Cold air + lungs = :-(

[earl-grey-sian]

After resting since last Thursday, due to a recurrence of a calf problem, this evening was W4R3. My sainted aunt, it was hard. My asthmatic lungs really struggled with the cold air when running, but even more afterwards.

I felt like I was struggling with my breathing due to the cold, but my legs were so heavy I felt like I was dragging them around the route. But, according to Runkeeper it was my fastest average pace since I was only running for 1 minutes at a time. That pace is still very slow. Just a juffle at best. How can a session that feels so appallingly bad appear to have gone relatively well according to the stats. I think I'll repeat the run once more before trying to drag my sorry body into week 5.

Ooh, one more thing; After having a stitch a few runs ago, today I followed Laura's advice about being well hydrated before running. The result was no stitch, but felt like I was going to wet myself each time I broke into a juffle!

Does this thing EVER get easier?

[BigEd]

Hi Earl, well done for getting as far as you have! I am asthmatic but as long as i take my meds i am OK. I guess being anaemic cant be helping you either. Keep going and good luck though, Ed x

[earl-grey-sian Graduate]

Thanks Ed. You seem to be doing ok too.

[Stephy Graduate]

You are doing fine! And it does get better. I have the same problem. It tooke me almost 20 weeks to finish the 9 week program but I'm done and so can u. In the cold when I go out running i use a wide headband that was meant to cover my ears. I moved it down to cover my nose and my mouth. It works really well and I don't get too hot in it.

[BigEd]

Good idea Stephy, Ed

[Pearsey]

You need to warm the air going into your lungs, so wear a headband, as Stephy suggested, or a mask. You also need to take your Ventolin, or whatever dilator you have prescribed with you in case of need. The heavy legs are due to lack of O2. Have you got a low HB as well as Asthma? As long as I take my meds before I go out, cover my mouth and nose up I can tolerate the damp/cold. What is your peakflow-are you checking before and after running. There should be an increase following your run. If not, then maybe your technique is poor for inhaling your dilator? Check it out with the leaflet inside the box, or visit your Practice Nurse, or Nurse Practitioner for advice.

Good luck and I do hope you improve soon.

Colette x

[earl-grey-sian Graduate in reply to Pearsey]

I never leave the house without ventolin! My lungs are actually better than they have been for years, thanks to a change from Beclamethasone to Seretide after my last hospital admission. My lungs just don't like cold damp air and no amount of ventolin seems to convince them otherwise. The heavy legs aren't helped by chronic anaemia.

There's no hope fr me really, but I'm very stubborn!

[Pearsey]

Keep being stubborn! Yes, I know how badly the damp affects the lungs-I have the same problem, but I cover my mouth and nose with a scarf (not wool) and it helps. I found Beclamethasone unhelpful too, but had an allergic reaction to Sereotide. I have Symbicort, and it seems to be ok-for now. Unfortunately after a while a change will once again be needed. Good to hear that you are so much better with Serotide-hopefully no more hospital admissions? No, not anaemia causing the heavy legs, but lack of O2 because you are not absorbing enough into your red blood cells which feed your muscles. Try the abdominal breathing technique-you get 20% more air into your lungs when you breathe this way and therefore more O2. It takes practice to master it, but then you will not revert back to "adult" breathing. I used to teach this to all my patients when I ran my Asthma clinic, and without exception all found a marked improvement in their ability to undertake exercise. Give it a go. There is hope for you, and it can be sorted :-).

Colette x