Breathless ness

[chatteris64]

Just finished run 3 of week 1. Found run 3 the hardest breathless by the time I had finished. Can’t decide if I should redo week 1 or have a go at week 2 due to try breathless ness. Any help would be helpful.

[Beachcomber66 Graduate]

I would carry on to week 2 but really try hard to go dead slow. That is the secret. Short strides, nice and slow. 👍

[chatteris64 Graduate in reply to Beachcomber66]

Thank you, next run is Friday so will try that.

[AliceInThePalace Graduate]

Hiya, I am on week 2 Run 2 today and I repeated week 1 beforehand because I'm asthmatic and previously unfit, I found it massively helped my body get used to running and in terms on breathlessness, by my last repeat I didn't find running made my airways uncomfortable anymore.

You have to do what is right for you, the programme is for you to use and tweak, some people repeat every week, some people only repeat a few they find trickier.

The truth is week 1 is the hardest because you are getting your heart and lungs used to you running, it only gets easier from here!

Good luck, keep going!

[chatteris64 Graduate in reply to AliceInThePalace]

Thank you, i think also l may be jogging a wee bit fast so maybe l will try & slow down a bit.

[AliceInThePalace Graduate in reply to chatteris64]

I had the exact same thing, slow and steady wins the race as they say. If you pace yourself from the beginning by the last run of the session you can properly throw yourself into it and finish on a high 😄

[Irish-John Graduate]

I still breathe with "difficulty" but learned to match my breathing with my pace and not the other way around, if I speed up - I can get in real trouble. But, like all other aspects of running to this programme, I'm a hell of a lot better than I was

Day one nearly saw me in an ambulance. No kidding.

Now I've a few non stop HMs under my belt and seriously aiming at a Full.

I only repeated days if I could not finish them the first time - or the second or even third time It was never on the cards for me to graduate "on time/with distance" and just on four years later I still haven't cracked 5k in 30 minutes.

But - I'm having an amazingly fun time. Fitter, mentally happier, going to various races, raising cash for charity, hanging out here...the list goes on.

Believe me - anyone encountering me on a run as I lurch, gasp, pant and meander has NO idea of just how enjoyable a time I'm having, and compared to "Former Me" I am a Virtual Olympian Gold Medalist!

Take your time, take it slow and one run day at a time. Read the beginning posts of present graduates and you'll see that none of us were ever "able to run" - and that is exactly who this programme is for

Wishing you many happy miles in your future

[Blackshoe76 Graduate in reply to Irish-John]

Nicely summarised Irish-John!

[Irish-John Graduate in reply to Blackshoe76]

Thank you

[Speedy60 Graduate]

As has already been said, run as slowly as possible. It will help enormously. Personally, I only ever repeated runs I hadn't completed, but it's entirely up to you.

Whatever you decide, don't give up!

[John_W Graduate]

Have a look at this and copy:

youtube.com/watch?v=9L2b2kh...(Not working as expected?)

[chatteris64 Graduate in reply to John_W]

Thanks for you tube video, great help think I may been doing a couple of things wrong. Will try week 2 on Friday slower!,

[Millertime83 Graduate]

I would do week 2. Try breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth slowly when you are on the walk. I have just done week 1 run 2, so one run behind you but your breathing during the walk will help when you are running

[Oldgirlruns Graduate]

It’s your choice Chatteris! Every run you do builds up your strength so re-doing run 3 won’t hurt. The alternative argument is that if you completed the run, why not move on to week 2 anyway. You may find you can manage it but if you don’t, then you can go back and re-do week 1 run 3 again. Personally I would move on and see how it goes but it’s your choice! If you’re getting breathless, it sounds as if you’re going out too fast, slow it right down and see if that helps. And, yes, it’s always possible to go slower! Good luck!

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Welcome to the forum and well done on getting started.

This guide to the plan is essential reading healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

If you are breathless, you are going too fast for your current fitness level.

Enjoy your journey.

[chatteris64 Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Thank you it sounds like I am definitely going to fast. On my next run which Will be on Friday I will slow it down.

[wreveilo]

Laura the coach gave some good tips around week 3 on breathing which helped me a lot. I don’t do it exactly as she explained but my version works for me .. breath in for 3 counts and out for 3 counts .. I think she counts steps .. anyway it was difficult in the beginning to get the hang of it but is very natural now and definitely made a massive difference in the enjoyment factor as well, I am currently in w6 and would never have thought I would enjoy running 😆 keep going you will get there in no time!

[Irish-John Graduate]

Just want to add - some of us are prone to Asthma, including the nefarious "Exercise Induced" form. I would be walking if I could hold a conversation as a result So, while running, though my lungs are banjaxxed, in this case it's "acceptable" to save every last breath for running and saving the conversation for later

However, for anyone without respiratory conditions the very best advice regarding pace applies - run at a conversational pace.

I only mentioned the above because it was the condition that absolutely convinced me - and a few Docs over the years - that I could "never run more than a very short and painful distance" Asthma does NOT "automatically" preclude running in every case, it's just a factor that has to be taken into account and adapted to

Anyhow, end of sermon Wishing you all many happy breathlessness- free miles in your future