"Have you always had the problem, or is it a fairly recent development? I'd get yourself checked out by a doc to make sure everything is OK."

At age 70, I've been riding for 50+ years and, living near the Blue Ridge Parkway, have been a climber. Recently, I too have had to stop to catch my breath while riding up a long grade. I was shocked, what the hell is happening to me?

My GP performed an in-house EKG and detected some anomalies. The GP refereed me to a local cardiologist who ran a series of tests, and yes, I do have a modicum of blockage, but not enough for an invasive procedure.

The cardiologist suggested a trip to a pulmonologist. He found mild COPD from a slight case of emphysema. I was shocked, never smoked, never "inhaled", but did run long for 25+ years. Now I remember the articles in the 70's era Running magazines warning us marathoners to limit our training along the roadways. Breathing copious amounts of carbon monoxide every morning has had it's effect. The doc wrote me a script for albuterol which (just like Froome) has helped me regain my climbing ability.