MCM Mama Runs

MCM Mama Runs for Beer and Bling

  • Home
  • About MCM Mama
  • Racing the U.S.A.
  • Tuesdays on the Run
  • VA/MD/DC Blogs
  • I Heart Craft Beer
  • Disclosure
You are here: Home / running / Running through a pollen coated world

Running through a pollen coated world

April 27, 2016 by MCM Mama 6 Comments

Disclosure: I have received promotional consideration from MinuteClinic. All opinions are my own.

Spring is my big race season. While this year has been particularly crazy, I often have a race multiple weekends a month in the spring. Spring is also allergy season around here and, like many people, I have allergies. Virginia is a really awful state for allergies – I didn’t realize how bad mine were until I went to college here and I’ve had friends tell me that they never had allergies until they moved here.

But I can’t let my allergies get in the way of my running. I have goalz, you know.

Mercury requirements

I have your typical allergy symptoms: itchy eyes and runny nose, but on particularly bad days, I also have some issues with my breathing. Not enough to feel the need to take any drastic steps like an inhaler or get allergy shots, but enough to mess with my running, so I have to stay on top of things.

I can always tell when I have allergies because of the itchy eyes (and oh, my goodness, the itching inside my ears!), but if you are wondering whether you have a cold or allergies, here are some differences:

  • If you start sniffling and coughing at the same time each year and your symptoms come on suddenly, it may be allergies.
  • If you have a cough, it’s probably a cold. Most people with a cold will have a cough, but not everyonewith allergies has this symptom.
  • If you’re aching all over, it’s probably a cold, not allergies. Aches and pains are not symptoms of allergies.
  • Itchy eyes are a common symptom of allergies but RARELY occur with the common cold!
  • If you have a fever, it’s not allergies! A fever is sometimes present with a cold, but will never occurwith allergies.

As you can tell from my race schedule, I haven’t let my allergies get in my way this year. I’ve been able to manage them quite well, mostly because I have a medication plan that works for me. (So far, the plan that has taken us several years to perfect, is working great for Jones as well.)  Different allergy medicines and protocols work for different people, so I highly recommend speaking with your doctor or a professional at Minute Clinic to create a plan. In fact, you should probably do it BEFORE allergy season because some of the medicines need to be in your system before the allergies kick in.

Here are some additional tips for surviving this time of year…

Minute Clinic #beatspringallergies

  • Wash your hair before bed.
  • Change your pillowcase frequently.  You should also change your sheets more often, but the fresh pillowcase means you aren’t sleeping in any pollen from previous nights.
  • Keep your windows closed. This KILLS me every year to not be able to open my windows on the beautiful days, but not having the pollen in the house is worth it. (This is also why I prefer fall LOL.)
  • Wear sunglasses when you run or anytime there’s a breeze. This keeps the pollen out of your eyes.
  • Wash your hands regularly. No need to put pollen on your face or in your eyes when you come in from outside.
  • When it’s really awful, hit the treadmill. I’ve been lucky so far that I haven’t had to resort to this often.
  • If none of the above is working,  visit your physician or MinuteClinic for the allergy relief you need. Perhaps a prescription allergy medicine is what you require.

I don’t love seasonal allergies, but I’ve learned to live with them. Do you suffer as well? Got any cool tips I could try? I still have one more race before we head north, where it will likely still be allergy season, sigh.

[Tweet “Do you have spring time allergies? Here are some tips to help you out! ” #sponsored @MinuteClinic ]

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional and all suggestions are ones that work for me. Your mileage may vary. I was compensated for this post, but all opinions are my own.

Follow on Bloglovin follow us in feedly

More from my site

  • MinuteClinic’s Cure for the Common WaitMinuteClinic’s Cure for the Common Wait
  • Will work for swag: tales from behind the scenes of a raceWill work for swag: tales from behind the scenes of a race
  • Runfessions of a frustrated runnerRunfessions of a frustrated runner
  • March Coffee Date – Lion or LambMarch Coffee Date – Lion or Lamb
  • Tips for Staying Fit in your 40sTips for Staying Fit in your 40s

Filed Under: running Tagged With: allergies, health, running

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

CommentLuv badgeShow more posts

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. Jen @ Pretty Little Grub says

    April 28, 2016 at 12:50 pm

    Every year it’s like I forget I have allergies. I assume I am getting a cold and it takes a few days of being miserable before I remember it’s allergies!
    Jen @ Pretty Little Grub recently posted…My Whole 30 Experience and Why I Quit After 8 DaysMy Profile

    Reply
    • MCM Mama says

      April 28, 2016 at 11:20 pm

      Yeah, I do the same thing LOL.

      Reply
  2. Janelle @ Run With No Regrets says

    April 28, 2016 at 1:50 pm

    Great tips! I sometimes feel some allergic symptoms in the spring, but thankfully it’s usually not too bad. Pollen is such a pain!
    Janelle @ Run With No Regrets recently posted…Goals for the Broad Street RunMy Profile

    Reply
    • MCM Mama says

      April 28, 2016 at 11:20 pm

      I have real issues with evergreens, but my son is allergic to oaks and we are surrounded by those. I’ve been appreciating the rain lately.

      Reply
  3. Holly @ pink-runner.com says

    April 29, 2016 at 8:34 pm

    I’m good about changing my pillowcase… not so good about washing my hair LOL

    Reply
  4. Lex @ Flecksoflex says

    May 4, 2016 at 8:33 pm

    Ohhhhh allergies. Those little saboteurs! I have struggled with allergies for most of my life, and I have to say your tip about the pillowcase is something I’d never considered before. Great tip! Living in the DC area definitely comes with its perks, but the high pollen count in the spring/fall is definitely not one of them. 🙁

    Reply
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

New_Holland_podium

Who is MCM Mama?
A slightly obnoxious mom and wife who loves good beer and running, who struggles a bit with depression especially in the winter and when running isn’t allowed, who’d rather go on a fun vacation than upgrade the kitchen or add a master bath.

Get email updates!

Sign up to get new blog posts sent to your inbox!

Recent Posts

  • Kicking Off 2021 with a Big Ole Cup of Coffee
  • Last Coffee Date of 2020
  • Seed Probiotics: a science based approach
  • November definitely needs more coffee
  • October Visit to the Runfessional: Exhaustion
  • Meeting up for Virtual Coffee
  • September Runfessions: Getting Ready to Run ALL the Miles
  • Give me ALL the coffee, please!

Like Us On Facebook

Archives

Virginia Bloggers Badge
Vote For Us @ Top Mommy Blogs
The DC Ladies
​

A slightly obnoxious mom and wife who loves good beer and running, who struggles a bit with depression especially in the winter and when running isn’t allowed, who’d rather go on a fun vacation than upgrade the kitchen or add a master bath. Read More…

Kicking Off 2021 with a Big Ole Cup of Coffee

Kicking Off 2021 with a Big Ole Cup of Coffee

I’m not one to stay up super late on NYE, but ironically, last night I was up late thanks to insomnia. Thank you 2020 for one last kick in the teeth. So, I’m up a bit later than normal and sucking down caffeine like it’s my job. Seems appropriate to hook up with Deb and […]

Copyright © 2021 · MCM Mama Runs on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in