Running With Allergies—How to Fight Back

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It’s finally spring, and the good news is you can shed your gloves and thermal base layer for at least six months. The bad news? If you’re running with allergies, you might not be feeling great. Allergy season is in full effect, and what you’ve heard is true: it’s going to be rough for the over 25 percent of Americans who struggle with symptoms.

Susanna Silverman, MD, an allergist-immunologist at Schweiger Dermatology & Allergy in New York City, explains that an amplified allergy season is part of a bigger climate-based trend. “There are warmer temperatures, which means seasons are longer. They start earlier and end later, so there’s just more growth and more pollen because of that,” she says.

In fact, you may have been hit with tree pollen as early as mid-February. Tree pollen dominates until late spring when grass pollen kicks in. Then, in late summer and early fall, weed pollens take over until the temperature dips. “Classically, when the first frost is on the ground is when pollen levels are usually decreasing,” Silverman says.

Mold, which forms in soil and on trees and plant life, can also trigger allergy symptoms, says Rita Kachru, MD, an allergist-immunologist and Assistant Professor at UCLA Health in Santa Monica, California. “Fall tends to be when we see mold, but we’ve been seeing a lot more mold in the springtime,” she says.

The potential for itchy, stuffy misery is high, but that doesn’t mean you have to suffer. There are steps you can take to minimize the impact of allergy season and continue to enjoy outdoor running all year long.

How Seasonal Allergies Affect Runners

The symptoms associated with seasonal allergies—itchy eyes, runny nose, sneezing, and congestion—are part of the body’s reaction to allergens, which are typically harmless substances that the immune system perceives as threatening. When you inhale allergens like pollen and mold, the body releases chemicals called histamines, which increase blood flow and trigger inflammation designed to fight the allergens. It’s a physiological process that’s supposed to be protective but is ultimately unnecessary and uncomfortable.

Unfortunately, it’s worse for runners. That’s because running increases your respiratory rate and can boost your exposure to allergens and drive a greater immune response. “Where allergen exposure becomes internalized is through your nose, eyes, and mouth. When you’re running, you’re actually breathing in more air. So, that means you’re actually inhaling more pollen and grass and mold and other allergens than someone who’s maybe not breathing in as much air,” Kachru says.

Kachru also points out that other environmental and physiological factors, many of which are associated with running, can trigger histamine release. “Exercise releases histamine. Heat can release histamine, and then allergens can release histamine. So, a lot of times it becomes this perfect storm where you’re exposed to all of these different mediators of histamine release,” she says.

Strategies for Running With Allergies

For allergy sufferers, training can be miserable if you don’t know how to deal with it properly. First, find out what you’re allergic to. An allergist can perform a skin test, but you can also keep an allergy diary and compare your symptoms to the local allergy report. Pollen.com offers a free app with a diary function, but your notes app or a pen and paper will work, too. Once you’re armed with that information, there are several things you can do to stay comfortable and clear-headed during and after your runs.

Get an Early Start

You’re going to want to become a morning runner if you’re not already. “Generally, pollen counts are higher in the middle of the day when it’s warmer and they’re lower very early in the morning and then early evening,” Silverman says. If you can, get your run in first thing or at the end of the day, but avoid the afternoon.

Kachru says that nighttime runs can also be problematic, depending on what you’re allergic to, as some trees and plants pollinate overnight.

Check the Weather

Temperature and weather events can either quell or exacerbate seasonal allergens, so pay attention to the forecast. If it’s especially hot or windy, you may want to adjust your training schedule or opt for an indoor treadmill run, as pollen counts tend to go up amidst these conditions.

Pollen counts usually dip after it rains or when humidity increases, says Jonathan Belles, a meteorologist with The Weather Company. “Humidity and dew weigh down the pollen particles and kinda take them out of the air,” he says. So, try getting outside right after (or during) the rain.

However, if you’re sensitive to mold, the weeks following heavy rainfall could be inopportune for you to be outside. Moisture creates an ideal breeding ground for mold in soil, trees, and vegetation.

And be wary of thunderstorms. “A lot of times, you’ll get a burst of wind out ahead of a thunderstorm, and that releases all this pollen. So anyone trying to get that last-minute run before the thunderstorm hits will get blasted with a bunch of pollen,” Belles says. Avoid heading out immediately after a thunderstorm, too, says Purvi Parikh, MD, allergist and immunologist at Allergy and Asthma Associates of Murray Hill in New York City. ”Changes in air pressure can aerosolize pollen into fine particles that can go deeper into your sinuses and lungs,” she warns.

Shower Immediately

Pollen can linger on your clothes, skin, and hair, so strip down and hop in the shower right after your run. While you may not usually launder items like hats, visors, and jackets after every wear, you’ll want to wash these items more frequently during allergy season, as they can collect pollen.

And while you’re at it, clean your nose. “When you come home, do a nasal irrigation or nasal rinse, because that will clear whatever pollen has gotten into your nose,” Kachru says.

Try Antihistamines and Steroid Nasal Spray

Over-the-counter antihistamine medications can reduce your reaction to allergens by inactivating histamine receptors in the cells, essentially shutting down the physiological process that creates inflammation. Nasal steroid spray works a little differently by blocking cytokines, which are signaling proteins that trigger an immune response and inflammation.

Some runners find that one or the other or a combination of both works best to control their symptoms. Taking medication right before a run may work for you, or you may need a daily dose to keep inflammation at bay. It’s best to work with your doctor to come up with a plan of attack.

Check Your Home

You might not even think about it, but pollen and mold could be lurking in your home,  so it’s important to keep your home as free of allergens as possible. Of course, that’s easier said than done, but here are a few places to start:

Keep the windows closed and the temperature cool.
Don’t store items that could be covered in pollen, like jackets, shoes, or sports equipment, in your living or sleeping space.
Run an air purifier with a HEPA filter to reduce dust mites, an irritant that can compound seasonal allergies.
If your home is prone to mold or mildew, set up a dehumidifier.

If you suspect your house is exacerbating your allergy symptoms, you could call in a professional to tune up your AC unit and clean your air ducts.

When to See an Allergist

“If you can manage your allergies with over-the-counter medications and your symptoms are relatively mild, you may not necessarily need to see an allergist,” Silverman says. “But if your symptoms are more severe [e.g., wheezing, chest tightness, trouble breathing] and over-the-counter medications are not helping, there are other treatments out there.”

For example, allergy shots and drops, which are administered over an extended period of time, work to shift the body’s immune response to allergens and can potentially reduce or eliminate symptoms so you can get back to your training without discomfort again.