Paula Radcliffe, athlete, marathon runner and mother of one, has had asthma all her life. She discusses how it’s made her more determined to succeed.
Paula's positive attitude to her asthma makes her the perfect role model for others with the condition. “I don't think asthma has affected my career,” she says. “If anything, it's made me more determined to succeed and reach my maximum potential.
"If you learn to manage your asthma and take the correct medication, there's no reason why you shouldn't be the best.
“I have exercise-induced asthma, which was first recognised when I started training seriously at the age of 14. I take my peak flow readings regularly to make sure I'm always getting the right level of treatment. When training, I take my preventer inhaler first thing in the morning, and I always take my reliever inhaler before I start exercising.
“It's very important for me to warm up gently and gradually before I compete. This ensures that my asthma doesn't interfere with my training.
“The message I always try to communicate is: control your asthma, don’t let it control you.”
