Running With Seasonal Allergies – A Complete Guide 2022

In many countries, spring weather is ending, and the cold weather is finally behind us. However, for many runners, the Spring months can be a difficult time because of seasonal allergies.

Pollen is one of the biggest causes of stuffy noses and itchy eyes during these months. It can make running much harder and affects your ability to enjoy it.

In this article, we discuss whether you should run with season allergies and whether running is a good idea or not.

 

Symptoms Of Seasonal Allergies

Symptoms of seasonal allergies are similar to that of a cold. It can bring on symptoms like:

– Tiredness
– Breathing issues
– Itchy eyes
– Watery eyes
– Headaches
– A stuffy nose
– Sneezing

For many runners, it can also cause breathing issues, especially during and after intense workouts. Because of this most medical experts are against any high-intensity exercise outside if you have any of the symptoms above caused by allergies.

Should You Run With Seasonal Allergies?

For most runners, it is ok to run with seasonal allergies. However, the best time to run with an allergy is when the pollen count is at its lowest. Tree and grass pollens tend to be at their highest during evening hours and ragweed tends to be higher in the morning, which means runners should avoid training at these times.

While it is not always possible to run outside of these hours, doing so can dramatically reduce the chances of being affected by allergies.

Additionally, runners struggling with allergies should know what their personal pollen count is. Some people experience symptoms at low pollen counts, while others can tolerate much high counts. So, it is important to keep track of symptoms and when they start.

Once you have a general idea of where your tolerance lies, you can plan your runs around these and avoid times when pollen count exceeds the level that starts to cause you symptoms. By doing so, you are less likely to affect your running during the spring months.

If you don’t regularly check weather conditions and pollen count, seasonal allergies can increase the risk of exercise-induced asthma, even if you don’t struggle with breathing issues.

Asthma attacks can be dangerous, so if your allergies are causing asthma issues when you run, you are better to stay inside and run on the treadmill until you can run outside without symptoms.

Is Running Good For Allergies?

Aerobic workouts like running can help relieve congestion from allergies. However, doing intense running workouts can make your allergies worse. So, it is important to ease back your training intensity if you struggle with allergies through the spring months.

The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology emphasizes that increasing workout intensity can increase symptoms rather than help.

However, that doesn’t mean you should run easy every day. If you can time your workouts when pollen count is at its lowest, you may be able to continue with your running intervals or tempo runs outside.

Alternatively, during your hard workout days, try moving your workout inside. Using a treadmill during days when pollen count is high can reduce the chances of developing symptoms and allow you to still get your quality workouts in.

Season Allergies & Running – Final Words

If easy back your training intensity and adjusting the time when you run doesn’t help you continue training when your allergies are at their worst, it is time to consult an allergy specialist. An allergy specialist will be able to identify exactly what your allergy is and what the main triggers are.