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Running on Empty

I was reaching the end of a long run when I discovered a problem: I couldn't breathe

By Kate Chappell

It is one of the scariest feelings there is: struggling to take a breath, and when you finally do, discovering it does little to satisfy your need for oxygen.

Here's how I described it to my doctor when I finally decided I could ignore it no longer: it felt like I was inhaling through a tiny straw, and when I finally got oxygen into my lungs, it never seemed to be enough. So my muscles became leaden and I felt lightheaded. Sufferers of asthma know this feeling well. Especially those who run.

I was diagnosed with asthma just a few months ago - at age 31 - but when I look back, I see it has been a problem for several years. I didn't start out with respiratory problems. Throughout high school, I was a competitive synchronized swimmer and had no trouble with breathing. Then I began running and although I never broke any records, I built up my stamina and was free of any breathing difficulties.

That is, until a few years ago. I will never forget the first time I was afflicted by an attack. It's quite common on hot days, or days with smog warnings, for runners to find it more difficult to breathe. But this was more serious than just trying to inhale some soupy air. Near the end of a long run, I realized I could not inhale fully. As I laboured to breathe, I audibly gasped. My legs became heavy and I began to experience a "grey out." At that point, logic overpowered my stubbornness and I slowed from a run to a walk, something I had always avoided doing during a run.

As panic set in, I continued to walk and considered whether I should ask an approaching couple to call an ambulance. I decided against asking for help, and eventually, my breathing returned to normal. The attack passed and I was able to run home. This happened several more times over the next few years and I never did anything about it. I always explained it away: there was a smog warning that day, I was particularly anxious, or allergens in the air were unusually bad. And while those are definitely exacerbating factors for asthma, I see now they were merely triggers.

I finally admitted it was a problem encroaching on my running regime when it began to regularly impede me and force me to walk more than run. It was ruining my long runs; instead of looking forward to them, I was finding them a source of anxiety before and even fear while I was running. It was a strange feeling of isolation as I trotted along amongst other runners, wondering what would happen if I had to walk the entire way home. Even my family and friends started to worry about my long runs


So I visited my doctor this past winter. After I described my symptoms, she said, "It's exercise asthma," and prescribed an inhaler with Salbutamol, a medication for providing immediate relief during an attack.

Its effects were minimal. Faced with the possible reality of having to stop running, I felt a sense of grief. If you've ever had an injury that threatened to stop your training indefinitely, you probably know the feeling.

Meanwhile, I had promised a friend that I would join her in a half-marathon in May. It would be my second. But I was scared and uncertain. What would be the point if I had to walk most of it? I told my doctor the inhaler didn't help and that I wanted to run the half-marathon. She prescribed an oral asthma and allergy medication, which is aimed at improving the condition of the airways. But she sternly warned me, "If you get an attack, you have to stop running." That wouldn't be a problem. If I didn't stop when I had an attack, I would pass out. Fortunately, the tiny pill has worked. As well, drawing on my experience with yoga, I have trained myself to breathe through my nose instead of my mouth. This is supposed to help because it tempers dry or cold air, making it less of a shock on your lungs. Now, a few months later, my asthma seems to be under control. I attribute it to the medication, as well as the end of pollen season, which definitely worsens symptoms.

And on May 25, I ran the half-marathon in Ottawa. It was one of the best runs I've ever had. The weather was perfect, I had no breathing problems, and the cheering crowds buoyed my mood. Not to mention the fact that I beat my previous time by four minutes.

 

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