Training too hard?

I'm wanting to get fitter again after a recent illness (pneumonia) and am having a terrible time trying to increase my ability on the bike. I seem to be really struggling to do a basic 16km with only a few small hills. I am totally puffed and exhausted. Yet I used to do the that curcuit with ease.
The other day I decided I decided to ride and include some long hills to help increase my fitness. It wasn't all that far - about 10km.
I don't know what happened! My legs decided to give up and totally lost their strength.
When I got to my destination, I was exhausted, brain really foggy, felt nauseated and then threw up.
That really dampened my spirits.
What on earth is going on??? What am I doing wrong? What should I be doing?
Help appreciated
Regards, Sam

Sounds like you're trying too hard too quickly after your illness. It takes time for the body to come back, and every ride shouldn't be a max output test.

Do you have an HRM? If so, would recommend some weeks of base riding at 65-75% of your max HR. If not, just ride in small gears, and never allow yourself to get huffing and puffing. When you notice your breathing, it's time to back off the effort. Stay away from the long climbs if you can't keep your effort aerobic on them.

Wouldn't try to push again until you've gotten a couple hundred miles or kms at this endurance pace. Give it at least 2 weeks, maybe a month. You'll know when your energy level is back up.

I do have a HRM, but I haven't really used it much. Still a bit scared of it I think. How do I know what is 65 - 75% of my max HR? I'm 38 yr old female. How far should I go for a ride? Should I keep the ride fairly flatish for a while?
Thanks Sam

I'm not a doctor but my children have had pneumonia and the doctors told us that even after all the symptoms have gone, it takes 6 - 8 weeks before your lung(s) return to normal.

You've had a very serious (though surprisingly common) illness. Take your time. It sounds like you are not fully recovered yet and pushing yourself is only going to delay your recovery or make you ill again.

Good luck.

220 minus your age (estimated genetic MHR) ie 220-38= 182 BPM MAX

182x65%=118 BPM 182x75%=136 BPM

I think you're expecting too much of your body too quickly. Try riding at an easy conversational pace. IOW, if you were riding with a friend, you could carry on a conversation without difficulty the entire ride. Don't worry about your speed. On the hills, gear down until you can get up the hill at this same conversational pace. Your power will eventually return, but it sounds as though you are trying to rush it. Detraining is fairly rapid, especially VO2MAX, so what you are experiencing is nothing more than the effects of normal detraining. Your fitness will return.

You're body needs time to adapt to the demands that you suddenly put on it. The body tends to detrain the most quickly when it comes to endurance capacity, over say, anaerobic strength capacity. Start training low volume, low intensity especially to reduce the risk of injury that can result from putting to much demand on your body too quickly. Increase the volume gradually over each week and once you have a solid base, begin to increase your intensity. It's not fun. I know, believe me. But the patience will pay off in the end.

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Please do not encourage people to use a formula for MHR that can be off by a significant amount-20+ bpm. There are much more accurate ways to determine appropriate training intensities.

I did clarify ( admittedly not strongly enough as it appears ) by stating estimated MHR.
I am always willing to find out more, so if you can offer any more info. re MHR please "post"

The calc I have used is very widely used & usually does not have any disclaimers attached.

You could try keeping to the HR ranges that Al came up with (118-136 bpm). If this is right for you, it will feel like easy-to-moderate riding. Your breathing shouldn't be noticeable at this intensity, and legs should feel fine. Keep within this range always now; no hard efforts on hills or hammering into headwinds for a while. Suggest you wear the HRM and use it to learn how exertion and HR correlate for you.

As WarrenG says, the formula is a gross average of the population, not really applicable to athletes or any individual. EG, my maxHR is 184, and I'm (gulp) 58. You can do testing later to determine your threshold and max HRs, but not until you're totally well and comfortable with base riding levels. Patience and wellness to you.

That's only theoretical, and I saw it as 200- your age or something, meaning mine is 198...

But I can actually ride at 207BPM for several minutes, so the theoretical one is not that accurate...but DON'T DO A MAX HR TEST!!! You should only do one when you are in GOOD shape...definitely not after pneumonia...

Just be patient, take it easy and relax. Pneumonia sucks! It is VERY discouraging at first, but you'll get it back eventually..

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Kev