I finished the C25K a few months ago. since then I have been running 30 min 3 times a week.
I start with the 5-minute brisk walk. my running pace is usually between 7 to 7:30 min per km. I wish to go faster and be able to complete a 5km run in 30 min. So, I have a way to go...
I wanted to ask the forum about breathing catch-ups.
During a run, I would have 2-3 times in which my breathing would go out of the regular in-out pace. when it happens, I would get something that feels like a double air intake. as if my chest is stretched further than usual. the first one would usually occur during the first km.
So I'd appreciate any feedback:
1. are you having those? how frequent?
2. does anyone know if this is normal? can someone explain why it happens?
thanks💗
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Gidon
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Hello... Not experienced this at all but maybe, you could be pushing a tad hard?
After we finish C25K, it is great to have that consolidation, but it can be really useful to shake the runs up and not just focus on that 5K in 30 minute's goal
Some shorter runs, some 30 minutes, and, the ones that all our running begins to evolve with. The lovely relaxed longer and slower runs.
They are the ones that build everything up... strength, stamina, distance and yes, eventually, speed. We run slower to run faster, as Coach Bennett on the NRC says!
Also, are you putting in some core strength and stamina work in now, if you are running 3 x each week. The rest of your running body really does need to support the legs... and that includes your breathing.
Here is a link about breathing on the S and F forum.
I am not quite sure I fully understand what is happening with your breath, Gidon , though my first thought was, like Oldfloss', that you might be pushing too hard. Also, I don't think our breathing is completely steady, so maybe you've inadvertently held your breath or maybe you're focusing on it too much (I sometimes take "weird" breaths when I do that...). Our heart doesn't beat as regularly as a metronome, so maybe our breathing isn't as regular either... (Though, of course, there's also arrhythmia, which is too much irregularity in our heartbeats...)
Maybe see what happens on a slower, longer run? If it keeps happening, maybe check in with your doctor if only to (hopefully!) get some reassurance that it's normal... I assume here that you don't have any other symptoms, like lightheadedness. If you do, a doctor's visit is probably best...
I ran the NRC Slow down to Speed up interval ran this morning and the Headspace coach said if you find your breathing is getting out of control to count your running paces 1 - 10. When you get to 10 start at 1 again. I find that as soon as I start counting, my breathing in and out regulates to the the counting, although as a musician 10 is an odd number to count, so I count in 8s. Then once in control again, stop counting. Could be worth a try. I also graduated this summer and no where near 5k in 30 minutes but that's not important to me as I'm running, I'm fit, I'm enjoying it and I'm building up my distance and time. Hope you find a solution to your problem.
I've never had this particular experience but I know that if I go too fast I can get quite uncomfortable.
Have you heard of the Toxic 10? This is the idea that it takes you about 10 minutes for your body to make the transition from walking to running. Your heart needs to speed up, your muscles work harder, but after about 10 minutes you get used to it and settle into running mode and it gets easier. Maybe your breathing difficulties relate to this?
My advice would be to make a conscious effort to start slow. Concentrate only on your breathing for the first few minutes and then on your feet hitting the ground. You'll find that they should all start moving in synch. Then and only then maybe think about speeding up. Or maybe stay at that comfortable pace.
Not knowing anything about you I've no idea whether your pace is fast for you or not. If you're a 25 year old man it may be slow and comfortable. For me, a 65 year old woman, 7- 7:30/km is fast and if I try and run that quickly for any distance, especially at the start of the run, I won't be able to keep it up.
Try slowing down and see if your problem still happens. If it does I'd be inclined to see a doctor just to make sure that there isn't any underlying problem. Hopefully they'll tell you you're fine which means you'll have one less thing to worry about.
As YeLetsGo says, start slowly. Do not run to numbers on your watch. Run to an effort level. Think of your effort level on a scale of 0-10, where 0 is doing nothing and 10 is running as fast as you possibly could. Begin with an effort of 3 on that scale for the first 4 or 5 minutes, then gradually build up to an effort of 5.
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week3run1 ✅. 3 x 17 mins with 1 min walks. 
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week 2 begins! 