Falling Behind

I am a little worried about what appears to be a sudden setback in my biking pace. I've been riding in the back for some time now, but except for hill rides I've always been able to keep up with the group -- and I was even starting to ride in front for awhile there! However, for the last 3 rides I had real trouble keeping up -- and only one of them was a hill ride. Today I kept up for the first 15 miles and then I dropped so far back that I couldn't even see the group for the remaining 20 miles -- despite the big break at the bread store at mile 17ish.

It seems odd for me to suddenly be having this trouble. Perhaps it's just the pace of my healing, and the other bikers in my biking club are getting faster and stronger at a more accelerated pace (Joan's theory) -- but I have to wonder, maybe something is not right with me, beyond still-recovering. I am not sure. It does feel like it's the rest of the Babes who have suddenly grown wings, but it always feels like that when I drop back -- even back when I tried to keep up with them on my 20 year old mountain bike. (I know, I know. I was stubborn and didn't believe in the difference between road bikes and mountain bikes.....)

I'm not swimming 45 min miles anymore, either -- and I had recovered that time, post radiation -- I even did a few faster than that. Now I've slowed down again. I thought it was because I'm using the outdoor pool, which is warmer (so it's hard to remember I'm not lollygagging in the tub sometimes....) but yesterday I went with a friend and was motivated to swim fast so I could spend more time with her -- but I couldn't keep it up, the last 6th was brutal, and in the end it took me 50 mins.

I wonder, could the tamoxifen be causing part of this? (ALan's thought.) I hope not -- because I'm going to be on it for another 4.5 years. I think lung damage is a more likely cause -- then I'd have trouble getting enough oxygen to my muscles. Anyway I'd be very interested to hear if anyone knows of any other athletic cancer survivors who had this trouble after the treatment is done. I mean, I finished chemo 5 months ago, and radiation 3.5 months ago -- and I kept up with my biking club better LAST summer, while I was ON chemo. I know, it has a cumulative effect -- but this is a bit more than what I was expecting at THIS point.