Friday, August 30, 2013

Running with Asthma

Any of my Facebook friends should know that I am a runner.  I compete in races, I don’t update often, but when I do there’s a good chance the update is about a great run I did. One of my New Year goals was to run a race for every month of the year.  My favorite race length is the 10k (a little over 6 miles), but I also compete in Half Marathons as well as silly and fun 5ks.


A little less known is that I have asthma.  The type of asthma, that when I was young, I frequented a doctor’s office.  The type of asthma where I carried an emergency inhaler around with me, as well as using other steroid inhalants, to try to keep it under control through much of my schooling.  The type of asthma where, to this day, I watch pollen counts; if it gets too bad, I don’t leave the house.


Before we get too far, lets define asthma.  Asthma is a disease that impacts how air gets to your lungs.  Generally, the airways to an asthmatics lungs are slightly inflamed, and allergies or other factors are likely to cause them to swell. This restricts how much oxygen actually gets to the lungs.  More mucus may also be created, further clogging the airways and further reducing the oxygen.  Things like cat or dog hair, pollen, and other allergens will cause this; so can other factors, such as humidity, dust, or heat.


Having less oxygen impacts a lot of things.  Obviously first and foremost is your ability to breathe.  It is terrifying to not be able to breathe.  Ever felt like you were drowning?  It’s like that, except you can’t swim to the surface because you are already on the surface. You are already surrounded by wonderful, breathable, oxygen, and its killing you.  Generally, it just feels like a shortness of breath, and more of your energy and concentration becomes dedicated to breathing.  But if this continues for a period of time, it means the rest of your body is also getting less oxygen; specifically your limbs.  And if you are using those limbs, such as while you are running, they need the oxygen.  The lack of oxygen they are receiving starts causing fatigue, pain, and increases the chance for injury.


When I am training, I get to set the time, the place, for how long and how far I run.  If its high pollen count, too hot, or humid, I can decide to wake up early or run later in the evening.  If its really bad, I can just reschedule for the next day.  If in the middle of the run something unexpected occurs, its a training day, I can decide to slow my pace down and I’ll just kick my butt the next day I run.


Races do not afford me this luxury.  While I have some choice on which races I go, I don’t get to choose day, time, or location.  Outside of extreme circumstances, a race isn't going to change just because of bad weather, pollen count, or other factors that may cause me to reschedule my training.


There have been many races I have gone out and crushed the race.  Where I have impressed myself and those I frequently run with.  But, the majority of my races have ended with me disappointed, and potentially in tears.  The conditions became too much for my lungs, and thus my body, to continue.  A recent example was a half marathon in Albany.  The first 4 miles, I am rocking it.  I have around a 9 min / mile pace, and my friend, who I have never beaten in a timed race, is eating my dust.  After 4 miles though, I start eating dust. Literally.  The race takes us into an area of large fields.  The fields are dust fields.  This wouldn't be too bad, but some of the fields are currently being tilled.  There are visible clouds of dust crossing the path we are running on.  And this goes on for the next 6 miles.  I immediately feel the effects of the dust.  I manage to continue through the next 2 miles.  My friend catches up to me at mile 6, and is willing to go slow, with frequent stops, for the next few miles.  I keep trying to get back to a good running pace, but I am struggling to breathe.  This means my limbs are also starting to fail me.  Even after we get back to an area not in the dust fields, it takes me awhile to start breathing right, and to get my body feeling good.  I had to be careful at this point not to injure myself as well.


I have run a race where, after 2 miles, I had to stop and walk out because I was honestly afraid I might die.  I've had races where, days earlier I ran a great deal more than the entire race, only to find myself walking half the race.  There have been races where someone is complaining they haven't trained at all for this race, and despite my running 3-5 times a week, I get crushed by the one who doesn't train. There have been many heartbreaks.  A lot of disappointed tears.


Why do I keep doing it?  Races provide both a social outlet and competitive outlet.  I wouldn't use either adjective to describe me, but races are one of the few times I get to be them.  If you've ever run a race with me, you’ll see me cheering on people.  I've had great conversations in races with complete strangers.  Races are motivating.  Another great reason is if I've spent money to do something, I’m going to do it the best I can.  It keeps me training.  If conditions are bad, I might say “I’ll train tomorrow,” and with a race I’ll go out tomorrow twice as hard.  Without a race though, I’ll keep saying “tomorrow” until a few months have gone by, and then I’ll be starting from scratch.


So why run at all?  There are plenty of other things I could do that are competitive and social.  Running is one of the best exercises.  It is easy, relatively cheap, and its positive health effects are not just physical, but mental as well.  It helps me combat my stress and anxiety.  Running is almost a meditation, and really helps get things into perspective.

But there’s something beyond that.  I run because I have asthma.  I run because I've been told I can’t, or shouldn't, do what I do.  I do it because its hard, and the struggle is worth it.  I do it because every time I complete a run, that’s something I've done that others have not, when I should not be able to.  I do it because if I can overcome that, I can overcome anything.

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