Intervals with an inhaler

Tonight I went to the gym and did my intervals and skipping. I took a puff of the inhaler about 30 minutes beforehand and got through the skipping very well (in fact it was the best skipping I've done) and then I did my warm up ready for the intervals.

My first interval gave me a bit of chest pain at around 5 minutes so I used the inhaler again. Ironically, the last 3 minutes of the interval was much easier than the first 3. I really enjoyed the session today (which is a bit of a first for me) and my chest was OK for most of the time, and I even finished the last two minutes of the final interval at a 8.55mm pace.
What I did notice was that my diaphragm was aching by the end of the intervals... something I can honestly say I have never experienced before. Is that because I'm breathing deeper than usual? I really don't know. I looked up exercise induced asthma (or EIA as it's better known) today and read that the excessive breathing done during running causes a bronchial spasm which then causes a narrowing of the airways and therefore reduces the amount of oxygen getting into the lungs which in turn allows less oxygen to get to your muscles and causes fatigue. All interesting stuff!

So, I ended up running the second fastest intervals I've ever done, today. I'd love to say I found them easy, but I didn't. However they weren't anywhere near as bad as they normally are. When I went to the changing room afterwards, I didn't have to sit on the bench for 5 minutes trying to collect myself together before getting changed for the sauna, instead I felt rather refreshed. My face was red, but it wasn't the horrible crimson/purple colour it normally goes... and I couldn't help but think of the day I went to see my mam in hospital when she had had a very severe attack. Her face was bloated to almost double the size and was a horrible crimson/purple colour (way way darker and more severe than mine has ever gone). The doctor told us that it was that size and colour due to having too much carbon dioxide in her body, caused by her asthma attack.

I don't believe that I suffer from this every time I exercise though. I think the speculation of colder weather, traffic fumes and a high pollen count is probably what would trigger it off for me... otherwise, surely I would have become aware of it much earlier than age 40! And I don't think I'm suddenly going to become this fantastically great runner... but I do think running is going to feel a bit more comfortable for me from now on, so it's all good!