Asthma, Allergies and Running: A Look at Why I May Qualify as an Olympic Athlete

Guess what?  I may actually have what it takes to be an Olympian.  Wo....really!  But, before we get there, I have something to acknowledge. (Read on for my hopes of becoming an Olympic sprinter.)

In another blog post, I admitted to being a sweat-er.  Today, I have another confession to make.  Yes, my ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat doctor) kicked me out of his office.  Why?  Because he didn't know how to help me and my allergies any longer. 

 
He's known to be a pretty matter of fact guy.  But, after several years of allergy shots and various medications (we're talking multiple trials of oral and nasal meds, Neti pots, saline sprays...you name it)  he looked at me one day and said, "I don't think you should come back.  There's nothing else I can do for you.  Whatever we're doing hasn't worked."  And, he started to walk away.

A little stunned, I asked, "So, what should I do?"  

His response as he looked back over his shoulder, "I have no idea."

Now, this was a number of years ago, before I started running and it bothered me, but not enough to do anything much about it.  I had once heard someone say their doctor told them that if you live in Pennsylvania (Penns WOODS, for heaven's sake!), it's not a question of IF you'll get allergies....it's a matter of WHEN.

Fast forward to three years ago when I started running.  On one of my early treadmill runs, I had to stop after just a few minutes and I remember being dizzy, sweating and gasping for air.  I had to lie down and that turned into a three or four hour nap, after which I didn't feel any better. 

If I'd go out for a run in the cold, I'd come back and have similar symptoms. 

Finally, I decided to see an allergist (also a runner) who said all my tests showed nothing wrong, but obviously something was going on.  His diagnosis?  Allergies with a side of exercise-induced asthma (EIA).   So, he prescribed Singulair and a rescue inhaler.  For the first time, I could BREATHE while I ran!

But, that hasn't stopped my breathing problems.  

Last fall with a high mold count, I had some especially challenging runs.  Most caused me to cough and hack so much that other runners stopped to see if I was OK.  I also remember one particularly challenging run that went partially through a trail in the woods (yeah, that was smart, huh?).  I thought I'd have to finish that run on my knees.  And, I'm darned lucky I made it past mile 1 in the Baltimore Marathon relay.  (I kept thinking...it's only 5.7 miles to get to my teammate.  I can't stop at MILE 1!) 

At a 5K last Sunday, I was doing just fine and trying to get a PR (personal record for the non-runners reading this) and then, there it was....a short incline.  The rational part of my brain urged me to walk it (because hills of any size can exacerbate my conditions) while the competitive part said, "Nah...you're running great.  Kill the hill!"  So, of course, I promptly sprinted up the hill passing numerous other runners.  Then, I got to the top where there were these lovely blooming trees and....I knew I was done.  Suddenly, my chest got tight, I started feeling dizzy and I lost all my energy.  Damned lungs!  No PR for me!

That experience along with a chat with a friend made me curious about runners with asthma.  And guess what I found out?  I'm in AWESOME company.  Yes, a high percentage of Olympic athletes have some kind of asthma. Twenty percent of the US athletes at the Atlanta games in 1996 had asthma and more than 1000 applications were approved to use asthma medications at the 2000 Beijing games.  Data from the 2012 games estimates that 17 percent of distance runners had an exercise-induced asthma diagnosis. This compares with a national average of 10%.
 
It's not known whether it's because they are so focused on their breathing that they notice subtle differences more than the average person or if the extended training takes a toll on their lung function. 

Now, here's what's even more interesting.  The Olympic athletes diagnosed with asthma will have twice the chance of getting a medal than those without.   It's actually something known as the asthmatic advantage.  For years, it was thought that the use of inhaled steroids gave the asthmatic athlete an advantage.  But, this has been proven untrue because if it were, non-asthmatic athletes would gain an advantage when using them, too.  Studies showed this simply didn't happen. 

In fact, famous athletes like Mark Spitz and Jackie Joyner-Kersee have suffered from asthma.
 

http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/mark%20spitz

So, now I offer myself hope!  Especially because, last summer as I was watching the Olympics with some girlfriends, I mentioned that in my next life, I'd like to come back as an Olympic sprinter.  Why?  Well, because they've got these well-defined muscles, they can run really fast, but...most importantly....their hair still looks awesome when they've finished.  That can be HUGE for a sweaty girl like me!

http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/bianca%20knight

Web MD also suggests that those with exercise-induced asthma have longer warm-ups and consider sports with short bursts of exertion (like sprinting) rather than a longer need for lung exertion. 

So, it looks as if I need to give up distance running and take up sprinting.  Pardon me while I head to the track....

(Okay, now that we've had our good laugh for the day, I'll go back to seeing what I can do to manage my allergies and EIA for my upcoming half.)

For what this is worth, I've gone back to using a salt treatment room as of today (in addition to Singulair, rescue inhaler and Zyrtec) and I'm seeing the first relief I've noticed in a while. I do believe in the merits of alternative therapies and have tried reflexology and acupuncture, but disappointingly, haven't seen any results with them.  But, the salt room treatment is showing promise.  

Now, maybe if I go to the salt treatment room enough, I can make those Olympic dreams come true.... 


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