Running with Asthma

One of the reasons it took me so long to start running was because I felt I was not capable of running.

The whole short of breath, tight chest, and wheezing element had me scared of running and kept me away from trying. I was really skilled at avoiding the mile in PE and never got the presidential seal of excellence because of my crummy mile times.

I could run a mile in 11:45...and that would kill me.

Now I can run a mile in 8:30, just don't ask me to maintain that for a long distance race.

Suffice to say I have come a long way since middle school . So how did I improve? Well in some ways, I didn't;  I still have days of 11:45 miles and that is just a fact. More and more though I have consistently faster days.

This is a picture of my first 5k, about 4 years ago (I was not a consistent runner until last year). Note that I am finishing alone, but I was not last!

Part of learning to run with asthma was learning to pace myself and accepting myself.

Lessons in Pacing:
Why yes, I can sprint if you need me to, and why yes...that will most likely cause an attack.

My early days of running involved a lot of walking, jogging, and more walking. When I lived in Baltimore, I called it 'wogging'. I basically would run until my chest was tight, then walk until I could breathe, and repeat until I hit the desired mileage/time I wanted.  Unsurprisingly, I never really improved.  Once I learned about run/walk intervals I started making progress.

I kept running and started to realize the need to slow down if I ever wanted to be able to run a 5k without walking. The day I ran 20 minutes without stopping I had a party on the treadmill (not a lie...I scared the person next to me) the day I ran 45 minutes without stopping I realized I had figured it out.


Lessons in Acceptance:
One of the hardest things about asthma is that while you may have it under control, you will still have bad days. I have a lot of outdoor triggers (cold air, humid air, smoke, pollution) meaning that while I may want to have an awesome run....it's just not going to happen.

I still have days in CrossFit where I am in the back of the pack, but hey - I finish the workout.

Some days, I have to run at that slower pace because that is all my body can handle; some days, I have to walk because that is all I can do; some days, I have to stop and puff an inhaler. When those days happen, I just have to accept that I am doing what I can do at that time. I have to accept that this is not a PR day, but I am still better than I was a few years ago. These are the days I salute other runners (sometimes walkers) as they pass me.  If I can't join 'em, I might as well support 'em!

Some days I hit a new PR, and those are the days I am grateful for. Those are the days I realize how much I love running, and I can tell how far I have come.

On those bad days, I am reminded of a phrase a friend once said to me before a race: "You are lapping everyone on the couch right now."

Yes, yes I am.

Suck it, asthma...I am going for a run whether you like it or not.

~ Rachel aka Asthma Girl

P.S. If you have asthma and run in the winter I highly recommend getting a running mask or balaclava.