Living with asthma: Paula Radcliffe

Paula Radcliffe, running, mid-race.I have exercise-induced asthma which was first recognised when I started training seriously at the age of 14. I get a tight chest, become short of breath and sometimes I feel dizzy. I am also sensitive to other common triggers such as house-dust mites, air pollution, tobacco smoke, and some pollens. If I have a cold or viral infection I have to take extra care when exercising.

Luckily my asthma is well controlled. I take my peak flow readings regularly so I can make sure I'm always getting the right level of treatment.

Sport was my real passion at school. I enjoyed languages and maths but athletics was what I really excelled at. It wasn't until my second year at University ��� when I competed in the World Championships and finished seventh ��� that I decided to pursue a career in athletics.

 
"If you have asthma, don't let it restrict your life ��� learn how to control it ��� don't let it control you. If you learn to manage your asthma and take the correct medication there's no reason why you shouldn't be the best."

Paula Radcliffe

My typical day

On a typical day, I get up at about 8am and take my preventer inhaler.

I train for a couple of hours in the morning. Before I start my run I warm up and do stretching exercises before my run, which takes between 30 and 90 minutes.

I always take my reliever inhaler before I start exercising. I normally have two puffs of reliever but sometimes I increase this dose, especially if it's the hay fever season or there seems to be more air pollution around. After breakfast I may do some strengthening exercises and I usually weight train at least twice a week. I have a sleep in the afternoon (it’s important to get plenty of rest!) and then go out training again about 5pm for up to two hours. I always take my preventer inhaler again at night before going to bed.

Preparing for a race

Before a race I have to prepare myself both mentally and physically. I rehearse different race scenarios in my mind and try to imagine what will happen at each stage. If I'm really nervous I'll use relaxation techniques too.

It's very important for me to warm-up gently and gradually before I exercise. This helps make sure my asthma doesn't interfere with my training. The warm-up session lasts about 45 minutes, which is more than the typical training session. I always jog at a gentle pace for about 10 to 15 minutes before a race and do lots of stretching. This is very important, especially in cold weather.

Career High points

There have been a number of high points in my career so far. These include:
• winning the 2005 World Championships marathon in Helsinki
• winning the 2005 Flora London Marathon
• winning the New York Marathon in 2004
• winning the London Marathon in 2003 in a world record time
• winning the World Half-Marathon Championships in 2003 in Portugal
• winning the Chicago Marathon and setting a new world record in 2002
• winning gold in the 10K and 5K in the European Championships and the Commonwealth Games respectively in 2002

Paula's Top Training Tips