Out of breath and running

Two suggestions:
- find yourself a program that lets you gradually build up your running time (like C25K, but there are others)
- run slowly. Slower than you think you need to. This lets you do the distance, speed comes later.

Oh, and get good shoes. Enjoy!

I had the same issue ... i used to smoke and i quit this year ... for first few times it was hard for me to walk on elliptical for 5 mins ...and now i can go 30 mins .. it takes time ... but if u stay with it you will be fine ...

Here is a nice walk / jog program to get you up to 20 min.
You don't have to change after one week, in case you don't want to run this much, or it would be too much pounding for the joints right now, and you do other workouts.

http://www.exrx.net/Aerobic/JogWalkProgram.html

Run Continuously for 20 Minutes (3-4 days per week)

Week Run Walk Repeat
1 30 sec. 90 sec. 10
2 60 sec. 60 sec. 10
3 90 sec. 90 sec. 7
4 2 1 7
5 3 1 5
6 4 1 4
7 6 1 3
8 9 1 2
9 10 1 2
10 12 1 2
11 20 0 1

And why am I sure that chart will not show up formatted correctly.

I'm currently on week 4 of the C25K... I've taken some breaks and repeated some days. When I run I'm running at about 5.0mph or so... is it cheating if I run slower than that to run longer? I want to die after the 5 minute run. But I want to be able to run a 10K in Sept.

Not cheating at all, unless you are on some program to win your age group!

You might benefit from the walk / jog program too. Since you run just for a little bit at first, you can run faster knowing there is a recovery walk. You probably will avg faster than 5mph.

Plus your system gets used to running, and it's like lowered intervals. Just keep the walk speed as fast as possible.

Two suggestions:
- find yourself a program that lets you gradually build up your running time (like C25K, but there are others)
- run slowly. Slower than you think you need to. This lets you do the distance, speed comes later.

I'm currently on week 4 of the C25K... I've taken some breaks and repeated some days. When I run I'm running at about 5.0mph or so... is it cheating if I run slower than that to run longer? I want to die after the 5 minute run. But I want to be able to run a 10K in Sept.

Nope, not cheating! Run at whatever pace lets you get through the distance. I started C25K in January last year and ran really really slowly, but worked my way up through the distance first and then started working on pace. I ran 12k in August - it wasn't fast but I ran nearly all of it and was so proud of myself (especially when I was still running up hills at the 9k mark past some of the young guys who sprinted past me at the start!)
I repeated days and weeks of C25K too - sometimes it just seemed to big of a leap to go to the next week or I had work committments that make me take a few days break. Sticking with it, even at my slow speed definitely paid off.
And slowing down lets you get more miles in your legs with less chance of injury too.

I did a "learn to run" clinic last spring and it was fantastic. If you can, see if you can find a local one, huge support system and there really is a lot to learn! Some things I learned are "slow down!". Many people think they need to just start running and go until you can't. Start with walk/run. If you can't carry on a conversation, you're going to hard. Also, many people breathe fast and shallow. I found concentrating on taking longer, deeper breaths really helped. I have asthma, and needed to use my inhaler a few times in the beginning. But once I figured out how to control my breathing, I never had to use it running again.

Good luck!

Here is a nice walk / jog program to get you up to 20 min.
You don't have to change after one week, in case you don't want to run this much, or it would be too much pounding for the joints right now, and you do other workouts.

http://www.exrx.net/Aerobic/JogWalkProgram.html

Run Continuously for 20 Minutes (3-4 days per week)

Week Run Walk Repeat
1 30 sec. 90 sec. 10
2 60 sec. 60 sec. 10
3 90 sec. 90 sec. 7
4 2 1 7
5 3 1 5
6 4 1 4
7 6 1 3
8 9 1 2
9 10 1 2
10 12 1 2
11 20 0 1

And why am I sure that chart will not show up formatted correctly.

I'm so adding this to my work out. When I started working out again a month ago I said I wanted to get to a point where I liked to run. I know it's going to be tough but it looks doable and I'm up for a challange.

How fast is to fast?? I know it's different for everyone but when I run I set the treadmill at like 6.2 mph. I guess this might be why I burn out after a minute or so lol

I'm on week 4 of C25K and loving it. My heart rate at the end of my 2nd 5 minute run last night was lower than at the end of 1 minute a few weeks ago.

C25K helped me with that issue (couldn't run 3 minutes straight...) but now I'm running an average of 20-40 minutes straight

Many good inputs here - I'll give some that I think you can use:

- Find a suitable program....don't be afraid to repeat weeks of the program if you are not ready to proceed or go back a week if you find that the program is getting ahead of where YOU are (I would advise that you find a program that builds off of a run/walk combination)

- Run slow.....slower than you think you should and don't ramp up too fast - your cardivascular condition will adapt faster than your muscle, tendons and even bones. Pushing too hard increases the risk of injury (but you still need to push.....find a balance)

- Give it time....expect up to 6-12 months before you can run at a decent pace for a full ½ hour without walking breaks if you're starting from zero

- Supplement with other training (I like biking)

- Warm up (lightly....even just walking the first ½ mile) - the first 10-12 minutes are typically the hardest (at least for me) after that the body has adjusted to the fact that you are asking it to work. At some point you'll probably find that after those initial 10-12 minutes you will hit a zen-like state of flow. But when you are starting out and can't even make the first 10-12 minutes.....that's when it's hard to find the motivation to keep going. Do it and you will be rewarded.

- Run, walk, crawl.......but finish. There are no extra points for artistic impression.....the only thing that counts is being out there giving it everything you have.

Doing other exercise, like cycling or swimming, will help improve your lung capacity.

A few years ago when I first started I recall going for a run with a really fit friend who was chatting all the way whilst we ran (mostly to distract me from wanting to stop!) and I couldn't understand how people could talk whilst running because I was gasping for breadth.

Now, I run with my boyfriend and I talk most of the way to distract him from wanting to stop and he can't respond because he is gasping for breadth.

It was a big victory for me when I got to the stage of being able to talk whilst jogging - it just takes time and training. I have asthma and used to smoke, so it took a long time to improve my lung capacity - you can definitely do it, just be patient and follow all the advice given above!

Like everyone has said, run slower until you don't get out of breath. If you have to slow to a walk sometimes to catch your breath before continuing, that's OK too. Eventually you will be walking less and less.

All runs feel worse at the beginning, but once you push through that and warm up and get your stride, it gets better.

Also I would say to inhale through your nose AND mouth. That gets you the most air volume the fastest. Breathing in only through your nose is a restriction, especially if your nose gets runny from the exertion or the cold weather.

For some, music can help, for others it can hurt. If your music's beat matches your pace, it can help you, otherwise it can mess you up as you try to subconsciously run to it.

great advice. bump