Breathing: I just completed week 3 and boy was I... - Couch to 5K

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Breathing

crose profile image
5 Replies

I just completed week 3 and boy was I struggling to breathe through. Anyone have any helpful suggestions on breathing techniques? I really worried about week 4 and if I can do it. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!!

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crose profile image
crose
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5 Replies
AngeApples profile image
AngeApplesGraduate

I thought I should be breathing better, must get a better technique etc but I found it a struggle during those first few weeks to try and do everything at once - luckily my breathing is natural because I would have forgot to do it otherwise, concentrating so much on whether I was over-pronation, under-pronation, heel striking, tip-toeing etc etc. :)

I've just done W5 R3 and did concentrate on my breathing in the hope I'd get through my first ever 20 min run. I inhaled and exhaled deeply giving me the extra breath to complete the run.

Sorry I don't have any tips for you because I just do what feels right for me but all I will say is try not to worry too much about techniques at this stage.

I am a perfectionist and insist upon perfect running, breathing blah blah blah, in reality I'm an overweight woman and I'm proud of what I've achieved over 5 weeks.

Good Luck

crose profile image
crose

That is awesome for you - Congrats on your 20 min run!! I so hope I'll get there too.

Ok i'll give that a try, just go and run and the rest will come.

magicfee23 profile image
magicfee23Graduate

Agree totally with AngeApples. Stop thinking about it too much and just go with what feels right for you- your body will tell you what it needs and make you do it.

I personally go with the in and out technique, as long as I'm still doing that then I reckon I'll survive the run! I chuck in the odd deeper one when at the foot of a hill, feel the start of a stitch coming on or whenever I get the sinking feeling that I'm not going to make the time or distance I'd planned - and I usually do.

Good luck

jennstron profile image
jennstron

I got a tip from my boyfriend which seems to be paying off. Chew gum when running it naturally regulates your breathing. I really struggled on this run but completed it with eases doing the above.

CouchSpud profile image
CouchSpudGraduate

Agree. I struggled too, (now on Wk 7 R1) if I thought about breathing my legs went like lead and were hard to move, I slowly eat a menthol sweet at the start of each session, it opens up the airwaves for the first few minutes and takes away the stressful breathing thoughts for a while... Breathing is still not perfect even at week 7 but I know it's improving each time I run..

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