W2 R1 fail

[Newchallenge]

Hi all, always struggled with breathing during exercise (possibly asthma as it runs in the family) I tried to follow the breathing advice and it all went wrong on the last run of the session I could hardly breathe had to slow to a fast walk to catch my breath half way through, gutted I failed. Any advice on breathing?!

[telford_mike Graduate]

Rule number 1 of C25K - as long as you go out of the door and do something you haven’t failed. The running that you succeeded in doing will have made you stronger. Have a day’s rest and give it another go. Good luck!

[ArthurJG Graduate]

I found the breathing advice only made it more complicated for me TBH, even though I was getting out of breath far too quickly in the early runs. I would say two things - first, you say it all went wrong in the last run: that means you managed to complete five out of six. So yes, repeat it after a rest day as you didn't fully complete it, but on no account call it a fail. It's still eight minutes more than you were doing two weeks ago. Second, you'll be surprised how much it helps your breathing if you slow down a bit. No such thing as too slow in this programme - the objective is 30 minutes at the end of week 9, speed and distance can come later.

[Sandraj39 Graduate]

Just do what comes naturally for you! I dismissed the 'breathe in through nose and out through mouth' advice and I think you will find that most runners are also mouth breathers. This is the quickest and most effective way to take in oxygen. You mention asthma running in your family - if you are concerned, then pop to your gps and see if they can do a quick peak flow test. Finally - the weather has not been ideal for running and it may just be the heat and humidity. Maybe next time go a little slower and see if this helps too. Good luck😀

[wyersmith Graduate]

Joining what the others said. Breathe however feels comfortable. I tried the suggested breathing technique and the counting with steps and I just got in a right state. I went through the whole plan without breathing ‘properly’. I figured if I was still breathing at the end of a run that was a good sign. Put this one behind you. You were sooo close. sounds like you need to have a day off, back off the pace a little bit next time and you’ll smash it. Good luck!

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Failing to try is the only failure as they said. What you have there is a little practice, speed and stamina building, joint tester before your run.

[Hidden]

I have exercise-induced asthma, I'm with you!

I am hugely uncoordinated, I find reading directions and trying to apply them to me body very overwhelming and unhelpful (example: exercises written in words without accompanying photos or gifs baffle me.)

I find the breathing advice similar. Two this to four that or whatever? I have no idea what anyone is talking about and it frustrates me to no end

The best advice I can give is try to make sure your lungs are as empty as possible before trying to fill them again.

This is advice I read somewhere on line from a respiratory therapist.

The argument is that you will panic and gasp to fill your lungs with clean air. Makes sense! But they are already full of carbon dioxide needing to be expelled. Your panicking to fill partially emptied lungs with oxygen is not as satisfying as emptying the lungs and filling them fully.

As a person with asthma, my every instinct is to get air in in in.

But after reading that I concentrate on slowly letting air all the way out.

It has been really beneficial to me. I could barely make it through the one minute runs early on and was often still out of breath by the end of the walking intervals. Not anymore.

Good luck!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Just slow down and breathe like you do all the time.. don't try to breathe any other way..

PS

No f words here xxx

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Your running pace is defined by your ability to breathe easily.......if you cannot, you are going too fast. It is all explained in the guide to the plan healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

You can do this!

[Irish-John Graduate]

Despair ye not

I started c25k two years ago. Apart from genetically screwed feet (just escaped bilateral club foot), chronic 20 + a day Gitanes (brand) smoker from age 16 to about 54 (and only off them two years in '16) I also had not one but two forms of asthma - cold induced and exertion induced. (Need I mention I was way overweight also?)

Hadn't run more than a hundred steps basically in my life, ate crap, very stressful job and worse forced retirement, a few old injuries including two fractured lumbar vertebrae...

Day one damn near killed me but not only did I manage it - motivation was suicidal boredom otherwise (or maybe a subconcious attempt at self annihilation) I kept on. Around week two..My heartfelt dream was to be able to run to the furthest visible next marker from the start point in the park without stopping.

3/10ths of a mile.

Just a few days ago I reached this year's goal - 10 miles without stopping.

It's never going to be easy for me to run but my God it is worth it

Breathing - I whoop for every breath. But I no longer feel like I'm trying to breath through both ends of my body after a run. I also haven't used or felt any need to even have my inhalers in well over a year.

I don't really have a "system"for breathing while running but I do try to match my speed to it. In other words, it's not how many steps per breath but how many breaths per step or two or three. Experience has taught me to recognise when I start to pick up the pace too much so I slow down.

One of the hardest things I had to learn was how to run slowly. Fast is easy - just go hell for leather, but slow...it's not that easy.

Try this - your next run, aim at doing it as slow as humanly possible without breaking into a "walking step". It's an interesting experience - you will have fun trying it and you will also be able to notice how your body moves and how each part either helps smooth that or not.

And please believe this at least - if I could do it, just about anyone who manages day one can also....slowly and steadily.

Less than ten percent of us graduates did it in 9 weeks and with 5k. Slow and steady is the mantra

Wishing you many happy miles in your future.

[KayBee1000 Graduate]

I too got in a pickle trying to follow the breathing advice in the early weeks; after asking for advice on here I decided to just breathe however I needed in order to complete the runs - which for me was more often than every fourth step (or whatever the advice is).

I still struggle sometimes with feeling that my chest is tight and I can’t get enough breath, but when that happens I slow down a bit and keep going.

Slow down and keep going is the answer to most of the difficulties, particularly in the early weeks!

Good luck and keep at it, you will find it easier as the weeks go on.

[Newchallenge]

Thanks all for your advice! Slowed down, and the cooler weather has definitely helped! Finished week too feeling much happier! Horray!