What stops you? Legs, lungs or head?

[THPP]

As somebody with asthma who is heavily overweight but who is just embarking on week 8, I find myself asking myself this more and more. My legs feel the same after 23 minutes as they did at 3 minutes. Breathing never gets much more laboured after 5 minutes. Head on the other hand, every time you pass a park bench, says wouldn't it be really nice to stop right now and have a nice sit down. Have to say that sometimes the only think that keeps me going it that I've done, say, 21 out of 25 minutes and have a nice sit down, I'll just have to do that run all over again. Sometimes that thought is the only single thing that keeps me going. You?

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Usually just my coach saying I’m done!

You’re doing really well out there, pace is obviously good, legs are strong, you got this... enjoy the next one.

[cheekychipmunks Graduate]

My legs are my issue. My breathing is fine, my mind is fine (after the first 5 minutes anyway!)

My legs just start slowing down and no amount of persuading them can make them go faster! They’ve not given up on me yet, so my mind is definitely more determined than my legs! 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️

[ButtercupKid Graduate]

Interesting question. My legs are ok. My breathing can struggle. My head was my enemy. What has helped me (I know this is a bit weird) has been to identify my considerable extra weight as a kind of conjoined twin, which I call Ethel. I want to do my run: it’s Ethel who whines and drags. And I want to make healthy choices, but Ethel is a pig, frankly (sorry pigs). It is literally survival of the fittest between her and me ! As I said, it’s weird but it’s the first thing that has ever really given me a sense of hope and control in this area. Hope you find your own way through very soon x

[Hidden]

No benches on my run, but the secret is not to look at the bench next to you but to look on towards the next one and then the one after - honestly, you can go an awful long way just looking at things ahead of you and aiming for them.

I don't have leg, head or breathing problem but I didn't find the 5 min time checks on week 9 very helpful at all.

[racheles78]

Also considerably overweight (although less so than a couple of months ago ) also asthmatic I agree 100% it's definitely my head. I think I've got control of the breathing thing finally and my legs seem to be mananging ok; although they do feel extremely heavy towards the end of a run! But I still have a little voice in my head telling me I can't do it, I need to sit down, I need to stop and walk for a while. Thankfully the stubborn child in me seems to be winning so far and I'm carrying on. That stubborn child always hated being told she couldn't do something!

I run a circular route around a country park so the way I see it is that if I stop I've still got to finish the route to get back to my car so I may as well carry on and finish the session.