I can't breathe when I run :(

You mam need to see the doc ... This sounds like exercise induced asthma ... It can be life threatening if you are not carrying an emergency inhaler please talk to your doc!!!

I am the exact same way. Even in high school when I ran cross country, I always felt like my lungs were going to explode, almost like an asthma attack or something. I have tried to start running now, and the same thing happens, I can barely make it 2 blocks and I'm gasping for air like I'm dying. I think I may have to give up my quest for jogging. I can jog in place for 10-15 minutes and do just fine, but can't even jog a block. I just got back from attempting it again, and the pain I feel even now is intense.

Everyone is telling you to focus on your breathing, and see a doctor. 1 poster did talk a bit about posture (bringing your arms down) but this is really important.

I am no longer a runner but after hearing I ran a marathon I had a lot of friends wanting to "train" with me to keep them motivated. I stopped because of medical issues. The first thing I noticed in ALL of my friends that were female (and not runners already) was a closed posture and looking down. Look up, (wear sunglasses and a hat with a bill if the sun is the problem). Relax your shoulders bring your arms down open your fists relax your hands. Let your thumb knuckles brush your hip bones when they swing. If you have to keep your arms tucked up under your boobs like a tyrannosaurus rex when you run, you need a better sports bra, and you look silly. By looking up and relaxing your shoulders you will open up your respiratory system and you will be able to get more air. Now try the breathing techniques everyone suggested. By relaxing your arms and shoulders you won't wear yourself out contracting more muscles than you need to. And by bringing your arms below your heart it won't have to work so hard to pump blood to them.

Once I learned to keep my head up, shoulders down and upper body relaxed, it was just a matter of building endurance to finish the marathon. I did it, took me 5 hours, but I did it.

Oh and if you go to a doctor, may I suggest a sports doctor? I went to 3 doctors after the marathon because of knee pain. They all looked at me like I was nuts for running 26.2 miles and then complaining that my knee hurt. 6 months on they were still telling me "oh it takes time for your body to heal after an exertion like that" I told another doctor I wanted to do another one and he said "why?"

Agreed I don't think telling someone to go see a doc is a diagnosis...

wow all these diagnosis from a great medical community.

What diagnosis?

Ahhhh you mean the suggestions from people..... yes, this is what the OP asked for, suggestions.

i am the same, doesn't matter if i put the treadmill on number 7 or number 11, my breathing is just crazy. i can't seem to control it, it doesn't seem even, it's like it's so un-nautral, the pace is wrong, it's too fast.... hate it. i'm pretty fit, and can go at it for a long time on anything, no problems with an RPM class at full throttle, but running, it's just no good for me.

not sure if anyone else has mentioned this and sorry if they have but have you been checked for asthma?
maybe worth getting checked out x

good luck

Is it just a wind issue?

Most beginners are limited by their wind, or ability to breath, more than their muscular endurace. It gets better pretty fast. However if you are starting at nothing, it will be several months before you are able to run several miles without being out of breath.

If you are out of breath, slow down. It may not seem like it as you are running if you are still new to running, but slowing down will drastically affect your breathing. Beginners have a harder time noticing this because it isn't an immediate reaction, it can take a little bit before yoru breathing reacts to the speed change.

Doing a little bit of sprinting is a great way to improve your wind fast. Every single football team out there, at every level, runs gassers in camp, short little sprints across the field meant to have you gasping for air. Keep training these, or something similar, and your ability to run without being out of breath will greatly improve.

Running's no joke... it ain't easy and it's not like it 'feels good' to run.

It does get easy though. Eventually if you stick with runninng everybody should be able to do an easy run, a slow pace and shorter distance where your breathing rare barely elevates and you barely get tired, about the equivalent of a walk for an out of shape person.

It also sounds like you've never exerienced runners high. Runners high is better than an orgasm. Some people think it is a myth (science is still scratching their head over it), but I've had it a few times and it is very real. Now I'm always chasing the dragon when I run.

I think that you need to build endurance first, then add speed later.

^^^^^ This. Personally, I use an elliptical to build endurance, and I surprised myself the other day by hopping on a treadmill for the hell of it and running 2 miles at what for me was a completely unattainable pace 3 months ago. Building endurance is all about getting your heart rate up to an elevated healthy level, and keeping it there for long periods of time, and repeating the process a few times a week for a while. You'll find that the same heart rate will gradually support more and more energetic workouts. Then start some interval training (increased effort to increase heart rate, lowered effort to allow recovery, repeat).

For me, the elliptical is ideal because I can raise and lower my cadence and/or adjust the resistance to easily maintain specific heart rates. I can also focus on the burn without worrying about missing a step or adverse effects on my knees or ankles.

When I first started playing around with running, I thought it was all about getting out there and running as fast as you could until it hurt, then repeating it until the hurt took longer to get to. It was painful, and frustrating, and I suffered from a few minor injuries, and at the end of a whole summer I would complete a 5K training "run" gasping for breath and sometimes throwing up from the pain of the stitches in my side.

Hard work, but not too hard, and patience is the key.

The wheezing is not a normal symptom of running... and neither is the tight feeling Deff time to go see your doctor. Asthma even when only exercise induced can be very serious ! Make an Apt. ASAP! If anyone else is experiencing these symptoms they are not normal even if they are "normal for you" Go see your docs!

Thanks again for all the advice.

I don't think I'm struggling to breathe because I'm going too fast. I'm a very slow jogger and it's very similar in speed to power walking. A little faster, but not by much.

I'm on a walk to jog program. I'm only on the 3rd week so here is my routine so far [ it involves more jogging as the weeks go on ]:

Week 1: Walk: 4min, Jog: 1min, Walk: 4min, Jog: 1min, Walk: 4min, Jog: 1min
Week 2: Walk: 4min, Jog: 2min, Walk: 4min, Jog: 2min, Walk: 4min, Jog: 2min
Week 3: Walk: 3min, Jog: 2min, Walk: 3min, Jog: 2min, Walk: 3min, Jog: 2min, Walk: 3min, Jog: 2min

I always start with a bit of a warm up and end with walking until my heart rate slows down.
I'm just concerned because I am going incredibly slow and the rest of my body is ready to take more but my airway feels like it's clogged or something. I start wheezing and coughing and just feel like someone is gripping my lungs. And this happens very shortly after I start my exercise and it's so difficult to catch my breath :S

I'm just concerned because I am going incredibly slow and the rest of my body is ready to take more but my airway feels like it's clogged or something. I start wheezing and coughing and just feel like someone is gripping my lungs. And this happens very shortly after I start my exercise and it's so difficult to catch my breath :S

There's all sorts of things it could be, but the gripping sensation isn't normal. The symptoms are exactly the same as asthma, but you need a doctor to do a lung function test to be sure and to rule out and heart and other problems.

With identical symptoms I went to the doctor, got an inhaler and now whenever I get the the symptoms a short puff later they've disappeared, even on very long or hard sessions. As time has gone on I need it less and less and I now only take it with me for emergencies. The sooner you get a proper diagnosis the sooner you'll get treated and feel better!

Take everyone's advice here and get a doctor's appointment ASAP. You'll get proper treatment and you'll find you're running longer, faster and more comfortably than you ever though possible. DON'T IGNORE ANY PROBLEMS WITH BREATHING! That is all :flowerforyou: