question for the runners

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nikibob
nikibob Posts: 165 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
i wouldn't consider myself a runner, more of a jogger. i have been jogging on my treadmill without any real goals since september. lately i've gotten more interested in running 3k and 5k races so i've been trying to train using the c25k app on my phone. i've done a lot of reading about breathing techniques and the like and have tried to incorporate that in my running but don't seem to be having any real success. right now my aim is to run a 5k at a 6mph pace. i know my legs could do it no problem. i never quit a run because of my legs. what i'm not sure about is if i will be able to breathe well enough to get through it. i've tried timing my breath with my strides, either every stride start an in then an out or every other stride and so far i can't find a pattern that seems easy or sustainable. any suggestions? should i really be so focused on my breath or am i wasting my energy? thanks!
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Replies

  • arc918
    arc918 Posts: 2,037 Member
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    My $.02 - get off the dreadmill and get outside! It really is a different deal (much better). Don't over think it. Don't worry about your pace, just slow it down to build endurance.
  • kr3851
    kr3851 Posts: 994 Member
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    Bump! I can't figure out how to breathe either...
  • Time2Thrive
    Time2Thrive Posts: 161 Member
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    I agree get outside and start running. It is the only way your body will get used to the conditions outside. Running outside will build your endurance.
  • janisbrede
    janisbrede Posts: 12 Member
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    I've never really focused on my breathing, rather my focus is on foot fall, stride, arms and posture. Check out the Couch to 5k program online, it's awesome! I did my first 5k last summer and felt so proud of myself for doing it! Good luck!
  • nikibob
    nikibob Posts: 165 Member
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    My $.02 - get off the dreadmill and get outside! It really is a different deal (much better). Don't over think it. Don't worry about your pace, just slow it down to build endurance.

    i had been running outside a bit until it got really hot out. i do find it is much easier outside. i ran my first race, a 3k a couple weeks ago just hoping to finish in 24 minutes and did it in 17, much to my surprise. lol i have an easier time running outside but i still feel like i'm gasping for breath. maybe it'll just take more time than i anticipated afterall. thank you for your help!
  • nikibob
    nikibob Posts: 165 Member
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    I agree get outside and start running. It is the only way your body will get used to the conditions outside. Running outside will build your endurance.

    thank you! i hope to as soon as it cools down or the humidity gives us a break! :)
  • nikibob
    nikibob Posts: 165 Member
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    I've never really focused on my breathing, rather my focus is on foot fall, stride, arms and posture. Check out the Couch to 5k program online, it's awesome! I did my first 5k last summer and felt so proud of myself for doing it! Good luck!

    any advice on stride? should i aim for a longer or shorter stride or just find something comfortable? i've never really given a lot of thought to my form other than how my foot hits the ground to keep the impact as minimal as i can. thank you for your help!
  • KeeleySue
    KeeleySue Posts: 158
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    The best advice i've found for breathing is the belly breathe and to exhale longer than my inhale. I don't try to time my breathing to my stride because it just messes me up. I've noticed that as long I'm concentrating on belly breathing and on my form, my breathing seems to take care of itself. It seems that I naturally exhale longer than my inhale.
  • kr3851
    kr3851 Posts: 994 Member
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    Being a dancer I find it really hard not to run to the beat, and consequently breathe to my rhythm. It's just not happening for me. I think I'll have to stop concentrating on it and hopefully my body will sort itself out.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    I watch tv on the dreadmill or listen to music when I run outside, so I never paid much attention to my breathing (the more I focus on it, the more it messes me up), but when I do notice it, I notice I breath two short breaths out to one deeper breath in, like the drum cadence in "We Will Rock You." :blushing:
  • CDBrookins
    CDBrookins Posts: 7
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    Okay....I'm an avid runner. I've completed 14 marathons, and am currently training for number 15.

    My advice regarding stride, is to go with what feels natural for you while you are running. Don't over analyze it.

    Stride length really has relatively little to do with your race time. In the late 90's, the women's record holder for the Marathon was less than 5ft tall; not much of a stride length there. Leg turnover is more important.

    If your goal is to improve your race time, then concentrate your efforts on improving your leg turnover rate (how many strides you take per minute) rather than lengthening your stride. Over extending your stride can lead to injuries.

    Just get out and enjoy the race. Good luck.....


    P.S. One final note about strides....You do want to shorten your stride when going up a hill. Don't charge up the hill. Shorten your stride, keep your head up (not looking at your shoes, and use the same amount of effort (not speed) when running up a hlll.
  • nikibob
    nikibob Posts: 165 Member
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    The best advice i've found for breathing is the belly breathe and to exhale longer than my inhale. I don't try to time my breathing to my stride because it just messes me up. I've noticed that as long I'm concentrating on belly breathing and on my form, my breathing seems to take care of itself. It seems that I naturally exhale longer than my inhale.

    thanks for the tip! i'll try that out.
  • arl1997
    arl1997 Posts: 8
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    I had a friend with your very same issue. She found that as she started to log more miles per week, the issue kind of went away on it's own. I think her body just became more efficient and got used to the excersize she was doing. Before that she too had tried all sorts of different things but none worked for her. Once she started running 4 or 5 days a week for a few weeks her breathing issue went away (for months before that she was only running 2 or 3 times per week).
  • nikibob
    nikibob Posts: 165 Member
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    Being a dancer I find it really hard not to run to the beat, and consequently breathe to my rhythm. It's just not happening for me. I think I'll have to stop concentrating on it and hopefully my body will sort itself out.

    good luck--i'm hoping for the same! :) i guess i'm just thinking about it too much.
  • nikibob
    nikibob Posts: 165 Member
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    Okay....I'm an avid runner. I've completed 14 marathons, and am currently training for number 15.

    My advice regarding stride, is to go with what feels natural for you while you are running. Don't over analyze it.

    Stride length really has relatively little to do with your race time. In the late 90's, the women's record holder for the Marathon was less than 5ft tall; not much of a stride length there. Leg turnover is more important.

    If your goal is to improve your race time, then concentrate your efforts on improving your leg turnover rate (how many strides you take per minute) rather than lengthening your stride. Over extending your stride can lead to injuries.

    Just get out and enjoy the race. Good luck.....


    P.S. One final note about strides....You do want to shorten your stride when going up a hill. Don't charge up the hill. Shorten your stride, keep your head up (not looking at your shoes, and use the same amount of effort (not speed) when running up a hlll.

    thanks for the advice! i like to be prepared for everything which ends in lots of time spent online researching and then apparently too much overthinking something i should just let happen. at least that seems to be the general consensus so far! i really appreciate your help.
  • jjgirl76
    jjgirl76 Posts: 68 Member
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    I focus on the exhale, the inhale is natural.

    As far as treadmill versus outside. I have artritis in my right knee and severe allergies. I would have headaches for 2-3 days after a 60 minute run outside. So treadmill is my training of choice, only races are outside. Just keep in mind, if all your training miles are treadmill, you will be slower on race day, so train faster (just a little faster). Make sure that you are adding incline to your treadmill miles as well so that you will be ready for hills.

    On race day, be prepared by having good cusion shoes, you will need the shock absorbtion more. Stay toward the center of the road. All slant toward the outside for drainage. If you are not used to this it could hurt your hips on race day.

    Good luck. Have fun on your first 5K. And remember if it is your first... regardless of time it will be a first PR for you (personal record). :)
  • MayMaydoesntrun
    MayMaydoesntrun Posts: 805 Member
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    Good luck with this!
  • nikibob
    nikibob Posts: 165 Member
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    I focus on the exhale, the inhale is natural.

    As far as treadmill versus outside. I have artritis in my right knee and severe allergies. I would have headaches for 2-3 days after a 60 minute run outside. So treadmill is my training of choice, only races are outside. Just keep in mind, if all your training miles are treadmill, you will be slower on race day, so train faster (just a little faster). Make sure that you are adding incline to your treadmill miles as well so that you will be ready for hills.

    On race day, be prepared by having good cusion shoes, you will need the shock absorbtion more. Stay toward the center of the road. All slant toward the outside for drainage. If you are not used to this it could hurt your hips on race day.

    Good luck. Have fun on your first 5K. And remember if it is your first... regardless of time it will be a first PR for you (personal record). :)

    thank you so much for your help! i have been somewhat nervous about my first 5k (september 3) hoping that i will get a good time. but you are right--whatever time i get will be the best time that i've ever done one in! :)
  • Time2Thrive
    Time2Thrive Posts: 161 Member
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    I've never really focused on my breathing, rather my focus is on foot fall, stride, arms and posture. Check out the Couch to 5k program online, it's awesome! I did my first 5k last summer and felt so proud of myself for doing it! Good luck!

    any advice on stride? should i aim for a longer or shorter stride or just find something comfortable? i've never really given a lot of thought to my form other than how my foot hits the ground to keep the impact as minimal as i can. thank you for your help!

    This is an excellent program, http://www.goodformrunning.com/, that teaches about proper form. I have had less aches and pains now that I follow this. Hope this helps you with your training.
  • srp2011
    srp2011 Posts: 1,829 Member
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    I run 5Ks regularly and they are a lot of fun. On your stride, you want to avoid heel striking, because that jars your knees and hips more and can lead to injury - try to strike with the middle of your foot, Shorter or middle-length strides are better (too long and you set yourself up for injuries - unless you are sprinting, but you're looking at longer distances). As someone else said, it's about turnover, not stride length. I'm short, and can't match stride length of many taller people, but I can beat them :-)

    As for breathing, if you can't breathe, you are going too fast. You need to build up your endurance first, then work on speed. Most new runners make the mistake of trying to do the reverse and they don't make much progress. Follow the C25K program and get to running a 5K distance without stopping, then start working on getting one long slow run in every week (starting at your 5K time and gradually building up about 5 minutes each week or two until you're at 45-60 minutes. And after finishing the basic C25K, you can start adding some speed work into your other shorter runs - intervals, hills, tempo runs, etc... - and that will help you to get faster. Oh, and they recommend your base training pace to be 30-60 seconds/mile slower than race pace. Don't worry so much about your speed/pace for the first race - it's hopefully going to be one of many, and you can watch yourself improve over time in each race :-) Good luck and have fun!

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