Hi,just discovered my cold was asthma and am using an inhaler the last 4 days. Think it has been triggered by the colder weather. Took a 5 day break from running and my training did not go as good at all today with difficulty breathing longer than normal and feeling tired sooner than normal. I was running 3-4x/wk in the early morning up until last wkend, ending up with a nasty cough at the end for the last couple of weeks, but still able to train. (I know training should have ceased while for a while with cough). Does anyone else run with asthma and do you have any suggestions on modifying training. Doing my 1st 10 km in few days and not sure how confident I feel about getting around. Oh yeah to top it off, monthly cycle is to start on day of 10km! Cheers
0 ·
Comments
I have ankylosingspondylitis (try saying that when you are drunk!) as oppose to asthma but I still use 2 inhalers (a brown one to help keep the inflamation in my lungs down and a blue one to take if I need it).
I don't really modify my training as such. If I am having a wheezy week then I take a puff of blue a few minutes before a run. This seems to help. I wear a HRM just to monitor whether or not my pulse is higher than usual (for a given training session).
My peak flow is less than an 'average' man my age so I recently bought a peak flow meter (via a prescription) from Boots and I am going to use that to plot my peak flow on a weekly basis. I hope to be able to spot trends developing and can then increase the dose of the brown inhaler.
There are thousands of runners out there with asthma or that need an inhaler so don't worry too much.
As for doing the 10k, well, just do it! I don't know what inhaler you have but perhaps a puff before the race would help. As always when running, listen to your body. It will tell you when something is wrong. So do the 10k and enjoy it!
P.S. What sort of cycle do you have? Is it a mountain bike or a racer! (Sorry, bloke type joke!)
There are lots of threads on the forum that deal with this so try doing a search on asthma.
I have been running with exercise induced asthma for many years and using an inhaler for about 13 years. The inhaler is Salbutamol and I generally take a puff (sometimes two) immediately before a run which largely stops the wheeziness occurring.
I know the asthma is still there as occasionally I forget to take the inhaler.
DH - that was a terrible joke!!!!
I haven't modified my training or racing at all, I find the puffer is all I need.
If your GP gives you a preventer ( not blue) use it when you are told to.
There is no reason why you can't live a normal life, and if you can't go back to the doc and tell him/her.
Don't let it stop you doing what you want.
I'm normally extremely sceptical about any kind of alternative/natural/homeopathic/magic pixie dust type remedies, but this really worked for me, without having read this book I probably wouldn't be able to run at all. Could be well worth a look, there's no guarantee with any of these things but it made sense to me to look for an alternative to taking steroids every day for life.
Probably the most important aspect of inhaler use to focus on is the correct inhaler technique. This is especially important if your asthma is triggered by exercise.
As for runnig with asthma, I have had asthma for 12 years and my training has never been affected by asthma. As with all fitness training stop when you get a cold. Don't forget if you are an asthmatic you can get a free Flu vaccination from your GP. If you want to take a flu vaccination you should make an appointmetn soon as the flu season starts in a couple of months and the vaccination can take upto 21 days to become fully effective.
I was first diagnosed as Asthmatic as a five year old (nearly 40 years ago) in the days when they didn't have the inhalers available that they do now. Effectively in those days kids who had asthma were treated as semi invalids. When my chest was x rayed they discovered that I had the lungs of a two year old. That turned out to be a life saver because I was given physiotherapy to help develop my lungs, and it is those very exercises that Slowboy is referring to. Believe me they do work.
Breathing patterns are very important - as are using the right muscles to breath. Try to practise breathing using your diaphragm as opposed to your intercostals. In other words try not to lift your ribcage and take in a huge gulp of air, use your tummy instead, as in gives a much smoother in and out. You can do this better by lying on your front or by leaning foward from a sitting position with a pillow on your lap (sounds wierd - wish I could draw it).
It is horrbly uncomfortable at first - but be patient it gets easier, and it will in time increase your lung capacity. In turn this will reduce the wheeziness.
Try doing some swimming as well - doing breastroke properly (like they do on the telly) will give you good breathing discipline. Don't worry about looking silly - everyone looks silly when they swim.
Try to aim to be able to breath without raising your rib cage when you are at rest. I discovered that this gave me the ability to play possum very effectively- which in turn gave me a great spin off career playing dead bodies in the school play!!
Oh yes - and in case you think I'm a purist - I use an inhaler as well. No harm in that its what they were invented for. Its as well to know how to handle yourself if you haven't got it with you though.
Incidentally the above technique is worth knowing as rudimentary first aid if you ever come across anyone who is having an asthma attack. They will be in a panic trying to take in huge gulps of air - this will force them to breathe more shallowly and will calm them down enough to get a shot of salbutamol into them.
Salbutamaol and turbutaline inhalers should be declared if you are, or hope to be, an elite runner, as you could be drug tested. Speak to your club secretary and get a form to declare it.
Hope this helps.
I've often wondered what the situation is regarding inhalers and banned substances - not that I'm ever likely to be drugs tested, but I've always been curious.
I believe it is on the 'banned substance' list.
I will never make it into the elite runners class so I still take a squirt or two before a race. If they do drug test me what are they going to do: confiscate the free T-shirt!
Anyone think that would have happened at the olympics or the world championships?
Like Slowboy I don't think I will ever be tested but it's worth remembering that you do need to declare your inhalers.
I'm not sure on the dose levels but taking more than your prescribed dose of salbutamol in not advised under any circumstances!!
The problem that I've found is the lack of information available about what and what not to do. This is especially so for junior athletes, many of whom routinely take asthma medication whilst blithley unaware that it is on the banned list. Juniors can be and are tested at English Schools and Junior AAA events. Inhalers have to be declared in advance, and exemption certificates have to be available for production. For juniors these only last a year and often take months to arrive after the initial application.
So be warned if you have a son/daughter who is getting quite good at running.
It's this one
S