Weekly workouts: Fighting allergies and asthma (4/27-5/3)

13 May

I've taken it extremely easy this past week. My allergies and asthma have both been completely out of control, and I've even used my nebulizer a few times. So between that, and coming off my double half marathon training season and three half marathons in the past 4 months at less than a year post-baby, I felt like an easy week was necessary.

I've been mulling over this asthma/allergy thing because it's not only annoying, but quite frankly, scary. I'm wheezing almost constantly, not just when I run, and it's really starting to affect my mental state since normal activities (like walking outside) have even caused it. Never mind running, which has been pretty miserable in general lately, no matter what the pace.

Last year when I was pregnant, had stopped running by this time, but was having massive allergy and asthma problems (which is when I acquired the nebulizer). I chalked the asthma up to pregnancy, but looking back, I think it had more to do with location. Last year was the first spring allergy season for us here in Charleston, and clearly, I had some issues. Since I wasn't running (or outside as much), I didn't realize how bad they really were.

Enter: this year. I've been sick almost non-stop since March. And most of it, I'm starting to believe, was allergy-related and not actual sickness. As mentioned, most of my runs involved wheezing and misery, no matter how slow or fast I go. And we've already discussed the terrible races I've left in my wake this spring because of this. While the humidity bothered me in Charlotte, and I did have allergies there, it was nothing like it is here. I can't even remember taking an allergy medicine regularly there. And I was able to run a hilly spring (April) half marathon in Charlotte and still PR (at the time). So there's definitely something (literally) in the air here in Charleston.

I'm planning to go to the doctor this week because the wheezing needs to stop and I may need to adjust my asthma meds while we're in the thick of spring allergy season. In the meantime, I picked up a different allergy medicine and took it today, and for the first time in weeks, I'm not wheezing or coughing like crazy. Maybe once I get my allergies under control, the asthma will work itself out even if it's humid outside.

The good news is, I've been in Charleston already for two fall allergy seasons and didn't seem to be affected then. This makes sense since many years ago, when I went to an allergist, we discovered the things I'm most allergic to are trees and cats. And trees are the biggest problem in the spring, and I just generally stay away from cats. So at least for most of the year, I feel okay, but wow, you guys, these spring months are awful and I do not want to feel like this next spring, nor do I want to have races like I had this year again, so hopefully the doc can help me manage this mess.

In brighter news, I finally picked up my East Shore Athletic Club (ESAC) membership card. I'm not even going to say how long I've been paying for a membership and not using it (but it may have been while I was still pregnant). Ahem. Anyway, the one near me has an indoor track, so I'm looking forward to some indoor runs that don't involved a treadmill if it gets too hot this summer. Plus they've got BodyPump and BodyFlow classes that I need to take advantage of.

And lastly (and then I'll end my rambling), I've got the Moms' Run 5K this coming Saturday, and I'm running it with little B in the stroller. Since I've only run a handful of times with the BOB so far, and B is getting heavier, I figured I should probably get it out this week. So I ran one 3-miler with him and I'll probably try get in a few more before the race next weekend. Not because I want to PR (hahaha!) or run fast(ish), but because I just want to make sure I don't feel like an awkward mess trying to maneuver that thing in front of hundreds of people at a race. I don't want to be that person.

And that's that. A pretty uneventful week. Sometime we need those.

The week in workouts: