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11:43 am by admin

Running the Race with Asthma

Last October, upon leaving the doctor’s office after a routine visit, I was given a flu shot (not H1N1). After a bout with the flu in 1993, I do my best to get vaccinated. However, the next evening, after dinner, my lip swelled up & I broke out in hives! I was a polka-dotted Angelina Jolie!

After a series of tests, the allergist diagnosed me as allergic to, not only the flu vaccine, but ragweed, cats, mold, and elm trees! After another test, I was diagnosed with asthma. How can that be? Isn’t that a childhood disease that they can possibly outgrow? I’m nearly 45 years old!

My allergist informed me that I have adult-onset asthma. What? The diagnosis of asthma actually explained a number of concerns in regard to my health. The persistent cough I had struggled with for the last few years. The tightness in my chest that, at times, could become somewhat painful. All indications of asthma that I never considered.

There is no cure for asthma, only control. The doctor put me on a daily regimen of Singulair, Flonase, and Advair that have helped control my symptoms.

During my asthma test, I noticed a poster of Olympic swimmer, Amy Van Dyken. It stated that she had asthma since childhood. An Olympic champion? With asthma? Since forever? Wow!

I asked my doctor about exercising with asthma, and she suggested that exercise would, in fact, help build my lung capacity. I had been a long-distance runner in high school. I had also trained for the 2004 Houston Marathon, until a back injury at the 7-mile training mark sidelined me from completing the training program. I now made a goal of running a 5K.

Last year, the Komen Foundation gave a $50,000 grant to the Community Cancer Association to provide medicine & supplies to breast cancer patients in my area. (I am on the Board of Directors of this incredible organization.) The Komen Race for the Cure was scheduled for April 24, 2010. Five months should be plenty of time to train!
In November, I began training on the treadmill. I would jog 30 seconds, then walk for a minute & a half. I couldn’t believe how difficult this was. I was winded after a 30 second jog! It took a solid month of this before I ever felt that I could breathe without difficulty.
A person with asthma has to build up exercising slowly. Overdoing it could have very serious consequences. I learned this hard way a few Fridays ago. The weather was just beautiful, and I went outside for a long run. I wanted to run most of the course. I was jogging 1 & a half minutes at a time, and had run 2 miles on the treadmill the day before. I was ready! Or so I thought…
On a treadmill, I would run a set speed; however, once outside, I just ran. Probably too fast. I also had hill & wind outside that I didn’t have on a treadmill. I ran about 2 & a half miles that day. I was so sick the next day and throughout the weekend! It took me nearly a week before I felt recovered enough to get back on the treadmill. But I did.
I’ve since built up to 2-minute jogs and may stay at this level for a while. I am coughing a little more than usual now. Maybe from overdoing, or maybe from all the pollen in the air. My original goal of jogging the entire 5K has been obliverated with concerns over my health. It may take months or even years, or I may never be able to jog a 5K in its entirety.
My goal now is just to finish! Without killing myself!
And that’s OKAY!!!
Have a great week reaching your goals!

 

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