Ireland falls short of stringent WHO standards on air quality

Why is running so tortuous one day and enjoyable the next? The latest Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report, ‘Air Quality in Ireland 2016’, provides some insight, writes Catherine Shanahan

Imagine you’re asthmatic. You run to stay fit, but some days, it’s simply not worth it. You’ve hardly run half a mile and your lungs are collapsing. You give up, and go home.

This happens far more frequently in winter, or if your route takes you close to a busy road.