I have asthma but got to 10k, now I can barely do 2k, help!

[Newrunner212]

Hi all

I’ve been running since mid January and made it to 10k a few weeks ago and have been progressing steadily. I have asthma and had a cold and couldn’t run for a couple of weeks, but now I’m getting back into it I can barely run 2k. I can feel my chest seizing up as soon as I start to run and eventually I just have to stop. Anyone with any advice at all I would really appreciate. I’m just feeling disheartened because I felt like I was doing so well and now I’m back to square one

[Buddy34 Graduate]

My advice to you as you have asthma is try taking a daily anti histamine. My daughter has asthma and her breathing gets worse from this time of year and takes a tablet daily from now until October. She never had hay fever until she had asthma and it helped her symptoms. Maybe talk it over with your doctor first obviously. Hope this helps 😊

[Newrunner212 in reply to Buddy34]

That is very helpful! It’s always nice to hear from someone that knows someone going through a similar experience. I was only diagnosed last year so I’m just trying to find ways to keep to a normal lifestyle having always been fit and healthy otherwise. Thank you 😊

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

I’m thinking that you haven’t followed guidelines for developing your legs and aerobic capacity as from mid January with no time off you’d be just past the nine week C25K plan and yet you did 10k a few weeks ago. Taking things slowly would allow your fitness to catch up and the lungs to develop, despite asthma.

What triggers your asthma? Spring has sprung and the air is very different now than it was in January... maybe some pollens off the tree blossom aren’t helping matters? Antihistamines (as above) could help a lot.

[Newrunner212 in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Thanks for your advice I was half following the plan for C25K and just doing what my body would allow. I had been running before but just got back into it. I’ve been doing strength training in between and found that a massive help. I think you’re right about the pollen, I’ll give the antihistamines a go but otherwise I guess I’ll find another way to work out until we’re back to autumn! Thanks for your help 🙂

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to Newrunner212]

Could be a specific pollen if it is that, in which case it would only last a few weeks. Strengthening work really does help... one marathon coach I was listening to recently was promoting the virtues of hardly doing any running in the first few weeks and just getting strong and thus more resilient to injury. I think in your current position id run 2k a few times and then up it slowly again.

[Newrunner212 in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Thanks for all your advice. Been on the antihistamines an got out for a run today and sailed through it after taking my pace down. Chuffed 👍

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to Newrunner212]

That’s great news... well done.

[Comte Graduate]

Sorry to hear about your asthma. I had this as a boy and used a Ventolin inhaler if I had an attack. The asthma eventually went away completely and I no longer suffer from it. I remember that just running was enough to trigger an asthma attack.