stomach. So I do it a lot more often. Now, for the record, I hit 40 mph going down this hill and that's feathering the brakes a little.

Neil_B

Doesn't seem a good idea. Then again an old riding buddy told me that "it isn't exercise until you start throwing up."

borobike

I did push myself to where I kind of felt weird once, but not really nauseous. I could tell that if I went much farther though that I would be.
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WonderMonkey

When I used to power lift my squat workouts would often include having to throw up in a bucket that was always near.

I don't think there is a downside that I can think of but if someone has one I'd like to hear it.

Pamestique 

I did a ride this last Sunday that caught me off guard and made me ill the last 5 miles or so. The ride was alittle over my head. I really enjoyed the climbing going out (it was an out and back ride) when the weather was cool and there was alittle mist in the air. I really pushed myself up climbs normally I walked and I was proud of myself for being able to do them. Coming back it got hot. I DON'T LIKE HEAT! The problem of course is I got myself out there I had to get back. I had to slow way down and just pace myself. As much as I hate too, I even stopped and walked on some of the steeper climbs (this was a 20+ mile MTB ride along a rolly ridegeline with some steep climbs and technical descents).

I have been riding long enough to know its not worth getting sick and getting in trouble. With time, I think most experience riders learn to pace themselves and they know how far and how hard they can push before real trouble begins. I have suffered heat exhaustion before and needed medical attention. Not good. Don't ever want to be there again. And if you are a mountain biker like me, can't always get medical attention easily. So... I slow down. I take my nutrients, I walk when necessary but I keep going until I am done.

Everything hurt afterwards (and I was bonky and hungry) but at least I got back and afterwards was amazed at my effort - it wasn't an easy ride but I did it (it took almost 5 hours however - something i need to improve).

indyfabz

I recall reading a description of the famed race up Mt. Washington that was written by the son of a former colleague. He describes people puking. He almost did, and he's a world class rower.

WonderMonkey

When I felt nauseous it wasn't because of heat, because I hadn't eaten, etc. it was because I was pushing myself up a hill and my lungs and legs were screaming loudly for a long (for me anyways) period of time. I do think people need to know their body and what it is saying. It's easy to be caught off guard of course.

I like the feeling of pushing through and getting to the other side.

freighttraininguphill

It happened to me a couple times last year. The first time was when I was just getting back into climbing rides. I climbed a short steep hill that was so painful it made me sick to my stomach. Luckily the feeling went away at the top.

The second time was last October while climbing Donner Pass Road, which is at high altitude in the mountains. I started feeling nauseous for some unknown reason. I did some extra heavy breathing and that stopped it.

Both of these are on video, as part of much longer ride videos in my collection (not on YouTube).

Erwin8r

For me, if I over exert myself, I readily become nauseous--it's not that hard to do It just means I pushed my heart rate too high and my body is telling me to back the heck off. Now, I'm with Seattle Forest on this one--I hate to be nauseous! It's among the worst feelings for me, so i avoid it like the plague. I'm fairly good at knowing where my threshold lies, so I try to stay just below. Not easy to do on hills...

Seattle Forrest

I think throwing up counts as a downside!

WonderMonkey

That's hard to argue with.

CraigB

I've pushed myself hard enough while biking to puke once - I was about 250 and riding with my brother outside Monroe, WI, and all there were were hills. No other way to get anywhere. I'm from central IL, so I was used to a little terrain (unlike east central IL which is like riding on a billiard table for the most part), but nothing like this. We'd just gone out, and at the end of the first climb I was toast. It was embarrassing.

Most recently, I've felt that coming on the first times I bumped my jogging up to 2 or 3 minutes at a time. I know the sensation well - in my case it starts with a kind of metallic taste in my mouth and I'll begin to salivate. When that happens I have to back off or else. It hasn't happened to me in several months now, though - at my 5K last week I was plenty tired, physically, but never crossed that nausea threshold.

Mr. Beanz

I once felt nauseous on a ride. Midweek hill repeats during the summer. I don't usually pay attention to the weather report other than rain since the heat never really bothers me on a ride. I have good cooling system.

I wasn't feeling well on the climbs so I returned home only to find it was a record temp day of 114 degrees. That explained it.

gwpowers

That was all too common in my Marine Corps days! Have to admit, you know you're getting a serious workout in when it comes down to blowing chunks. Doesn't really bother me any because as soon as I let it go it's all smooth sailing from there.

Drew Eckhardt 

I puked early in a hill climb race somewhat after the 13% grade start to a 4-mile stretch averaging 9%.

Mike Horgan Memorial Hill Climb (Magnolia road route)

While getting back in shape I used to get a bit green approaching my maximum heart rate but have since acclimated to short stretches at 95-100%.

CliftonGK1

Let's read about the downside to pushing it too hard and puking during a ride:

Permanent Clydesdale - A Spectacular DNF


Mark Thomas of the Seattle Randonneurs has a t-shirt that says "You're not a real cyclist until you've thrown up in a French roadside ditch" (a reference to the PBP 1200km Grand Randonnee).

goldfinch

Don't exercise to that point until you have the OK from your doc and have had the stress test. Monkey, you were having a stress test weren't you?

xray1978

Yes, I have blown chunks while riding my single speed road bike up a big hill as fast as I could. It was the first time I have done so since summer two a day practices during football.

WonderMonkey

Yes. Well the doctor is scheduling it now but it is on the horizon. Good thinking though.

RunningPirate

Yep - there's a hill here in The Bay Area (Mood Rd, for the locals) that used to get me. I'd have to stop about 3/4 the way up; now with training and repetition I can make it up sans emesis. Mind you, this is on the road bike with [relatively] taller gearing; on the touring bike, I have a triple and 30 in the back, so I can just spin up no problem.

I'm with the others in that you need to listen to your body. Things like nausea is a signal that something is wrong. Besides, I ride for 2 reasons: 1) exercise, and 2) enjoyment - vomiting sort of cancels out #2.

WonderMonkey

Enjoyment can also be pushing yourself on exercise..... as long as that doesn't mean injury or the like.

CraigB

The very first practice for freshman football in high school was the first time I ever experienced the phenomenon. I was completely unprepared for it.