Well, I started considering joining the military about a week ago, and figured I better start working out so that I could pass basic training more easily (if I decide to join). I knew I would have a tough time at first because I haven't had much physical excersise since 9th grade (2 and a half years ago), and I have always been near the bottom of the class when it comes to running (my lungs have always burned - though I was under the impression this was normal from talking with a few classmates). So, anyway, I started running the suggested every-other-day, but I am having a LOT of problems doing so. Much more than I remember having in 9th grade or before. After running for just a minute my lungs are burning, I am really out of breath (and try as I may, I can't breathe evenly!), my saliva gets really thick and when I spit it out, it's like a pinkish color. Oh, and my breathing starts to have like a whistling sound. I know I'm not just going too fast, as this happens even when jogging for a couple minutes, and I have tried to walk it off, and it takes about 5-10 minutes for me to feel normal again (after just 1 or 2 minutes of running/jogging!). Then when I try again the same thing happens. It's starting to freak me out. But I read that asthma means you get a tight chest, and I haven't, which leads me to believe that I don't have it. And I haven't had any "panic attacks" . . . So is all of this just because I haven't ran much for 2 1/2 years or is something actually wrong with me? At first I figured it would go away if I kept trying, but it hasn't gotten any better...