Mental Hurdles and Breathing as a Beginner Runner

tammylwv
tammylwv Posts: 155 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am doing a class called Anyone Can Run. I tried doing the C25K by myself before and never completed it. I did the ACR class for the group and because I really want to complete it and do a 5K.

I am looking for how you get over the mental hurdles. We are doing cycles of 4 min jog/ 3 min walk this week and I find myself looking at the watch or thinking I can't do this because I feel like my breathing is way off...it could be just what I hear. Anyway, today after doing my cycles I decided to just jog and see what I could do and it seemed to be better than the cycles.

How do you break through the mental aspect of running as I do believe most of it is mental?

How do you get into a good breathing rhythm? I don't want to be running with a group of people and sound like a panting dog. :)

I plan on doing my cycles this Saturday at a 5k run/walk with my co-workers but there is a 5K next month after the ACR is over.

Thanks in advance!!!
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Replies

  • PaytraB
    PaytraB Posts: 2,360 Member
    If you are "panting like a dog", you are running too fast. Try slowing down just a little to keep your breathing in a more comfortable range. The advice given to me when I started running was to speak a short sentence while running. If you can do that, you're running at a good speed. If you can't, you're going too fast.

    Most of running is a mental challenge. Have you tried listening to music? I find that helps and you can (sort of) keep track of time, too, since most songs run about 2-3 minutes. This might keep you from glancing at your watch so often. I found that glancing at the watch made me feel more tired and the urge to stop running grew higher. It's sometimes easier not to know the exact time.

    Keep up the good work. You're doing great. Running 4 minutes at a time is no small matter. Way to go!
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
    Slow down. You should be able to hold a conversation. Don't worry about how fast your going speed will come in time
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
    Run slow, breathe natural. No need to force yourself into a rhythm - you'll end up wearing yourself out even more. Your body has a knack for involuntarily taking care of these things for you.
  • BraidedKitteness
    BraidedKitteness Posts: 21 Member
    I'm really interested in this as well. My friend and I just started doing C25K after work. We ended up starting over last week due to tons of rain storms and she had a week long trip she had to do for work. We're on week two again (90 second run+ 2 minute walk) and we do okay until we get to the last set, then we feel like we're dying. We talk the entire time so I know we're at an okay pace. Just wondering about any tips to get through that last set, especially as we get back into the longer sets. :)
  • RatherBeInTheShire
    RatherBeInTheShire Posts: 561 Member
    Agree with everyone else. The best advice I ever got when I first started runnning was SLOW DOWN. Most beginners try to run entirely too fast, leaving them exhuasted and frustrated. You should be to talk. If you can't, slow down even more. Running takes time, and work. I'm now running marathons.. just slow down. =]
  • kshadows
    kshadows Posts: 1,315 Member
    I agree with slowing down as well. I am still pretty novice at running but I have really perfected keeping an appropriate pace and breathing.

    Base your breathing off your paces: breathe in for 4 steps, out for 4 steps (I usually do 4, sometimes I have to cut back to 3). It helps so much! And gives you something else to focus on
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
    I'm really interested in this as well. My friend and I just started doing C25K after work. We ended up starting over last week due to tons of rain storms and she had a week long trip she had to do for work. We're on week two again (90 second run+ 2 minute walk) and we do okay until we get to the last set, then we feel like we're dying. We talk the entire time so I know we're at an okay pace. Just wondering about any tips to get through that last set, especially as we get back into the longer sets. :)

    Ok, conversational pace means a pace at which you "could" carrry a conversation... doesn't mean you should be chit-chatting the whole time. That might be why... :wink:
  • Mashy3980
    Mashy3980 Posts: 3
    I have been using the ease into 5K app on my phone. I used to be the same way, I would constantly glance at my watch to see if I was to be running or walking. This progrma plays music from your playlist and beeps and tells you when to walk and when to run. This keeps my mind off the watch. Good luck :)
  • nsimon24
    nsimon24 Posts: 115 Member
    Something I have found to be really helpful is to listen to music that matches my pace. There is a website called Jog.fm that you can enter your pace into, and it will suggest songs that match it that you can add to a playlist. I found that I tend to naturally adjust my pace and breathing to the music as I was jogging, and since I was not thinking about it so much it made it easier. You can also adjust the order the songs play to fit into an interval training session.

    For me it really helps not to think while I jog and just do it - it makes it a lot easier to fall into a natural pace and I am not as concerned about looking silly/slow - my jogging pace is slower than my walk due to breathing, so it is easy to drive myself crazy if I think about it too much!
  • Eric_DeCastro
    Eric_DeCastro Posts: 767 Member
    slow it down. you should be able to hold a conversation while running esp when you just start out. I have this problem when i add length to my run because I get anxious. today I have to run a little slower.

    the mental thing is just know you can do it. there is no give up. look at my pictures, I wrote never give up on my running shoes because there is no other option. if it takes you an hour to run a 5K then it takes an hour. but never give up.
  • KyleB65
    KyleB65 Posts: 1,196 Member
    If you are running in a group. Talk with someone while you run. When I first started running I had the same issue, always felt out of breath! I convinced a couple of friends to sign up for a 5K and commit to training together. This was an awesome experience. We met 1-2x per week to run a per-determined distance. As we were friends, we chatted the whole time. I found that when I talk with people as I run, my focus is not on trying to breath "correctly" for the running. Breathing becomes automatic.

    Note that it will still take some time to get your body used to running. This is just something that helped me adjust when I first started running. Hope it helps!
  • hmjohnson25
    hmjohnson25 Posts: 100 Member
    I feel like I breathe loudly when I run, but I've learned to not sweat it. You need to breathe, so do your thing. When I started, I would count my breaths and steps, and I found that I do best at 2 steps inhale, 2 steps exhale. That can change a bit if I run faster or slower, but just being aware of that rhythm helped me feel more in control of my breathing.

    The mental challenge is always there for me. In the beginning, I would literally plan out my whole day or try to think about a specific problem to try to solve - anything to get my mind off physically running. Now, music helps and taking note of my surroundings. It's a good chunk of time you can spend just thinking. Once you start hitting certain benchmarks, you may realize how far you've come in X amount of time and that can get you over some mental hurdles.
  • PaytraB
    PaytraB Posts: 2,360 Member
    I'm really interested in this as well. My friend and I just started doing C25K after work. We ended up starting over last week due to tons of rain storms and she had a week long trip she had to do for work. We're on week two again (90 second run+ 2 minute walk) and we do okay until we get to the last set, then we feel like we're dying. We talk the entire time so I know we're at an okay pace. Just wondering about any tips to get through that last set, especially as we get back into the longer sets. :)

    It takes a bit longer for your muscles & tendons to catch up with your breathing. I would still try slowing down a little bit for that last set to give your muscles & tendons a bit of a rest.
    Keep at it. You're both doing great.
  • AshwinA7
    AshwinA7 Posts: 102 Member
    I've recently put this technique to good use.

    Try breathing on the same foot.

    Ex. Breathe in on the left foot, right foot.

    Then breathe out on the left foot again.

    From a physical perspective, this has made it much easier for me to longer distances and faster but it also distracts the mind because you're focused on breathing. So that's one mental technique.
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    I was going to offer the Ultimate Expert Advice for new runners: Slow down

    But it's already been covered. :laugh:

    One more thing: if you slow down, way down, way-way down - like 20 minute miles - and you are still struggling with your breath, you might want to get checked out for exercise induced asthma.
  • zanne54
    zanne54 Posts: 336 Member
    Base your breathing off your paces: breathe in for 4 steps, out for 4 steps (I usually do 4, sometimes I have to cut back to 3). It helps so much! And gives you something else to focus on

    This.

    Breathe in for four strides and out for four strides. If you can't; then slow down until you can.

    Focus on your breathing instead of your watch and the time will fly by.
  • Eric_DeCastro
    Eric_DeCastro Posts: 767 Member
    I don't look at my watch until after I'm done. just so I know how long I ran for. since I just went from 4.4 miles to 4.8 miles I want to see how much time I added to my run. I'm scraping that 5mile ceiling. I'm going to get it...I AM!!!
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    How do you break through the mental aspect of running as I do believe most of it is mental?

    Depends what kind of session I'm doing, and how long I've been out. On a long run, if I'm feeling the urge to ease back sometimes I'll ease back a little, sometimes I'll set myself a target, like the next km notification or similar. I will couple those breaks with something like taking a couple of mouthfuls of water, which means that my pauses are only a few seconds long while I pull the bottle out, drink, close it and put it back. It just needs some discipline to meet those objectives. Of course when I reach the objective I generally end up thinking I'm not feeling so bad so I set a new objective and keep moving.

    for interval runs or tempo runs the objectives get much closer in, reaching the end of a 20 second sprint, or making it to a particular lamp post before the end of the sprint.

    The point upthread about the music tempo is a good one. For longer road sessions I'll pick some music with a known beats per minute, so that I can synchronise my pace with it. It keeps me focussed on form and achievement, giving me something to concentrate on.
  • WarriorReady
    WarriorReady Posts: 571 Member
    I agree with many of the others. I do breathe loudly though when I run, and at first I thought I was doing something wrong. I ran with a friend who runs marathons on a regular basis and she reassured me I was okay. Best of luck and congrats on finding a group that can help you get where you want to be! :happy: :drinker:
  • BraidedKitteness
    BraidedKitteness Posts: 21 Member
    Ok, conversational pace means a pace at which you "could" carrry a conversation... doesn't mean you should be chit-chatting the whole time. That might be why... :wink:
    It takes a bit longer for your muscles & tendons to catch up with your breathing. I would still try slowing down a little bit for that last set to give your muscles & tendons a bit of a rest.
    Keep at it. You're both doing great.

    :) Thank you both! (And to everyone else too!) I'll share this with my friend too.
  • babysteps1975
    babysteps1975 Posts: 3
    I sing along with my music(quietely of course)....when i struggle to sing along I know i'm going too fast
  • tammylwv
    tammylwv Posts: 155 Member
    Thank you! I do count my breaths. Usually 4/4 or sometimes it's 2/2. I do find when I just go as in not think about the cycles or the mins it is much better. And I do already a lot of your suggestions as in say a sentence and etc.

    When I'm in the group on Saturdays doing our next week's "homework" it is not so bad. I actually chit chat with a couple of others some. I think it's just the part of I am doing it alone during the week and am a perfectionist.

    I haven't yet taken to music as I run in the neighborhood and like to be aware of my surroundings but I will download some music to my phone and use one ear bud as see if it helps.

    I like the "never give up" on the shoes. congrats on your success thus far. :) I was telling myself today, "you can do it. you have already done it three other times." :) And replaying the mantra I heard from somewhere else of "Just finish".

    Thank you again. Any other tips and tricks you want to share is welcome. Thank you for the encouragement as well. :))
  • btsinmd
    btsinmd Posts: 921 Member
    One thing that I used was that "if I didn't complete the run, then I would have to repeat it again". During the end or the last set, I would tell myself, "Do you want to stop now and then have all the running you've done, so far today, not count, or do you want to complete the run." That usually helped me keep on task and get it done. I found that the threat of having to repeat it, kept me going. Just a mental trick that was useful for me.
  • froeschli
    froeschli Posts: 1,292 Member
    I quit taking it too seriously. my goal was getting to a 10k distance, then a half marathon. Yup, I walked when necessary (I can't drink and run at the same time anyways). I got there, especially after I didn't focus on the time but on myself anymore.
    having said that, I am a solo runner, I mess up my speed even when there's just another person in sight :-p and don't get me started on music, my pace was all over when I had my playlist on shuffle.
    In the end, c25k taught me to breathe properly, and counting my breaths, if I find I am breathing g too quickly, I know I am going too fast.
    How do I motivate myself to finish the last interval? Easy, how else am I getting home? :tongue:
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    I like the "never give up" on the shoes. congrats on your success thus far. :) I was telling myself today, "you can do it. you have already done it three other times." :) And replaying the mantra I heard from somewhere else of "Just finish".

    I went from a non-runner to running a half marathon in a year and constantly used the "you've already done it" and "just think about all the things you've already done that you told yourself you couldn't do."
  • tammylwv
    tammylwv Posts: 155 Member
    [quote/]
    I went from a non-runner to running a half marathon in a year and constantly used the "you've already done it" and "just think about all the things you've already done that you told yourself you couldn't do."
    [/quote]

    Awesome job! :)
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    There's still a part of me that will never believe that I will ever be able to run. The difference is that part of me is in a box somewhere, not in the driver's seat. I'm actually beginning to appreciate her, since she reminds me of how far I've come ;)

    You'll get there too.
  • Samstan101
    Samstan101 Posts: 699 Member
    I find distractions. If i think about my breathing then I find I feel more out of breath and pant more. I listen to music, enjoy being outside looking at stuff or even do mental arthimetic to distract me from my breathing.

    I started with C25K and made myself a promise that if I failed to complete a session then I had to redo it - 18mins into a 20min run its a hell of a motivator to get through those last 2mins so as not to have to repeat the previous 18! It worked for me and I now love running - having only started less than a year ago I now regulalry run 10+miles for my long run and complete a 30K run for charity a couple of weeks back (that was tough but I did finish it having run 13 miles of it non stop).

    Try to enjoy the feeling of running rather than focussing on any particular aspect for now and IME it'll feel easier. Good luck :)
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    There's still a part of me that will never believe that I will ever be able to run.

    I'd still hestitate to describe myself as a runner, I merely run 30 or so km per week :)
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    There's still a part of me that will never believe that I will ever be able to run.

    I'd still hestitate to describe myself as a runner, I merely run 30 or so km per week :)

    That's more than I'm back up to :)

    For the longest time, I wouldn't call myself a runner. Instead I would refer to factual events: "I did a 10k in June"

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