Arriving at the European Respiratory Conference in Berlin has so far involved plenty of running around in the rain. Fortunately, I don't have a chronic respiratory disease to contend with and therefore was able to rush from my hotel to the conference centre in record time when my delayed flight left me with no time to spare.
The reason for the rush was to make sure I didn't miss the much anticipated UPLIFT trial results - chaired by none other than BBC Breakfast's very own GP Dr Rosemary Leonard.
The emphasis was very much on what a global problem COPD is, and the extent to which it impacts the lives of those who have it.
After watching a short video of people with COPD describing their symptoms and lifestyles, to experience what it feels like to have COPD we were all asked to stand up and hold our breath. While maintaining the held breath we were then asked to breathe lightly, walk on the spot and then pick up an imaginary grandchild. It demonstrated the point well, even if I did feel slightly silly participating in a group breathing exercise in a darkened room full of journalists.
The conference itself is bustling with respiratory physiologists and physicians alike, and the congress centre certainly is huge - I think the organisers have done this deliberately to ensure that we all get at least some aerobic exercise as we power walk from one presentation to the next.
In keeping with the hectic theme so far, it's auf wiedersehen from me for now as I rush off for a tour of the exhibition