Breathless

I knew Ironman training wouldn't be smooth sailing. Like the race itself, I knew there would be setbacks, times where I had doubts, injuries, sickness... or all of the above. So, 6 weeks ago I got a chest cold and like just about everyone in my neighborhood, a cough that seemed like it would never go away. I didn't miss a day of training, until a couple of weeks later when I got hit with the stomach bug that derailed me for one day. And the coughing persisted, but the training continued. At times it seemed better for a few days, but then returned as this tightness in my chest, feeling like I couldn't get a full breath. When I ran, I noticed my heart-rate was higher than usual, and I've just been so TIRED. I'd had something like this several months ago and was put on an inhaler for a few days. Yesterday, it got worse. It felt like my airway was tightening and I had to sleep with three pillows last night to get any relief. So this morning I called the doctor and after listening to me and seeing this had happened not so long ago, I was told I likely have asthma. How can I have asthma? Can I suddenly just "get" asthma?! Apparently, I can. It can be triggered by things like a virus, and sometimes once that happens, it doesn't go away. Crap. But she gave me the albuterol inhaler that I had last time and said if it doesn't work, I'm going to have to go on the real deal next week. I've already taken two hits off that thing today and it's not working. I'm feeling discouraged. I couldn't even run today because I can't take a full breath without triggering a coughing fit. I'm nine weeks into my Ironman training and I suddenly feel like I'm 80 years old gasping for breath getting up the stairs. I'm going to do my best to get through my morning run with Deanne tomorrow, and the swim that I blew off today. And Sunday is my first 3-hour bike ride. But I need to be able to breathe. Breathing is important for Ironman training.