Endurance can feel impossible when you live with asthma. I know this firsthand. At four years old, I was told I would never play soccer. Doctors warned me I could never be a runner. They insisted I would need an inhaler every time I moved at speed. For years, that belief shaped my identity.

But they were wrong. I not only played soccer but also became an ultra runner. I have completed races most people will never attempt. I even won a 100K ultramarathon, running 62 miles without using my inhaler once. That is why I am here today: to show you that endurance with asthma is possible.

In this post (and in the YouTube video linked here and podcast episode linked here), I want to share why endurance feels so difficult with asthma. More importantly, I will share my three-step process for building endurance. This is the method I used to transform from a child gasping on the soccer field to an athlete competing with the world’s best.

The challenges of endurance with asthma

There are three main reasons endurance feels impossible when you live with asthma. The first is wheezing. Wheezing is more than discomfort. It is audible proof your breath is restricted. The sound cuts through your confidence and creates fear with each inhale.

I remember the first time it happened on a soccer field. I was young, running across the grass, and suddenly my chest locked. The wheeze was loud, my breath shallow. I panicked. Soon after, a doctor confirmed I had asthma. That diagnosis stayed with me for years. Wheezing terrified me and limited what I thought I could do.

The second challenge is the belief that lungs with asthma are weak. Doctors, teachers, even peers repeated this message. At four years old, I absorbed it completely. I avoided activities like hiking, even though I lived in Colorado. I did not climb my first 14,000-foot peak until I was 25. Not because I couldn’t, but because I believed I shouldn’t. That belief held me back.

The third challenge is fear itself. Not being able to breathe is frightening. Asthma attacks can feel life-threatening, and sometimes they are. When you are told your lungs are weak and you start wheezing, fear multiplies. I know that fear. Yet I also know the reality: you can build strength despite asthma. You can even compete with those who don’t have it.

Step #1: Change your mindset

The first step to building endurance is changing how you think. Mindset is everything. If you believe your lungs are weak, you will live like they are. I know because I did. But belief is not destiny. You can rewrite your story.

Doctors may tell you that asthma makes your lungs weaker. That may be medically true. But weaker does not mean powerless. I had to learn that my lungs could grow stronger through training. I had to stop accepting weakness as my identity.

Mindset shifts do not come easily. Positive affirmations can help, but they are not enough. You cannot just say “I have strong lungs” and expect change. Belief must be paired with action. That is why the second step is so important.

Step #2: Pick something you enjoy

Once you change your mindset, you need to pick an activity you enjoy. If you choose something you hate, you will not stick with it. Endurance training requires consistency. Enjoyment fuels consistency.

For me, soccer was the beginning. I loved playing, even when asthma made it hard. That love kept me coming back to the field. As I grew older, soccer gave way to trail running. I fell in love with the mountains, the rhythm of long runs, and the community around the sport.

Your choice does not have to be soccer or running. It could be hiking, biking, yoga, or swimming. It could even be brisk walking. The activity matters less than the joy you feel while doing it. That joy sustains you when asthma feels overwhelming.

Exercise is not just about sport. It is about life. Studies show regular physical activity can reduce all-cause mortality by over 35 percent. That means exercise quite literally saves lives. Choosing something you love is not indulgence. It is survival and empowerment.

Step #3: Go slow and consistent

The third step is simple but powerful. Go slow and stay consistent. I call this progressive overload. It means increasing your workload gradually over time.

When I was young, an alternative medicine doctor taught me this method. Instead of using my inhaler at the start of soccer practice, I was told to wait. I played five minutes before taking it. The next week, I stretched that to ten. Soon, I could play fifteen minutes, then twenty. Eventually, I played entire games without using my inhaler.

This did not happen overnight. It took months and even years. But consistency built strength in my lungs. That strength changed my life. Today, I only use my inhaler when I am sick. Otherwise, I run ultras without it.

Slow, steady progress is the secret. One breakthrough session will not change you. A thousand consistent ones will. Progressive overload rewires your body and reshapes your confidence. It transforms fear into endurance.

Why this process works

Changing your mindset removes the limits others placed on you. Choosing an activity you love makes training sustainable. Slow and consistent progress builds real lung strength. Together, these three steps form a system that works.

I am proof of it. From being told I could not play soccer to winning ultramarathons, the process changed me. It can change you too. You do not need to become a professional runner. You just need to embrace the process.

Asthma does not define you. Endurance is possible. You can climb mountains, finish races, or simply play with your kids. The journey starts with mindset, continues with enjoyment, and grows through consistency.

A gift to help you start

If you are ready to start, I have a gift for you. It is my Healthy Living Guide. Inside, I share three pillars of lasting health: movement, tracking, and accountability. These are the same pillars I used to rebuild my life.

The guide takes less than three minutes to read. Yet it can reshape how you live. It is free, and it is my way of supporting your journey. Whether you want to build endurance, lose weight, or simply feel stronger, the guide can help.

I know endurance with asthma feels impossible. I once believed the same thing. But today I live proof that it is not. Your lungs are stronger than you think. With the right mindset, the right activity, and consistent practice, you can unleash that strength.