My younger brother also had Asthma when he was a child but he ‘grew out’ of it and is now Asthma free. I do feel extremely fortunate that my Asthma is now manageable and that I’m one of the lucky few who haven’t been hospitalised due to an Asthma attack, but it is still annoying when I’m trying to exercise (and when I have to pay to get them from the chemist!)
During a crazy moment I decided that I wanted to run a 10k road race in Lincoln (on Sunday 21st March), something I had never done before and I was very wary that my Asthma could hold me back.
It has never stopped me in other sports before like when I’m swimming it hardly affects me but I knew from going to the gym and trying to run longer than 34 seconds on the treadmill that my lungs were not going to make training for the race easy.
I also knew that my general fitness was poor as well so I couldn’t blame my Asthma forever so I began my training for the 10k in January this year.
I can hear the Asthma Nurse now in my head telling me that if I’m out in cold weather (especially when it’s windy) to try and wear a scarf over my mouth to prevent me becoming as breathless as I do when walking through the cold.
Yet here I was, running round a cold miserable park on some of the coldest days of the year. I knew I had to keep it up or be at risk from getting frostbite in some very unpleasant places.
In the beginning I could run about ½ mile before becoming breathless and having to take a puff off my reliever inhaler (Ventalin). I tried to put off taking my Inhaler for as long as possible whilst running but when I was suffering from an extremely tight chest I had to reach for the Inhaler.
My friend (who is also Asthmatic) told me to take several puffs off my daily inhaler about 15 minutes before I began running so that it would open up my lungs before I even began running. To be honest I couldn’t feel any difference as I still needed a puff of my Ventalin after running a very small distance but I was willing to try anything.
Me taking a puff of my Ventalin inhaler
BEST BIT OF ADVICE
The best bit of advice I found for when I was out running was to not hunch over when running, to lean back and stick your chest out and always breathe through your mouth. Sounds simple enough doesn’t it? Believe me it’s like rubbing your tummy and patting your head at the same time!
Another good tip I came across is to make a pattern whilst breathing. One that I used was breath in in then out out (2 breaths at a time to maximise the oxygen getting into your lungs) , also trying to time your breathing in to music when you’re running can be good as well, just as long as your music isn’t ‘Pendulum’ as you may cause yourself to hyperventilate!
Just as I was gearing myself up for the big day, Sod’s Law struck me down with a head cold a week before my race. Usually when I get a cold it goes straight onto my chest due to my rubbish lungs, and then I’m suffering for weeks with a nasty chesty cough. But someone was on my side that week (sort of, they still gave me a horrible cold) as after 5 days I was just about snot free and still up to running on Sunday!
RACE DAY
On the actual day of the race, my Asthma didn’t actually cause me too many problems, I only had to stop once to get my Ventilin out of my legwarmer ( I was running in fancy dress, I don’t always run wearing bright yellow leg warmers honest!) and take a few puffs of Ventalin.
I was panicking that I would have to be picked up by the St. John’s Ambulance and be put straight on the Oxygen after collapsing after the first mile, but in fact it was my legs and feet that caused most problems whilst I was running not my Asthma at all.
I proved to myself that I can run and not let my Asthma make me doubt whether or not I can do something.
Yes I only have mild Asthma but it has definitely held me back in the past when it comes to sport (I’m still blaming it for me never winning, or coming in the top 10, during the 100 metre race in School Sport’s days!) but on Sunday I tried to relax, remember my breathing and it really helped me!
I also managed to raise over £100 for Asthma UK, who sent me a lovely green vest to run in on Sunday. I’m glad that at least a charity, who works closely with people like me, benefited from my pain and un-fitness!
I think I have proved that I’m the controller of my Asthma, it doesn’t control me! Actually looking forward to my next big run now!
Your next big run? Are you planning another already?!
ReplyDeleteYou're right - you're controlling the asthma, it's not controlling you which is a brilliant achievement.
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well done. It does get easier, I'm a severe asthmatic but do many runs and long bike rides. Buffs or scarf over your mouth in the cold weather is essential, as is wrapping up warmer than many other runners I've found as the cold air directly affects your chest. I always take two puffs ventolin 15-20 mins be running but not sure it works directly, but helps with the after effects if exercise induced asthma, as you pick the speed up you may find you get more breathless afterwards or cough a lot, I found this and Singulair put a stop to the cough, but then I'm running 10K in 44mins. (you can find me on AUK, woody-som)
ReplyDeleteIts fantastic you have this much commitment to racing and your asthma is not putting you down one bit, well good on ya!
ReplyDeleteAll the best
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