Legs Tired? No, It's All in Your Head

Say what? Can it be?

More Proof That Fatigue is Voluntary

So, all this time when my legs give out, then my legs aren't really tired -- I'm just lazy and quit?

Now, I'm not a scientist or a doctor or even a trainer or physical therapist and I accept that fatigued muscles will respond enthusiastically and vigorously to an external stimulus like an electrical shock. You can apply an electric shock to the legs of a dead frog (even to severed frog legs) and they will react as if the frog is jumping but that doesn't mean the frog could just decide to keep on jumping.



I suspect there's more to the story than just simply, Fatigue is in your head.

Still, if you want to shame your running partner into going farther, just point him/her to that web site. Or threaten her/him with electric shock treatment.

This morning: 3.1 miles, slow (9:23 mpm), 52° (eat your hearts out, American south running friends). I quit because I was ... (1) tired?, (2) lazy?, (3) a long way from anyone who would hook me up to an electrical current?

Run well, y'all -- and don't quit,
Bob

PS -- Personally, my unscientific opinion is that our brains tell us to quit before our legs give out completely in order to protect us from injury or death. But, hey, what do I know?