Does any tough runner call themselves asthmatic?

The failure to properly diagnose my asthma ultimately cost me a good portion of my career. I was well in to my 40s before my allergies (ragweed and a mold called alternaria) and asthma were properly diagnosed.

Both ragweed and alternaria peak in the fall. Every year I would hit a point in cross country season when my performances just fell off a cliff. I'm certain it cost me at least a state cross country title in high school. I was walking through races and was had lost just once to someone not in our state class. At the state meet, I moved in to the lead for the first time at the halfway point and thought the races was over. Within a 100 meters, I couldn't breathe and drifted back to tenth. After the race, my legs were blue and there's no doubt now that I had an asthma attack.

I college, I had a number of similar experiences. I would start the season in great shape, then by mid-late October (when ragweed and alternaria are both in full bloom), I would just fall apart. By late November (after a freeze had taken them out), I'd be back to normal. I never understood it and wreaked havoc on my confidence.

But I never knew any of that. Now, properly treated, I sail through running in the fall. I learned years later that my doctor had told my parents that I had "asthmatic bronchitis" when I was a kid and that I would "probably grow out of it." Needless to say, I didn't. What I wouldn't give to be able to roll back the clock and be able to get some of those cross country seasons back and be able to breathe throughout the season.

spoken like a puss cake wrote:

blah blah blah blah.....I am really tough but I have a bad ass case of asthma.

TRANSLATION

I am a puss cake.

hahaha :)

That's BS about dad saying...come on! Paula Radcliff is another diagnosed w/asthma. I've won 2 marathons and have been hospitalized w/asthma (once I quit breathing). Having it somewhat under control w/medication helps. However, I do know that there are more individuals being diagnosed w/exercise induced asthma.

HS tell dad I will GLADLY race him anytime to prove who is "tough".

coincidence that the two world record holders for the marathon are both "asthmatic" and have TUE's for Albuterol?

There are some legitimate people with asthma. There are more MISdiagnosed than there are legitimate cases. This board is a poor sampling. This board is made up of people that were never good enough but needed an excuse. That is the same group that have been diagnosed with asthma. This means that you are going to find a great number of apologists on this web site.

Funny post.

Anyone who legitimately suffers from asthma will tell you that it's no joking matter. I have a similar condition (vocal chord dysfunction) that took me to the emergency room once and caused me to pass out during a 3200 that I should have won. Coming to the realization while running that I literally could not breathe at all scared the crap out of me...I ended up passing out while running and falling onto the infield.

I then ran the mile that night. I'm not claiming to be the toughest person in the world but if I was a pussy I would never have run that second race.

tons of Inner city kids have inhalers