The Double Strip

I saw him before the race even started.

Late season, 2012. Some local criterium I barely remember now. But I remember him — a guy in the parking lot, methodically super-gluing two Breathe Right strips together, then carefully pressing the whole double-decker contraption onto his nose.

He caught me staring, looked at me like I was the crazy one. I looked away, rolled to the start line questioning my own commitment to the sport.

He didn't win, for what it's worth.

Thinking about it, twenty-something years later, the thing is – he wasn't wrong about the nose. He was just wrong about the shortcut.

Nasal breathing is one of the most underrated tools in a cyclist's kit. Your body does something interesting when you breathe through your nose.  It slows down your breathing rate, raises CO₂ slightly, and triggers what's called the Bohr effect: oxygen gets released from your blood into your muscles more efficiently. Your parasympathetic nervous system engages. Your effort feels more manageable. You stay calmer, longer.

The strips? The science on those is thin. A wider nostril doesn't automatically make you a better breather.

The practice does.

On your next easy ride, close your mouth. Breathe only through your nose. It'll feel weird at first — maybe even a little claustrophobic. The discomfort is okay – you're training a new pattern. Over time, nasal breathing at low intensity becomes your default, and you start reaping the benefits without thinking about it.

No hardware required, and definitely no super glue.

See you next week,

Steve