10k is the magic number Week 3 Run 2 done but what a struggle!!

[ChrisAllen1]

5k done but certainly no best times tonight, a real struggle from start to finish with heavy legs and problems breathing.

The asthma had been fine all day but after only about 1k it kicked in and I was puffing and wheezing.

Right now I feel that 6k, maybe 7k might be my limit due to the breathing issues and would be very interested to hear from any other forum members with asthma.

I love onto the next 7k run with some trepidation!!

[TedG Graduate10]

Hi Chris, you’re going to have off days...we all have them but you seem to put a lot of emphasis on your times. You’ll get to 10K purely by running at a pace where have a easy breathing technique.

Go for it, I have faith in you 😊

For me it’s all about the distance, today my PB ave pace just happened...not sure how, must’ve been the fresh legs.

Good luck mate 🏃🏃

[Lordi Graduate10]

Drop your pace by 30s/km and see what happens. When I "run" I get puffed, heart zone 3/4, but when I slow jog I am heart zone 2/3.p and no sweating, huffing/puffing, run forever gear...

[Funnyrunner in reply to Lordi]

I'm like this too. If I run faster, the breathing problems and dizziness start so I've told myself it's ok to be slower and run for longer.

[Steved110]

I always use my inhaler before a run, and take it with me though I’ve never had to use it during a run

[Hidden]

I think your statistics are nothing to be sneezed at. I don't specifically have asthma (I don't think) but congested chest as a result of allergies to pet hair, cigarette smoke, aerosols etc. If I don't use my inhaler before running, I really struggle. Even with the inhaler, it isn't easy, especially as I'm running up and down steep slopes the whole time where I live. I do find my chest isn't as rattly and wheezy as it was before I started running, but without that inhaler, I am literally gasping when i run and my legs feel like lead. The most i have run so far is 44 minutes. At a very slow pace i can keep going. Pace 8.45min/km ish. Sometimes over 10. If i speed up for long, I'm fighting for breath again. I'm guessing the speed and distance extend as you keep running. They do say even top athletes train at a jogging pace a lot of the time, to promote stamina and build legs. I can relate totally to the frustration at lack of speed. My natural running speed is way faster than my fitness level can support for long at present.

[ChrisAllen1 Graduate10]

Thanks all

[Millsie-J in reply to ChrisAllen1]

Morning Chris.

For your long run purposely start slow and stay slow. Forget times, run because you can!

Im sure if you reduce the pace and emphasis on times you will achieve your 10 k, you are a runner !

It may be worth consolidating distance for a week or so every so often before further increasing, just listen to your body and do whats required.

Good luck.

[Pm3eak Graduate10]

Hi Chris

I suffer with breathing issues and atypical asthma at this time of year, mainly due to a long-time sensitivity to smoke from certain things being burned in the open air that shouldn't be burned-particularly plastic- plus coal smoke and to a lesser degree diesel fumes. The air quality out here in the sticks is not as good as is often believed!

Anyway, I find that starting slower than I could seems to get my lungs up to speed before the higher demands kick in.

Your pace seems very respectable to me: I can only do that pace on my 'short' midweek run, currently 3 k. I have worked hard on keeping my pace right down on the other runs-not even thinking about it- and it is really doing the trick...just like people on here said it would. On my last longer run I just loaded up 'I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue' podcasts and set off slowly , changing pace up and down as required to keep breathing easy. Most enjoyable run since I started. Time just melted away and 6.5 k arrived before I knew it, with me still feeling fresh. Despite me saying I wasn't thinking about pace, upon downloading data I was pleasantly surprised to see average pace was 7.5 m/km, quicker than I expected and not too different to when a I push it. A lesson learned for me.

[ChrisAllen1 Graduate10 in reply to Pm3eak]

Thanks; appreciated, will let you know how I get on with 7k tomorrow.