This is just a short commentary on Judy's senior year x-country season. Her girls team did not make the State Finals this year although Judy had a respectable season even though fighting through severe blisters early-on and I sense excercise-induced asthma throughout the season. I also have EIA and can sympathize--it isn't easy to diagnose, gradually worsens with age, and degrades aerobic fitness especially during a race. It doesn't take much loss of aerobic fitness to send you into oxygen dept and really sap you effort. What I have come to notice, after running with this condition for a long time, is that EIA does not permit those deep restorative breaths necessary to "blow-off' the effects of lactic acid build-up in your muscles and you develop severe muscle fatigue that you can't overcome.
I had noticed Judy strugglling during the Run Through The Grapevine race a few weeks
back: After the first 1-2 miles she was hurting, only taking short rapid breaths, and was slowing down. I kept prodding her to breath deep, but I don't think she was able to. I had let her use my Albuterol inhaler late in the race, but by then (as I know f
rom experience) it was too late and she was so tired it was a struggle to the finish line. Since then during our family runs she has been using my Albuterol inhaler before going out and seems to run much better, even on difficult training runs, without the need for stops or experiencing any discomfort. We'll discuss this with the pediatrician the next time we're there to get Judy her own Rx for Albuterol, ADVAIR, or whatever is usually presecribed for teenages with EIA.
I had noticed Judy strugglling during the Run Through The Grapevine race a few weeks
back: After the first 1-2 miles she was hurting, only taking short rapid breaths, and was slowing down. I kept prodding her to breath deep, but I don't think she was able to. I had let her use my Albuterol inhaler late in the race, but by then (as I know f
rom experience) it was too late and she was so tired it was a struggle to the finish line. Since then during our family runs she has been using my Albuterol inhaler before going out and seems to run much better, even on difficult training runs, without the need for stops or experiencing any discomfort. We'll discuss this with the pediatrician the next time we're there to get Judy her own Rx for Albuterol, ADVAIR, or whatever is usually presecribed for teenages with EIA. 
Anyway, the girls had a so-so season; and Judy got a bad chest cold toward the end of the season which really hurt her running times. Here are a couple of phots from the girls regional championship. The picture I like best is when the "pack" of runners is starting out (see picture at right). Seeing who sprints to the front and who maneuvers for position as the pack stretches out. Then later following how their relative positions change as the race proceeds. The course at the regionals is just hilly enough to separate the front pack of elite runners. The girl at the front of this picture had been winning all the league races this past season by wide margins and I think she may have set a course record in the county championships the week prior to this race. In that race she was way, way, way out front of everyone else. In this race she finished second and in the State Fina
ls two weeks later finished sixth. The weather this particular day was bizarre. In the afternoon, it was really pretty hot and I was thinking....Oh Boy! this is not good race weather, especially with Judy not quite being over her illness. But minutes before the start of the race a weather front stormed through. No rain, but very high winds and when the winds settled the weather had turned much cooler. Judy struggled to the finish (again I think of the breathing problem) with a respectable time but not what she would have been capable of if completely healthy. Oh well, now she's running more with Jane and I---and hopefully we'll be able to run some adult races together.
ls two weeks later finished sixth. The weather this particular day was bizarre. In the afternoon, it was really pretty hot and I was thinking....Oh Boy! this is not good race weather, especially with Judy not quite being over her illness. But minutes before the start of the race a weather front stormed through. No rain, but very high winds and when the winds settled the weather had turned much cooler. Judy struggled to the finish (again I think of the breathing problem) with a respectable time but not what she would have been capable of if completely healthy. Oh well, now she's running more with Jane and I---and hopefully we'll be able to run some adult races together. 
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