Cyclist Annette Edmondsonon on Training for The Olympics with Exercise-Induced Asthma

How does your exercise-induced asthma affect your exercise?

To get my exercise-induced asthma under control, I use daily contraceptives with an inhaler before or during my trips. One of the most important management factors for my exercise-induced asthma is awareness. By being able to recognize symptoms, calm my breathing – and in some cases know when to stop, I was able to limit the effects of my asthma as much as possible.

This is why I was so excited to be part of Dyson’s portable aerial surveillance technology project – any way I can make simple daily changes to reduce my exposure to harmful pollutants is a win for me! I had always thought about how air pollution could affect me, especially when I was on the road as part of my training – for example, when a bus leaves in front of us or we are in heavy rush hour traffic. While driving around Adelaide on the road, I saw spikes in pollutants like PM2.5 (microscopic particles like smoke) and NO2 (nitrogen dioxide) in my results, and I was able to understand what I was exposed to.

Plus, I’d never really thought about the quality of the air in my own home – that was really the most shocking part of the whole project! It was insane to see both the data results and my Dyson formaldehyde cleaner, which picks up harmful pollutants and gases while doing normal everyday tasks like cooking, cleaning, or even unpacking new furniture.

What does your training look like in the run-up to July?

In the run-up to July, things really got better for me. I’ve hit the highway to train with the team in Queensland and I’ve been spending more and more time at the velodrome preparing for the biggest competition of the year. We’ve completed a major road bike and fitness block in Adelaide in the past few months, so it’s all about speed now; short, sharp efforts on the track with the aim of going fast.

In addition to the physical aspects, there are many elements that make up my exercise regimen – like making sure I eat healthily and get enough sleep at night. Lately I’ve been thinking more about how the quality of the air I breathe could affect me, and I recently did a global study with Dyson that looked at how air quality looked at my well-being and performance can influence.

As part of the study, I carried Dyson’s specially designed prototype air quality backpack equipped with air monitoring sensors and a GPS to track my personal exposure to air pollution throughout my day. In all honesty, I was pretty shocked by the pollution in the air around me, especially when I was at home – things like cooking and cleaning triggered the sensors, as did driving down the main streets of my hometown Adelaide!

What does a typical workout in the gym look like?

Our workouts in the gym vary depending on the time of preparation. At the beginning of a block, we usually spend three units a week in the gym, each of which lasts up to two hours. We do middle weights at the beginning of the block and try to do lots of reps to build a solid base. As we approach a competition, we reduce the number of reps and increase the weights with more rest between sets to be faster on the track. We tend to focus on two leg exercises i.e. deadlift / leg press / squat per session and six core exercises.

What about your diet?

As an athlete, a healthy lifestyle is incredibly important, and diet is a really important part of it – when you’re exercising intensely, getting strength and energy levels is essential! We focus on consuming a lot of carbohydrates before intensive training sessions and make sure that we consume at least 20 g of protein for regeneration immediately after the training sessions.

In the run-up to competitions, our exercise volume is reduced, which means we burn fewer calories, so we need to start cutting down on our “naughty” treats. My weakness is chocolate, so this is the main habit I eliminate in order to get as lean as possible before the competition.

My motto is “everything in moderation” for most of the training and “listen to your body” when it comes to how much and when you eat. Your body will tell you what it needs!

How do you prepare yourself mentally?

Since we haven’t been able to compete in international races for 18 months, I watch racing videos to get the right attitude. As I watch these videos, I am making race notes and planning race strategies.

We’re also fortunate to have access to a sports psychologist, so I make sure I check in with her to make sure everything is in order, as well as regular “check-ins” with my support network.

Life is about balance, so it is important not to stray too far from the competition that is too “exhausting” or “overwhelmed”. Allocating space and time for downtime is very important. I make sure that at least an hour a day is spent “switching off” by walking, reading or watching a movie in the fresh air.

source https://dailyhealthynews.ca/cyclist-annette-edmondsonon-on-training-for-the-olympics-with-exercise-induced-asthma/