Asthma sufferers?

You should really see your doctor about it. Asthma attacks can KILL you.

My daughter has asthma and she has been running 8 miles a day for several years in addition to doing other cardio work, but you do need to talk with your doctor. It is not a risk you should take without doctor supervision.

Hey! I also have asthma which makes working out and giving it my all a big challenge. From waht I have been told, when you keep working out asthma starts to get better, well lessen I guess. Other than that I am not really sure. I just try and pace myself. I push myself because my body needs the challenge, but pace myself as well because asthma is really uncomfortable.

Talk to you doctor about it, and get a really good inhaler.

Sorry if this doesn't help in any way. But feel free to add me.

Just to say this depends on what kind of asthma you have and how serious. I've had asthma since I was a child and no amount of exercise or fitness has made it better. OP we can all give you personal experiences and advice but as another post said asthma can be very serious and is really something you need to speak to a doc about!

Nicole x

Thanks all! My doctor kinda sucks (I think it's time to find a new one- she doesn't really listen or seem interested in listening) so she hasn't been very concerned or responsive to my asthma questions. I have brought it up to her before, but not in the past few months that I've been REALLY exercising.

find a new doctor, and if you've been seeing your regular primary care doctor thus far, try to find a pulmonary specialist, the difference in care you get is like night and day

Hi Lisa. Fellow asthmatic runner here. I have my good & bad days with asthma too. Kind of depends what your asthmatic (and/or allergic) triggers are (e.g., pollen & mold counts, etc.).Are you sensitive to pollen & mold? I try to move my runs indoors to treadmill when I know pollen & mold counts are super-high. Or I designate some of those days for cross-training (esp. swimming-backstroke pretty easy for most of us asthmatics). Do you use a peak flow meter? That's one great way to monitor where you are with VO2 capacity which is important. Some days my lungs simply tell me I can't run (maybe walk instead) or I should shorten the run or stop & take a break to catch my breath. I also use Jeff Galloway's method of marathon training which allows generous walk breaks (rest legs + catch my breath too). Carry my albuterol inhaler with me everywhere. I have been able to work through many 5Ks, 10Ks, more than a dozen marathons despite my asthma. To some extent, the more I run, the less frequent my asthma symptoms become (although get fatigued breathing sometimes when I run really long). I've tried to focus on taking much deeper breaths when running (there's a 3:2 breathing technique that Runner's World identified that many of us, including me, are trying-it seems to work/help). There are breathing techniques that might be able to help you. There was a day when I couldn't run more than 1/4 mile due to asthma but with good treatment for it, asthma medicine, and a lot of practice, I'm able to run a lot more than was formerly possible. Hang in there and good luck. With proper treatment and learning great symptomatic techniques of managing this illness, I'm confident you can handle this. My motivation to keep running in part is to crush my asthma. Maybe set a 5K race as a goal and see what happens. -Jeremy Murphy

Try to find a good allergy/asthma specialist in your area. I have asthma, however not exercised induced, but from allergies. I cycle, practice martial arts and do cardio but I don't run. I do have friends that are avid runners who suffer from asthma. They have it under control so they can run etc. Definitely get checked out and get cleared or have a maintenance plan as well as a rescue plan in place. Once you know what your dealing with and how to treat it you should be able to do whatever you want to.

I've had asthama since I was a child too. Like everyone here. It got better when I started running, and for the most part it's in check. However, there will be days, weeks even where running takes more effort than I think it does for a normal person. (This also means that regular activites aren't affected by my asthma which was occuring before I turned over this health nut thing.) Just keep you inhaler close and always try to improve your run each time out. And yeah, find another doctor.