My name is Russell Winwood, and I was born in 1966 in Brisbane, Australia.
I’ve lived a pretty good life so far, though I’ve had my fair share of health challenges along the way. I started this blog to share my experiences in the hope that my journey might help others facing similar issues.

I was diagnosed with asthma at a young age, but it never stopped me from having an active childhood—playing sports and doing all the things kids usually do. In my late teens, I began smoking socially. I knew it wasn’t good for me, but like many young people, I didn’t take it seriously and continued the habit until I was 36.

All of that caught up with me on Christmas Day in 2002, when I collapsed from a stroke. It was a wake-up call I couldn’t ignore. I quit smoking immediately, cut down on alcohol, and started eating better. At the time, I weighed around 88 kg—about 15 kg overweight. My son had just taken up cycling and convinced me to join him. It turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life. The weight began to drop, and for the first time in years, I felt how someone my age should feel.

Not long after, a friend suggested I try a triathlon. I hesitated—I wasn’t much of a swimmer—but eventually agreed. Over the next eight years, I competed in events ranging from sprint triathlons to Half Ironman races, along with a couple of ultramarathons.

But in 2011, I started noticing changes. My training times slowed, exercise felt tougher, and I was constantly short of breath. I went to the doctor, and after spirometry and lung function tests, I was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). My FEV1 was below 30% of the predicted value, meaning my lungs were only operating at roughly 22–30% capacity. I was told that a double lung transplant might be in my future.

Surprisingly, the scans showed little smoking-related lung damage. Instead, years of chest infections had narrowed my airways, leading to significant scarring.

Despite the diagnosis, I refused to let COPD define me. In 2012—just twelve months after hearing the news—I completed my first full Ironman.

Through this blog, I hope to share how exercise has helped me manage COPD and improve my overall respiratory health. If my story can inspire or support even one person on a similar path, then it’s worth telling.